S. 1318 would broaden the coverage of current laws relating to acts of violence committed on or against ships or maritime fixed platforms and criminal acts involving the use of nuclear materials. The bill also would modify current penalties for such acts. As a result, the government might be able to pursue cases that it otherwise would not be able to prosecute. CBO expects that S. 1318 would apply to a relatively small number of additional offenders, however, so any increase in costs for law enforcement, court proceedings, or prison operations would not be significant. Any such costs would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
Because those prosecuted and convicted under S. 1318 could be subject to criminal fines, the federal government might collect additional fines if the legislation is enacted. Criminal fines are deposited as revenues in the Crime Victims Fund and later spent without further appropriation action. CBO expects that any additional revenues and subsequent direct spending would not be significant because of the relatively small number of cases likely to be affected.
Because enacting the bill could affect direct spending and revenues, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. However, CBO estimates that any effects would be negligible. CBO estimates that enacting S. 1318 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficit by more than $5 billion in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027.
S. 1318 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments.
