§ 55. Stairways and passageways. 1. Every public vessel certified to carry passengers shall be provided with (a) permanent stairways and other sufficient and safe means convenient for passing from one deck to the other, and (b) passageways large enough to allow persons freely to pass, which shall be open fore and aft of the length of the vessel, and to and along the railings, which shall be functional, unobstructed and passable whenever the vessel is engaged in carrying passengers.

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2. In addition to any other requirement imposed by this section, public vessels certified to carry more than twenty passengers shall be provided with a minimum of two means of egress on each deck which shall be functional, unobstructed and passable whenever the vessel is engaged in carrying passengers.

3. Any person who operates a public vessel, and any owner of a public vessel who permits a person to operate such vessel, in contravention of the requirements of subdivision one of this section, shall be guilty of a violation punishable as set forth in section seventy-three-c of this article.

4. Any person who operates a public vessel, and any owner of a public vessel who permits a person to operate such vessel, in contravention of the requirements of subdivision two of this section, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable as set forth in section seventy-three-b of this article.

5. The license of any master, pilot, engineer, or joint pilot and engineer who operates a public vessel in contravention of any of the requirements of this section may be subject to the suspension or revocation of his or her license pursuant to section sixty-four-a of this article.