,,ii #aadth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #ee ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,january #g1 #bjae,mr4 ,vitter introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to extend the seaward boundaries of certain ,states1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,offshore ,fairness ,act4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,coast line ,the term coast line means the line of ordinary low water along the portion of the coast which is in direct contact with the open sea and the line marking the seaward limit of inland waters1 as in existence on the day that is #a day before the date of enactment of this ,act4 7#b7 ,existing interest ,the term existing interest means any lease1 easement1 right of use1 or right-of-way on1 or for any natural resources or minerals1 underlying1 expanded submerged land that is in existence on the date of conveyance of the expanded submerged land4 7#c7 ,expanded seaward boundary ,the term expanded seaward boundary means the boundary of a ,state that is #c marine leagues seaward of the coast line of the ,state4 7#d7 ,expanded submerged land ,the term expanded submerged land means the area of the outer ,continental ,shelf that is located between the point that is #c miles seaward of the coast line of a ,state and the point that is #c marine leagues seaward of the coast line of the ,state4 7#e7 ,interest owner ,the term interest owner means any person holding an existing interest or a portion of an existing interest4 7#f7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of the ,interior4 7#g7 ,state ,the term ,state means any of the ,states of ,alabama1 ,florida1 ,georgia1 ,louisiana1 ,mississippi1 ,north ,carolina1 ,south ,carolina1 and ,virginia4 #c4 ,seaward boundaries of certain ,states 7a7 ,seaward boundaries ,section #d of the ,submerged ,lands ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #acab7 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking ,the at the beginning and inserting the following3 7a7 ,in general ,except for the ,states described in subsection 7b71 the 2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7b7 ,seaward boundaries of certain coastal ,states ,subject to subsection 7a71 the seaward boundary of each of the following ,states shall be a line #c marine leagues distant from the coast line of the ,state as of the date that is #a day before the date of enactment of the ,offshore ,fairness ,act3 7#a7 ,alabama4 7#b7 ,florida4 7#c7 ,georgia4 7#d7 ,louisiana4 7#e7 ,mississippi4 7#f7 ,north ,carolina4 7#g7 ,south ,carolina4 7#h7 ,virginia4 4 7b7 ,conforming amendments ,section #b of the ,submerged ,lands ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #acja7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a77#b71 by inserting 1 or #c marine leagues distant from the coast line of a ,state described in section #d7;b71 after the coast line of each such ,state2 and 7#b7 in subsection 7b7-- 7,a7 by striking from the coast line2 7,b7 by inserting from the coast line of a ,state1 or more than #c marine leagues from the coast line of a ,state described in section #d7;b71 after three geographical miles2 and 7,c7 by inserting from the coast line of a ,state1 or more than #c marine leagues from the coast line of a ,state described in section #d7;b71 after three marine leagues4 #d4 ,conveyance 7a7 ,in general ,subject to subsections 7b7 and 7c7 and section #e1 the ,secretary shall1 by not later than #abj days after the date of enactment of this ,act-- 7#a7 notify each ,state of the right to request a conveyance of the applicable interest of the ,united ,states in and to the expanded submerged land2 and 7#b7 at the request of a ,state1 convey to the applicable ,state the interest of the ,united ,states in and to the expanded submerged land4 7b7 ,administration ,on conveyance under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall transfer to the ,governor of the ,state the authority to exercise the powers and duties of the ,secretary under the terms of any existing interest1 subject to the condition that the ,state-- 7#a7 shall not impose any burdens or requirements on an interest owner that would be stricter than any burdens or requirements imposed under ,federal law2 and 7#b7 shall not impose any administrative or judicial penalty or sanction on an interest owner that is more severe than any administrative or judicial penalty or sanction under current ,federal law4 7c7 ,liability ,as a condition of accepting the conveyance1 the ,state shall agree to indemnify the ,united ,states from any liability to any interest owner for the taking of a property interest or breach of contract arising from-- 7#a7 the conveyance of the expanded submerged land to the ,state2 or 7#b7 the administration by the ,state of any existing interest on or underlying the expanded submerged land4 #e4 ,effect 7a7 ,in general ,subject to subsections 7b7 through 7e71 this ,act and the amendments made by this ,act shall not affect any valid existing right in and to the expanded submerged land4 7b7 ,submerged land ,submerged land within the seaward boundaries of a ,state 7as extended by the amendments made by this ,act7 shall be-- 7#a7 subject to ,federal oil and gas mineral rights to the extent provided by law2 7#b7 considered to be part of the ,federal outer ,continental ,shelf for purposes of the ,outer ,continental ,shelf ,lands ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #acca et seq472 and 7#c7 subject to-- 7,a7 leasing under the authority of that ,act2 7,b7 the distribution of revenues under section #h7;g77#b7 of that ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #accg7;g77#b772 and 7,c7 any other laws applicable to the leasing of the oil and gas resources of the ,federal outer ,continental ,shelf1 including the ,gulf of ,mexico ,energy ,security ,act of #bjjf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #acca note2 ,public ,law #aji-dcb74 7c7 ,existing leases 7#a7 ,in general ,the amendments made by this ,act shall not affect any ,federal oil and gas lease in effect on the date of conveyance under section #d4 7#b7 ,divided leases ,if the conveyance under section #d results in a division of a ,federal oil and gas lease that is in existence on the date of conveyance1 the conveyance of the portion of the expanded submerged land that is covered by the lease shall not take effect until the date that is #a day after the date that the lease expires or terminates4 7d7 ,future interests ,this section shall not apply to any interest in the expanded submerged land that is granted by the ,state after the date on which the land is conveyed to the ,state under section #d4 7e7 ,taxation 7#a7 ,in general ,subject to paragraph 7#b71 a ,state may exercise all of the sovereign powers of taxation of the ,state within the entire extent of the seaward boundaries of the ,state 7as extended by the amendments made by this ,act74 7#b7 ,limitation ,nothing in this subsection affects the authority of a ,state to tax any ,federal oil and gas lease in effect on the date of enactment of this ,act4 #f4 ,jurisdiction of ,gulf ,coastal ,states with respect to ,gulf of ,mexico red snapper 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,exclusive economic zone ,the term exclusive economic zone has the meaning given the term in section #c of the ,magnuson-,stevens ,fishery ,conservation and ,management ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ahjb74 7#b7 ,gulf coastal state ,the term ,gulf coastal ,state means the following ,states bordering the ,gulf of ,mexico3 7,a7 ,alabama4 7,b7 ,florida4 7,c7 ,louisiana4 7,d7 ,mississippi4 7,e7 ,texas4 7b7 ,jurisdiction ,for purposes of management of ,gulf of ,mexico red snapper1 on approval by each of the ,gulf coastal ,states of a fishery management plan applicable to the ,gulf coastal ,states that provides for the sustainability of ,gulf of ,mexico red snapper1 the ,gulf coastal ,states shall have exclusive fishery management authority to manage and conserve the ,gulf of ,mexico red snapper in adjacent coastal waters of the applicable ,gulf coastal ,state and extending through the exclusive economic zone4 7c7 ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration ,the ,administrator of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration shall provide financial assistance to the ,gulf coastal ,states for the conduct of any necessary stock assessments and data collection relating to ,gulf of ,mexico red snapper under subsection 7b74