CG Publishes TWIC Reader Delay Final Rule – 10-31-24

Today, the Coast Guard published a final rule in the Federal Register (89 FR 86723-86739) on “TWIC--Reader Requirements; Second Delay of Effective Date”. This rulemaking extends the enforcement date for the TWIC Reader requirements for the three categories of facilities related to Certain Dangerous Cargo listed in 33 CFR §105.253(a) until May 8^th, 2029. The notice of proposed rulemaking was published on December 6^th, 2022. The effective date of this rule is December 2^nd, 2024.

The TWIC Reader rule was controversial from its first proposal. The preamble for this rule provides a lengthy review of the regulatory convolutions that the Coast Guard has gone through on the TWIC Reader requirements. One of the developments that has had the most impact on the two ‘delay rules’ is the Congressional mandate for the Coast Guard to commission an independent study reviewing the security value of the TWIC program. The Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC) delivered that analysis in July, 2022; a copy of that report will be posted in the docket for this rule. The CG continues to review that report.