If the bill is passed, California would have the toughest regulations in the $35.7 billion business, which became the center of public and congressional scrutiny after multiple reported cases of sexual assault, missing people and overboard passengers, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.

"We've got air marshals on planes with a couple hundred passengers, but we've got no one on board the cruise ships with 10 times the number of passengers," said Sen. Joe Simitian, author of the bill.

Simitian reportedly said the ship's security officers, which the ship's hire themselves, have a "conflict of interest between public regulations goals of the employer and the public safety requirements of the passenger. "

"We just are not in a position to offer any opinions on this legislation until we've had a chance to review it," Cruise Lines International Association spokesman Eric Ruff said.