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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 3915 (97th)

Nuclear Incident Liability Reform Act

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

11 June 1981

Last action

17 June 1981 · Referred

Status

Referred to Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment.

Sponsors

Rep. Weiss, Ted [D-NY-17]

Subjects

Energy

Source updated

29 August 2025

Energy

Summary

Nuclear Incident Liability Reform Act of 1981 - Amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to require that the amount of financial protection required of a licensee licensed under such Act for purposes of nuclear incidents shall be the maximum amount of liability insurance available from private sources. Provides for periodic redetermination of such amount by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) based on the cost of living (including health care costs). Requires that all licensees required to maintain such financial protection participate in an industry retrospective rating plan under which the deferred premium which shall be charged following any nuclear incident shall be an amount required by rules promulgated by the NRC. Authorizes the NRC to make a loan to any licensee unable to meet any assessment of deferred premiums within a reasonable time following any nuclear incident without impairing the provision of electric utility service by such licensee. Repeals statutory requirements with respect to indemnification agreements between the NRC and licensees. Removes statutory limitations on the amount of indemnity the NRC may provide to its own contractors for construction or operation of production or utilization facilities and on the aggregate liability for a single nuclear incident. Removes the exemption for nonprofit educational institutions from the financial protection requirements. Repeals the NRC's authority to: (1) enter into an indemnification agreement in connection with the nuclear ship Savannah; and (2) establish procedures to handle public liability claims. Requires that provisions waiving certain defenses with respect to any nuclear incident be incorporated in insurance policies or contracts furnished as proof of financial protection (currently the NRC may require the incorporation of such waiver provisions in such policies or contracts).

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Timeline

  1. 11 June 1981

    Introduced

    Referred to House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 11 June 1981

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 11 June 1981

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 17 June 1981

    Referred

    Referred to Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment.

    Source: Committee

Votes

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Versions

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Documents

1 official file

Sponsors

Related records

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Sources

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