46 U.S.C. § 7511 - U.S. Code - Unannotated Title 46. Shipping § 7511. Convicted sex offender as grounds for denial

(a)Sexual abuse.--A license, certificate of registry, or merchant mariner's document authorized to be issued under this part shall be denied to an individual who has been convicted of a sexual offense prohibited under--

(b)Abusive sexual contact.--A license, certificate of registry, or merchant mariner's document authorized to be issued under this part may be denied to an individual who within 5 years before applying for the license, certificate, or document, has been convicted of a sexual offense prohibited under subsection (b) of section 2244 of title 18, or a substantially similar offense under State, local, or Tribal law.