It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Chapter 20-8.1 of the General Laws entitled "Shellfish Grounds" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

20-8.1-2.1. Possession and handling of shellfish - Regulations. - - The director is empowered, to promulgate for the purposes of protecting the public health after consultation with the department of health, regulations governing the possession and handling of shellfish by commercial harvesters licensed under this title. The penalties prescribed in section 20-8.1-11 shall not apply to this section. Any violation of the rules and regulations adopted under this section shall be subject to the penalties prescribed in section 20-1-16.

SECTION 2. Section 20-8.1-9 of the General Laws in Chapter 20-8.1 entitled "Shellfish Grounds" is hereby amended to read as follows:

20-8.1-9. Inspection of boats, vessels, and vehicles. -- The director shall make regular inspections of the boats, vessels, and vehicles used or suggested of being used in the taking possession, handling or transporting of shellfish, and no person shall interfere with or obstruct the entrance of the director to any boat, vessel, or vehicle, for the purpose of making inspections, and no person shall obstruct the conduct of any inspection; provided, however, that inspections as to the taking possession, and handling of shellfish shall be made only by the director or employees of the state department of environmental management. Nothing herein shall negate or otherwise affect the authority of the department of health as granted in title 21.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.