Adopted January 26, 2016 · The House recessed at 1:49 p.m. RECESS The House reconvened at 2:11...

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES N I N E T E E N T H N O R T H E R N M A R I A N A S C O M M O N W E A L T H L E G I S L A T U R E

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L E G I S L A T I V E J O U R N A L

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First Day, Sixth Special Thursday, July 16, 2015

The House of Representatives of the Nineteenth Northern Marianas Commonwealth

Legislature convened its First Day, Sixth Special Session on Thursday, July 16, 2015, at 1:44

p.m., in the House Chamber on Capitol Hill, Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana

Islands.

The Honorable Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero, Speaker of the House, presided.

A moment of silence was observed.

ROLL CALL

After roll call, the Clerk announced that seventeen members were present and three

members were absent. Representatives Ramon A. Tebuteb and Edmund S. Villagomez arrived

after roll call. Representative Edwin K. Propst was absent and excused.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: I believe Representatives Tebuteb and Villagomez are here

and will be coming in shortly. For the record Representative Propst is excused. If there is no

objection at this time, we will move on to item II, Public Comments.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: At this time, if there is anyone in the gallery wishing to offer

any public comments on any item appearing on today’s order of business you may do so. We do

ask however when you step up you state your name for the record because we have a full gallery

we also ask that you limit your statement to five minutes to allow other members to also offer

their comments and if you need more time we can come back a second round if there is no more

comments. So with that the floor is open.

The following individuals made comments:

Mr. Robert P. Reyes, Compliance Supervisor, Department of Finance

Adopted January 26, 2016

1st Day, Sixth Special Session House Legislative Journal – July 16, 2015

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Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Sir. I want to offer my apologize before anybody

steps up to the podium. I did say that we were going to call a short recess to entertain a resolution

presentation. We will do that and then after we will continue with item II, Public comments.

With that the Chair calls for a short recess, but before we do that let the record reflect

Representative Tebuteb is present. Short recess.

The House recessed at 1:49 p.m.

RECESS

The House reconvened at 2:11 p.m.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: At this time, we resume our session. We left off on item II,

Public Comments and we can now resume. Again, if anybody wishes to offer any Public

Comments you may step to the podium. Please state your name for the record and limit your

comments to five minutes. Recognize Representative Villagomez.

Representative Edmund S. Villagomez: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to apologize for

being late and for the record I am present.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Villagomez. Madame Clerk,

please take note.

Continuation of Public Comments with the following individuals:

Mr. James C. Deleon Guerrero, Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety

Mr. Jose Mafnas, Director of the Division of Custom Service

Mr. Gregorio M. Sablan, Jr., Division of Customs

Mr. Jesse Atalig, Division of Customs

Ms. Sonia Camacho, Acting Director of Courts for the CNMI Judiciary on behalf

of Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro, Presiding Judge Robert C. Naraja and

Acting Presiding Judge Kenneth L. Govendo

Mr. Pete Leon Guerrero, Captain of the Police Division for the Department of

Public Safety

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Are there any more public comments? If not, we will then

continue with our Order of Business and get to the work of passing bills. At this time, let us

move on to item IV, under Introduction of Bills. The Chair will turn it over to our Floor Leader

for some motions. Floor Leader.

ADOPTION OF JOURNALS

The Clerk announced that there are no journals for adoption.


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INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

Floor Leader George N. Camacho: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before we continue with item IV, I

would like to make a couple of suspension motion first so that we are in order regarding the dress

code. I would like to make a motion to suspend Rule V, Section 8. So move.

RULE V. DECORUM AND DEBATE. Section 8. Dress Code. All members and officers appearing on the Floor of the House shall be suitably attired. Members shall wear business shirt and tie, and on Fridays may wear formal island wear. [Note: Rule V, Section 8, amended by H. RES. 19-19, HS1]

The motion was seconded.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Suspension of our dress code has been moved it has been

seconded. Any discussion on the motion?

Several members voiced “ready”.

There was no discussion and the motion to suspend Rule V, Section 8 was carried by

voice vote. There was no nay vote.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Floor Leader.

Floor Leader George N. Camacho: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Next suspension motion is to amend

our agenda in order to allow items such as communications, bills and resolutions not appearing

before our agenda today. So I would like to go ahead a make a motion that we suspend Rule IX,

Section 4 (d). So move, Mr. Speaker and I call for a roll call on this one.

RULE IX. BILLS, RESOLUTIONS AND AMENDMENTS.

Section 4. Format of Bills and Resolutions. (d) Bills and resolutions for introduction may be pre-filed with the House Clerk for formal introduction at the next session, provided that it is pre-filed in sufficient time to appear on the session agenda as required under Rule III. The 72-hour notice and agenda requirements may be dispensed with for Special Emergency Sessions and Sessions called by the Governor in accordance with Rule III.


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Motion has been offered and seconded. Any discussion on

the motion?


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Madame Clerk, please call the roll.


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The Clerk called the roll on the motion to suspend Rule IX, Section 4 (d) with the following results:

Representative Edwin P. Aldan yes Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao yes Representative Anthony T. Benavente yes Representative Roman C. Benavente yes Representative George N. Camacho yes Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero yes Representative Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero yes Representative Angel A. Demapan yes Representative Rafael S. Demapan yes Representative Joseph Lee Pan T. Guerrero yes Representative Glenn L. Maratita yes Representative Felicidad T. Ogumoro yes Representative Edwin K. Propst absent (excused) Representative Antonio P. Sablan yes Representative John Paul P. Sablan yes Representative Vinson F. Sablan yes Representative Francis S. Taimanao yes Representative Ramon A. Tebuteb yes Representative Edmund Joseph S. Villagomez yes Representative Ralph N. Yumul yes

House Clerk Linda B. Muña: Mr. Speaker, all 19 members present voted “yes.”

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Madame Clerk. With all 19 voting “yes,” the

motion as offered by the Floor Leader hereby passes. Are we done with motions Floor Leader?

Floor Leader George N. Camacho: For now until we get to the Bill Calendar, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you. At this time, the Chair will recognize the first

author, recognize Representative John Paul Sablan.

House Bills:

Representative John Paul P. Sablan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time, I officially introduce

House Bill 19-83, “To vest the Department of Finance specifically the Division of Customs with

all the fines collected at the ports of entry of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana

Islands; and for other purposes.” Introduced by myself and thirteen members. Mr. Speaker, I

know in our leadership meeting that we had an agreement that we were going to place this bill on

Ways and Means, but I want to state for the record that we got an assurance from our Ways and

Means Chairman and I want to let the men and women in blue know that the Chairman will act

expeditiously on such a bill. Thank you.

H. B. NO. 19-83 To vest the Department of Finance specifically the Division of Customs with all the fines collected at the ports of entry of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; and for other purposes.

REP. JOHN PAUL P. SABLAN of Saipan, Precinct 2 (for himself, Representatives Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao, Anthony T. Benavente, Roman C. Benavente, George N. Camacho, Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero, Angel A. Demapan, Glenn


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L. Maratita, Edwin K. Propst, Vinson F. Sablan, Francis S. Taimanao, Ramon A. Tebuteb, Edmund S. Villagomez, and Ralph N. Yumul)

(Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means)

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Sablan and that is correct for the

folks from Customs it was discussed and although we would have wanted to place it on the Bill

Calendar, bill such as this which does affect our revenues normally go through the Committee on

Ways and Means who is responsible for that and to treat it like other bills who were also

introduced and were referred to the committee. So with that yes the Chairman has already and the

committee has pledged to put it up on the committee calendar for swift action. Continuing on the

Chair will now recognize Representative Lee Pan Guerrero.

Representative Joseph Lee Pan T. Guerrero: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to officially

introduce House Bill 19-84, “To amend 1 CMC §8551 (b) and (c) to increase the accepted

nonmonetary value for offering, receiving, and soliciting gifts or favors; and for other purposes.”

Introduced by myself and welcome any other members to coauthor this bill.

H. B. NO. 19-84 To amend 1 CMC §8551 (b) and (c) to increase the accepted nonmonetary value for offering, receiving, and soliciting gifts or favors; and for other purposes.

REP. JOSEPH LEE PAN T. GUERRERO of Saipan, Precinct 1 (for himself)

(Referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations)

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Guerrero. If I did not state earlier

House Bill 19-83 will be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. House Bill 19-84 will

be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations. Representative

Guerrero you still have the floor.

Representative Joseph Lee Pan T. Guerrero: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is to officially

introduce House Bill 19-85, “To amend Title 6, Division 3, Chapter 1, Article 4 of the

Commonwealth Code to establish a regulation to prohibit smoking in vehicles when in the

presence of minors; and for other purposes.” Introduced by myself and welcome other members

to coauthor this bill Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

H. B. NO. 19-85 To amend Title 6, Division 3, Chapter 1, Article 4 of the Commonwealth Code to establish a regulation to prohibit smoking in vehicles when in the presence of minors; and for other purposes.



Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Guerrero. House Bill 19-85 will

also be referred to the Committee on JGO. Now recognize Representative Antonio Sablan for the

next introduction.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker and good afternoon members and to

our guests. This is to formally introduce House Bill 19-86, “To make appropriations for the

operations and activities of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana


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Islands, its agencies, instrumentalities, and independent programs, and to provide budget

authority for government corporations for Fiscal Year 2016.” So offered and at the same time

Mr. Speaker, I respectfully request that House Bill 19-86 be placed on today’s calendar for

action. Thank you.

H. B. NO. 19-86 To make appropriations for the operations and activities of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, its agencies, instrumentalities, and independent programs, and to provide budget authority for government corporations for Fiscal Year 2016.

REP. ANTONIO P. SABLAN of Saipan, Precinct 1 (for himself, Representatives George N. Camacho, Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero, Angel A. Demapan, Glenn L. Maratita, Joseph Lee Pan T. Guerrero, Felicidad T. Ogumoro, and Ramon A. Tebuteb)

(Moved to Bill Calendar)

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Sablan. Because your committee

has already undertaken the work of conducting budget hearings with various departments and

agencies, your request will be accommodated. I now recognize the Floor Leader for the

placement motion.

Floor Leader George N. Camacho: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On that note, I would like to make a

motion that we place House Bill 19-86 this is the budget bill on our Calendar for action today. So

move.


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Floor Leader. Motion has been offered and

seconded for a placement motion. We are now under discussion. Any discussion on the

placement? Are we ready?


There was no discussion and the motion to place House Bill 19-86 on the Bill Calendar

was carried by voice vote. There was no nay vote.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: For the next introduction. Recognize again Representative

Lee Pan Guerrero.


introduce House Bill 19-87, “To amend Title 4 CMC § 5526 to add a new Section 8 Special

Casino Liquor License, and to amend, repeal and re-enact certain sections of Title 4, Division 5,

Chapter 5 of the Commonwealth Code; and for other purposes.” Introduced by myself and

welcome any other members to coauthor.

H. B. NO. 19-87


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To amend Title 4 CMC § 5526 to add a new Section 8 Special Casino Liquor License, and to amend, repeal and re-enact certain sections of Title 4, Division 5, Chapter 5 of the Commonwealth Code; and for other purposes.


(Referred to the Committee on Commerce and Tourism)


referred to your Committee on Commerce and Tourism. On the new bills that did not make the

prefiling requirement, but since we amended our agenda already for the next introduction,

Representative Guerrero you still have the floor.


introduce House Bill 19-88, “To amend 6 CMC § 2208 to include that the law enforcement

officers of Department of Commerce, Alcoholic Beverage and Tobacco Control Division in the

exception to the Weapons Control Act.” Introduced by myself and welcome any other members

to coauthor this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

H. B. NO. 19-88: To amend 6 CMC § 2208 to include that the law enforcement officers of Department of Commerce, Alcoholic Beverage and Tobacco Control Division in the exception to the Weapons Control Act.

REP. JOSEPH LEE PAN T. GUERRERO of Saipan, Precinct 1 (for himself



be referred to the Committee on JGO. For the last introduction recognize Representative Vinson

Sablan.

Representative Vinson F. Sablan: Thank you, Speaker. This is to formally introduce House Bill

19-89, “To ban the importation of used tires; and for other purposes.” I do have pictures to

forward to the committee you are going to refer this bill to support the bill and to show of the

significance of the bill. Thank you.

H. B. NO. 19-89: To ban the importation of used tires; and for other purposes.

REP. VINSON F. SABLAN of Saipan, Precinct 4, (for himself

(Referred to the Committee on Commerce and Tourism)

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Sablan. You may forward your

information to the Committee on Commerce and Tourism of which House Bill 19-89 will be

referred. Are there any other bills that members wish to introduce? Seeing that there is none, let

us move on to item (b) House Local Bills and recognize Representative Ogumoro.

House Local Bills:

Representative Felicidad T. Ogumoro: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am now formally introducing

House Local Bill 19-30, “To appropriate the sum of One Million Dollars from the Exclusive

Gaming Annual License Fees, pursuant to Section 7, Section 107 (c)(2) of Public Law No. 18-43,

for Land Compensation, Village and Agriculture Homestead for the island of Pagan, Indigenous

Affairs Office, Carolinian Affairs Office, Northern Marianas Cultural Center, and the Northern


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Marianas Descent Corporation.” Introduced by me and six others, everyone else is welcome to

coauthor the bill. Thank you.

H. L. B. NO. 19-30 To appropriate the sum of One Million Dollars from the Exclusive Gaming Annual License Fees, pursuant to Section 7, Section 107 (c)(2) of Public Law No. 18-43, for Land Compensation, Village and Agriculture Homestead for the island of Pagan, Indigenous Affairs Office, Carolinian Affairs Office, Northern Marianas Cultural Center, and the Northern Marianas Descent Corporation.

REP. FELICIDAD T. OGUMORO of Saipan, Precinct 3 (for herself, Representatives George N. Camacho, Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero, Angel A. Demapan, Joseph Lee Pan T. Guerrero, John Paul P. Sablan, and Ramon A. Tebuteb)

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Ogumoro. The Chair now

recognizes Representative Taimanao for the next introduction.

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: Speaker, point of clarification please.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Recognized.

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: Just on House Local Bill 19-30, I believe the Public

Law is 18-56 because it repealed 43, 37, and 38 that is the Casino Act right? It would be 56, the

43 was repealed by 56. Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you. I do not know if we can make that correction

right now maybe when it gets to the delegation that correction can be made. Thank you for

making note of that. Representative Taimanao.

Representative Francis S. Taimanao: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to officially introduce

House Local Bill 19-31, “To appropriate the associated interest collected for the Third Senatorial

District of One Hundred Seventy-Six Thousand Five Hundred and Seventeen Dollars

($176,517.00 USD) in bond funds for road paving projects in Kagman III, Phase I; and to

earmark the associated interest in bond funds for the Third Senatorial District for the years 2015

through 2020 for road paving and drainage systems in Kannat Tabla and Kagman III, Phase II,

III, and IV.” Prefiled by myself and do welcome other members to coauthor. Thank you.

H. L. B. NO. 19-31 To appropriate the associated interest collected for the Third Senatorial District of One Hundred Seventy-Six Thousand Five Hundred and Seventeen Dollars ($176,517.00 USD) in bond funds for road paving projects in Kagman III, Phase I; and to earmark the associated interest in bond funds for the Third Senatorial District for the years 2015 through 2020 for road paving and drainage systems in Kannat Tabla and Kagman III, Phase II, III, and IV.

REP. FRANCIS S. TAIMANAO of Saipan, Precinct 5 (for himself)

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Taimanao. At this time, are there

any other House Local Bills for introduction? Recognized Representative Tebuteb.


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Representative Ramon A. Tebuteb: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is just at least for point of

information. I note that Representative Attao also indicated his point on House Local Bill 19-30

and that is the introduced bill on appropriating $1 Million from the gaming licensing fee. My

understanding is that I think it is appropriate that we do entertain Representative Attao’s points

as such because this will and may require only one appearance in the House. So I think that is

more than appropriate.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you for the clarification Representative Tebuteb.

Madame Clerk, please take note. At this time, are there any other House Local Bills for

introduction? If not, are there any House Legislative Initiatives for introduction? At this time, if

there is no objection let us move down to item V, Introduction of Resolutions. The Chair

Recognizes Representative Lorenzo Deleon Guerrero for the first introduction.

House Legislative Initiatives: None

INTRODUCTION OF RESOLUTIONS

House Resolutions:

Representative Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Officially introducing

House Resolution 19-24, “To honor and express our wholehearted gratitude to the Late Mrs.

Doris Ann Templeton Thompson for her countless years of dedicated and excellent service to the

students, faculty, and staff of the CNMI Public School System most especially Marianas High

School and the former San Antonio Elementary School.” Authored by myself and sponsored by

others. I humbly ask if there is no objection that this resolution be cosponsored by the Committee

as a Whole.

H. RES. NO. 19-24 To honor and express our wholehearted gratitude to the Late Mrs. Doris Ann Templeton Thompson for her countless years of dedicated and excellent service to the students, faculty, and staff of the CNMI Public School System most especially Marianas High School and the former San Antonio Elementary School.

REP. LORENZO I. DELEON GUERRERO of Saipan, Precinct 5 (for himself, Representatives Edwin K. Propst, Ramon A. Tebuteb, and Ralph N. Yumul)

(Committee of the Whole)

Several members voiced “no objection”.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Madame Clerk, please take note House Resolution 19-24

will be introduced by the Committee as a Whole and also will be placed on today’s Resolution

Calendar. Although just to clarify, Representative Deleon Guerrero we will act on this as you are

aware we will concentrate on the budget today. Are there any House Resolution for introduction?

Recognize Representative Yumul.

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have an unnumbered House

Resolution that I would like to introduce today and if I may it is “To recognize and congratulate

the organizers of the Governor’s Tournament of Champions Golf Tournament, which has


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enabled the success of many destination enhancement projects and which is celebrating its 20th

anniversary this year.” Introduced by myself and 3 others and if there is no objection I would like

to introduce this as a Committee of the Whole.

H. RES. NO. 19-25: To recognize and congratulate the organizers of the Governor’s Tournament of Champions Golf Tournament, which has enabled the success of many destination enhancement projects and which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

REP. RALPH N. YUMUL of Saipan, Precinct 3 (for himself, Representatives Edwin P. Aldan, Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao, Anthony T. Benavente, Roman C. Benavente, George N. Camacho, Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero, Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero, Angel A. Demapan, Rafael S. Demapan, Joseph Lee Pan T. Guerrero, Glenn L. Maratita, Felicidad T. Ogumoro, Antonio P. Sablan, John Paul P. Sablan, Vinson F. Sablan, Francis S. Taimanao, Ramon A. Tebuteb, and Edmund S. Villagomez)



Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Without objection then Madame Clerk, please take note.

Just to clarify, 19-25 is the resolution Representative Yumul introduced and will be placed on the

Resolution Calendar. Are there any further House Resolution for introduction? If not, under item

(b) House Joint Resolutions the Chair recognizes Representative Taimanao.

House Joint Resolutions:

Representative Francis S. Taimanao: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to introduce House

Joint Resolution 19-7, “Respectfully requesting the Honorable Eloy S. Inos, Governor of the

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Mr. James A. Ada, Secretary of the

Department of Public Works to earmark at least Two Million Eight-Hundred Thousand Dollars

($2,800,000.00) from the Federal Highway Funds in Fiscal Year 2017 for the design and

pavement of the Kannat Tabla road to include lateral roads and the construction of drainage

system; and for other purposes.” Introduced by myself and Mr. Speaker if there is no objection, I

would like to introduce this resolution as a Committee as a Whole.

H. J. R. NO. 19-7 Respectfully requesting the Honorable Eloy S. Inos, Governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Mr. James A. Ada, Secretary of the Department of Public Works to earmark at least Two Million Eight-Hundred Thousand Dollars ($2,800,000.00) from the Federal Highway Funds in Fiscal Year 2017 for the design and pavement of the Kannat Tabla road to include lateral roads and the construction of drainage system; and for other purposes.

REP. FRANCIS S. TAIMANAO of Saipan, Precinct 5 (for himself)



Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Without objection then, Madame Clerk please take note.

House Joint Resolution 19-7 will be introduced by the Committee as a Whole. House Joint

Resolution 19-7 will be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. Are there any further

House Joint Resolutions for introduction? If not, item (c) House Commemorative Resolution we


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have one that did not meet the prefiling requirements. The Chair recognizes Representative

Angel Demapan for its introduction.

House Commemorative Resolutions:

Representative Angel A. Demapan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to introduce House

Commemorative Resolution 19-3, “To congratulate the CNMI Senior League All Stars for their

victorious efforts in the 2015 Asia-Pacific Little League Regional Tournament and earning the

privilege to participate in the 2015 Senior League World Series in Bangor, Maine.” Introduced by

myself and twelve other members. Thank you.

C. RES. NO. 19-3: To congratulate the CNMI Senior League All Stars for their victorious efforts in the 2015 Asia-Pacific Little League Regional Tournament and earning the privilege to participate in the 2015 Senior League World Series in Bangor, Maine.

REP. ANGEL A. DEMAPAN of Saipan, Precinct 1 (for himself, Representatives Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao, Anthony T. Benavente, George N. Camacho, Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero, Rafael S. Demapan, Joseph Lee Pan T. Guerrero, Glenn L. Maratita, Felicidad T. Ogumoro, Antonio P. Sablan, John Paul P. Sablan, Vinson F. Sablan, and Francis S. Taimanao)

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you. Commemorative Resolution 19-3 will also be

placed on today’s Resolution Calendar to be acted on the next House session. Are there any

further commemorative resolutions for introduction? If not, I do not believe we have any House

Concurrent Resolutions. So we will move on to item VI, in our Order of Business, Messages

from the Governor and the Chair will turn it over to our House Clerk.

House Concurrent Resolutions: None

MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR

The Clerk announced the following Messages from the Governor:

GOV. COMM. 19-31: (5/26/15 rcvd 6/22/15) Certifying and granting approval for Mr. Matthew C. Baisley, Assistant Attorney General, at the Office of Attorney General to receive an annual salary of $75,000. [For info]

GOV. COMM. 19-32: (6/16/15) Executive Order 2015-08 – Declaration of a State of Significant Emergency: Commonwealth Utilities Corporation’s Imminent Generation and other Failure and the Need to Provide Immediate Reliable Power, Water and Wastewater services. GOV. COMM. 19-33: (6/16/15) Informing the House that he signed into law, S. B. NO. 19-8, SD1, HD1 (Commonwealth Legislature Organization and Procedure Amendment: To amend 1 CMC §1104(a) to set the time for the Organizational Sessions [House

convene 10:00 AM; Senate convene-11:00 AM].). Became Public Law 19-1 [For info]


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GOV. COMM. 19-34: (6/16/15) Informing the House that he signed into law H. L. B. NO. 19-22, S1, (Appropriating $44,000.00 from local license fees collected for Poker

and Pachinko Slot Machines in the First Senatorial District.). Became Rota Local Law

19-2. [For info] GOV. COMM. 19-35: (6/29/15) Certifying and granting approval for Mr. Tillman P. Clark, Assistant Public Defender, at the Office of Public Defender to receive an annual salary of $55,000. [For info] GOV. COMM. 19-36: (6/30/15) Certifying and granting approval for Teresita J. Sablan, Assistant Attorney General, at the Office of Attorney General to receive an annual salary of $70,000. [For info] GOV. COMM. 19-37: (7/2/15) Certifying and granting approval for Mr. Jennings Wesley Bunn, II, Staff Archaeologist, at the Historic Preservation Office to receive an annual salary of $57,000. [For info] GOV. COMM. 19-38: (6/2/15) Certifying and granting approval for Mr. James M. Zarones Chief Solicitor, at the Office of the Attorney General to receive an annual salary of $70,000. [For info]

GOV. COMM. 19-39: (7/15/15) Executive Order 2015-09 – Declaration of a State of Emergency for the Islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. The disruption of critical infrastructure services threaten the public peace, health, and safety of the Commonwealth’s residents.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Just for the viewing public to see that that last Governor’s

Communication the Executive Order was due to the disruption of critical infrastructure services

threatening the public peace, health, and safety of the Commonwealth’s residents. At this time,

are there any comments or discussions under item VI, Messages from the Governor? The Chair

recognizes Representative Attao.

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am requesting that the

members hold actions for Governor’s Communication 19-31, 35, 36, 37 & 38, which is

requesting for salary increases in the amount of roughly $10,000 to $20,000 Dollars in amount,

as we have these men and women out here from DPS and Customs for the past 15 years have not

gotten their pay increases, but yet as soon as we adopt these Governor’s Communications we

essentially sign off on giving them their pay increases knowing the fact that these fine men and

women continue to work at a lower level and salary, but yet we have not even touched based with

our salary increases for the general employees of the Commonwealth government. I understand

that these individuals work for the Attorney General’s Office and I understand we do need a staff

Archaeologist, but it is just a simple vote on our end accepting the messages from the Governor

and we automatically give these guys their pay increases while we sit back and maybe we can

distribute these funds to these men and women out here. Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Attao and the Legal Counsel can

correct me. I believe these information are for informational purposes and I do not believe we

need to offer any motion to accept or adopt them. I do believe there is a – what is it Mr. Cool, 60


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days if we choose to offer a motion not to approve it then that could happen. Can you enlighten

us Mr. Cool?

Legal Counsel John Cool: Basically, the salary adjustment act requires that for anybody who is

receiving a salary an excess of $50,000.00 even though it may be within the salary limits the

Governor is required to report that to the Legislature. It is a reporting requirement. These salaries

have already been implemented to personnel actions then the Governor is advised that this person

is receiving a salary in excess of $50,000.00 and then the Governor reports that to us. Even

though the Governor’s communication indicates that he is approving and granting it is already

been done. Again, this is just a reporting requirement because all of these salaries for the

attorney’s are within the salary limits even though they exceed $50,000.00. There is no salary

limits for attorneys. So the only thing we can do at this time is to reduce their budget.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Legal Counsel. Representative Attao, you still

have the floor.

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: I guess the Legal Counsel says it is just for

informational purposes so I believe that as soon as we start acting on 19-86, we should

implement some penalty provisions on these reporting sections and on the budget. Thank you,

Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Attao. Are there any discussions

under messages from the Governor? Are we ready to move on?

SENATE COMMUNICATIONS

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Let us move then to item VII, Senate Communications. At

this time, we have two Senate Communications both of them are for informational purposes and

so they do not require House action so I do not believe we need to offer a motion to accept the

Senate Communications. We do it as a formality. I will give it to the Floor Leader.

Floor Leader George N. Camacho: I would like to make a motion that we accept Senate

Communications 19-36 and Senate Communication 19-37 so that they become property of the

House. So move, Mr. Speaker.

SEN. COMM. 19-36: (6/18/15) Transmitting a certified copy of Senate Resolution No. 19-11, entitled, “To honor and pay tribute to the Late Pedro Maratita Ogo for his memorable service to the people of Rota and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.,” which was adopted by the Senate on May 8, 2015. [For info] SEN. COMM. 19-37: (6/8/15) Transmitting a certified copy of Senate Resolution No. 19-12, D1 entitled, “Respectfully requesting the Commonwealth Development Authority and banking and lending institutions within the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to provide humanitarian aid in the form of deferring payments for all affected residents on the island of Rota due to Typhoon Dolphin’s wrath.,” which was adopted by the Senate on June 4, 2015. [For info]



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Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Floor Leader. So I guess this will be the

standard even if it does not require action we will go ahead and accept all Senate

Communications. Motion has been offered and seconded to accept two communications. Any

discussion on the motion? Recognize Representative Tebuteb.

Representative Ramon A. Tebuteb: Just so that I am clear Mr. Speaker if that is the intent then

are saying the otherwise of what Representative Attao was raising in that the Governor’s

Communication is for informational purposes by not acting on it or taking into account so that it

becomes property of the House. Is that the opposite of what we are trying to do here?

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Good question. I do not think the two are the same. The

Senate Communication is governed by our House Rules and I believe if it requires House action

we normally provide a motion to accept it. I have seen it both ways where we have not accepted

Senate Communications that are for informational purposes, but since we are taking this route

and maybe to allow for any discussion if the members want to the Floor Leader offered a motion.

Anything further under Senate Communication? If not we will move on to House

Communications and turn it over to our House Clerk.

HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS

The Clerk announced the following House Communications:

HSE. COMM. 19-31: (6/22/15) From Representative Anthony T. Benavente, informing the Speaker that he will be off-island on personal matters beginning June 27, 2015 to July 4, 2015 and request to be excused from any meetings or sessions during his absence. HSE. COMM. 19-32: (6/19/15) From Representative Angel A. Demapan, informing the Speaker that he will be off-island beginning June 23, 2015 and returning June 26, 2015 and request to be excused from any meetings or sessions during his absence. HSE. COMM. 19-33: (6/25/15) From the Vice Speaker, informing the Speaker that he will be off-island on official business from Friday, June 26, 2015 to Friday, July 10, 2015 and request to be excused from any meetings or sessions during his absence. HSE. COMM. 19-34: (6/30/15) From Representative Edwin K. Propst, informing the Speaker that he will be off-island on personal matters from Thursday, July 2, 2015 to Saturday, August 8, 2015 and request to be excused from any meetings or sessions during his absence. HSE. COMM. 19-35: (7/15/15) From Representative Anthony T. Benavente, informing the Speaker that he will be off-island on official business beginning July 18, 2015 to July 21, 2015 and request to be excused from any meetings or sessions during his absence.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Madame Clerk. Are there any discussions under

item VIII?



-15-

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Let us move on then and since there does not appear to be

any communications from the Judicial Branch, Department & Agencies, and Miscellaneous

Communications, we now move on to item XII without objection. Rather in accordance with our

earlier discussion we will move directly to the Bill Calendar to act on the budget bill. Without

objection let us move to item XVI in our Order of Business, Bill Calendar. I ask that the Floor

Leader offer a motion for the budget bill, Floor Leader.

COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE JUDICIAL BRANCH

None

COMMUNICATIONS FROM DEPARTMENTS & AGENCIES

None

MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATIONS

None

REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES

No discussions or actions made on this part of the agenda.

S. C. R. NO. 19-17: Reporting on S. B. NO. 19-3, SS1, entitled: “To provide for the selection of the Teacher Representative within the Public School System to serve as a nonvoting Teacher Representative in the CNMI State Board of Education pursuant to Article XV, section 1(c), of the NMI Constitution; and for other purposes” Your Committee on Health, Education and Welfare recommends that the House pass the bill in its current form.

S. C. R. NO. 19-18: Reporting on H. B. No. 19-29, entitled: “To improve the statutory language and increase the penalties for the operation of illegal taxis.” Your Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations recommends that the

House pass the bill in the form of H. B. NO. 19-29, HD1.

S. C. R. NO. 19-20: Reporting on S. B. No. 19-2, SD2, entitled: “To mandate the cooperation and collaboration between the outgoing incumbent Mayor or designee and the Mayor-elect to assist in the transitioning of office; and for other purposes.” Your Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations recommends that the House pass the bill in the

form of S. B. NO. 19-2, SD2, HD1.

S. C. R. NO. 19-21: Reporting on S. B. No. 19-9, SD1, entitled: “To amend 1 CMC §1107, restricting transfer of fixed assets and capital goods from legislative offices; and for other purposes.” Your Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations recommends that the House pass the bill in its current form.

S. C. R. NO. 19-22: Reporting on S. B. No. 19-27, entitled: “To establish the crime of electronic impersonation; and for other purposes.” Your Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations recommends that the House pass the bill in its current form.

S. C. R. NO. 19-23: Reporting on H. B. No. 19-16, entitled: “To amend Public Law 18- 73 which created a new Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services within the Executive Branch to remove certain arrest powers from the Department and modify provisions of the FLSA and civil service regulations.” Your Committee on Judiciary and

Governmental Operations recommends that the House pass the bill in the form of H. B. NO. 19-16, HD1.

S. C. R. NO. 19-24: Reporting on H. B. No. 19-40, entitled: “To repeal and re-enact 9 CMC Section 8210 (a) (1) and (2) entitled, “Penalties for Violations of 9 CMC §§8203 and 8204” and amend Section 2107 Registration: Expiration and Renewal; and for other purposes.” Your Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations recommends that the

House pass the bill in the form of H. B. NO. 19-40, HD1.


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REPORTS OF SPECIAL AND CONFERENCE COMMITTEES

None

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

None

RESOLUTION CALENDAR

None

BILL CALENDAR

Floor Leader George N. Camacho: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I make that motion, I would

like to make a suspension motion. I move to suspend Rule VII, Section 9 to allow for passage on

First and Final without having it go through committee. So move, Mr. Speaker.

RULE VII. COMMITTEES GENERALLY

Section 9. Committee Reports; Other documents

(a) Standing or Special Committees shall submit a written report to the Speaker within 60 days from the date the matter was referred to the committee, unless a shorter or longer time is ordered by the Speaker pursuant to a decision by the House Leadership. Subcommittees shall submit reports on matters referred to them as

prescribed by the Standing Committee Chair. Standing, special and conference committees shall submit their reports in writing and provide an electronic copy to the Clerk who shall number the reports consecutively in the order received, cause such reports to be reviewed for legal sufficiency, reproduced, and furnished each member of the House at least twenty-four hours prior to the session at which it is to be considered. A committee report shall state findings of facts and conclusions based thereon together with a specific recommendation as to the manner in which the bill, resolution, or other matter referred to the committee should be disposed of by the House. A report recommending a bill or resolution for passage shall clearly state the purpose of the bill. A report on a bill or resolution shall show clearly any proposed amendments and the Clerk shall place such a bill or resolution on the appropriate calendar.

(b) A report shall be considered adopted by a committee when the Chairperson and a majority of the members of the committee have signed the report concurring therein. A member or members not concurring in the report of the majority may so indicate by submitting a minority report which shall be attached to the committee report or by signing with "I do not concur". (c) When a committee recommends that a bill or resolution be formally filed (indefinitely postponed), the recommendation is reported to the House floor as a


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committee report to be confirmed by majority vote. Adoption of the committee report

by the members has the effect of officially filing the bill. (d) When, by majority vote, the House adopts a committee report recommending favorable action on a bill or resolution, the bill or resolution as reported by the committee shall be placed on the appropriate calendar for House floor action. (e) All documents, testimonies, or other evidence submitted to any standing or special committee or subcommittee in connection with any matter referred to the committee or subcommittee shall be the property of the House. The Chair of any committee or subcommittee shall deliver all such documents, testimonies, or other evidence to the House Clerk upon expiration of the term of the House. Such documents, testimonies or other evidence may be attached to committee reports as supporting documents.

[Note: Rule VII, Section 9 (e), amended by H. RES. 19-19, HS1]


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Motion has been offered to suspend pertinent sections of our

rule has been seconded, discussion on the motion? Recognize Minority Leader.

Representative Ramon A. Tebuteb: Just to ask the mover or the Floor Leader so that we are also

clear that we are suspending Rule 7 Section 8 and that is to allow to act for the budget without

any First and Final reading absent committee report. Is that where we are heading?

Floor Leader George N. Camacho: Exactly. Yes.

Representative Ramon A. Tebuteb: And so with that there is also a possibility that with this

suspension call by the Floor Leader that there will not be any entertainment on amendment to the

bill?

Floor Leader George N. Camacho: We can always make motions for amendment on the bill once

the motion has been made for passage under discussions so that should not be an issue.

Representative Ramon A. Tebuteb: So clarified.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you Minority Leader and thank you Floor Leader.

Any other discussion on the suspension motion?


There was no further discussion and the motion to suspend Rule VII, Section 9 was

carried by voice vote. There was no nay vote.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Members before we act on the budget bill, which may be

extensive let us take a short recess. Short recess.



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RECESS


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: At this time, we will return back to our session. We left off

on item XVI, Bill Calendar. Floor Leader has already offered the pertinent motions for the

suspension of certain rules. At this time, the Chair will turn it over to the Floor Leader for the

motion to pass.

Floor Leader George N. Camacho: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On that note, I would like to make a

motion that we pass on First and Final Reading House Bill 19-86, “To make appropriations for

the operations and activities of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana

Islands, its agencies, instrumentalities, and independent programs, and to provide budget

authority for government corporations for Fiscal Year 2016.” So move, Mr. Speaker.

H. B. NO. 19-86 To make appropriations for the operations and activities of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, its agencies, instrumentalities, and independent programs, and to provide budget authority for government corporations for Fiscal Year 2016.

REP. ANTONIO P. SABLAN of Saipan, Precinct 1 (for himself, Representatives George N. Camacho, Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero, Angel A. Demapan, Glenn L. Maratita, Joseph Lee Pan T. Guerrero, Felicidad T. Ogumoro, and Ramon A. Tebuteb)


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Floor Leader. Motion has been offered for the

passage of House Bill 19-86, this is the appropriation act of 2016 it has been seconded. At this

time, the Chair will entertain any discussion or amendments. Recognize the Chairman of Ways

and Means.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again to the members and the

viewing public the Chair would like to take a few minutes to summarize the budget process since

the transmittal of the proposed budget to this body. Again, pursuant to Article 3, Section 9, the

Governor did transmit the proposed budget for FY 2016 to the Speaker on April 1, 2015 as

required by the Constitution and by 1CMC Section 7201 (a) Subsection 1. Consequently the

committee conducted a resource meeting on the proposed budget as submitted by the

Administration and House Concurrent Resolution 19-1 was adopted in April, three weeks after

the submission to this body. Beginning May 5th

until June 17th

the committee and the members

sat in with the various department heads including the mayor’s of Tinian and Rota and the

resident department heads in trying to determine a list of priorities for the members and others in

the community that have taken the time to follow the budget as submitted to this body.

Hopefully, would understand the challenges faced by the administration and in particular the

members in the Ways and Means Committee. Again, after the committee concluded on June 17th

the committee deliberated on the proposed budget gathering all the information and notes taken

during the budget hearings, again to try to see how best where the committee can come up with a


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responsible and workable budget taking into consideration all the challenges. Again it is

important for everybody to understand that the proposed revenue projections for FY 2016 reflects

an increase of roughly $11,490,000 an increase of roughly 8.5%. At the same time this

government continues to be challenged with the need to meet its financial obligations for one.

The settlement fund agreement requires that the funding – the minimum payment required for FY

2016 be increased from $27 Million to $30 Million that is an increase of $3 Million. Also one to

keep in mind, the Constitutional amendment that mandates the 25% of general fund revenues the

earmark towards PSS. The end result of the new Constitutional amendment increased PSS

budget from $33,441,646.00 up to $36,314,900.00 an increase of roughly $2.8 Million. So those

two items alone roughly took up nearly $6 Million of the anticipated $11 Million increase in

projections. On top of that the Administration also needed to provide funding in the amount of

$3.5 Million for the active retirees, group health and life insurance and also an increase in the

Medical Referral Program of $1.86 Million. An estimated $4.5 Million is earmarked for the

group health and life insurance for active members. Again, on top of that with the creation with

the new Department of Fire and Medical services a need in the additional funding of roughly

$600,000 was required to bring that particular department and its operations up to grade. I think

all of us that deliberated on the bill that attempted or created the new department heard how fire

has fallen behind in regards to its ability to meet the safe demands in regards to the fire response

time and emergency medical service response as required by the community. Added to that the

new elected AG required additional funding in amount of $300,000.00. Those are some of the

big items that were challenges by the Administration and the committee and again to summarize

to simplify the challenges when the Governor requested from the various department heads a

request for proposed funding for the departments, the amount of $38.7 Million is the amount that

came back over the projected amount of $145 Million. So I think for all of us who had to deal

with this budget, just imagine having everybody requesting an amount of $38.7 Million above

what is available. We all want to entertain salary increases, we all want to entertain pay scale

adjustments and other request but I think it is important to note that as much as the committee

wanted to take into consideration all those critical needs and we do agree they were legitimate

critical need submitted by the various departments to OMB and to the committee members

during this budget hearings. However, let me just summarize that in the end the committee was

able to reallocate a new amount of roughly $295,000 and out of a budget of $145 Million being

able to move around $295,000 is really minor compared to the overall budget, but the budget

hearings had its purposes. We wanted to hear exactly from the stakeholders that do need these

funding to operate and provide the services as expected by our community. With the amount of

$295,000 that the members sat in and deliberated and agreed on the following. We were able to

provide the superior for the judiciary a funding for two additional positions for two probation

officers and it is important that we do this that the current probation officers are currently

federally funded, the federal funds will run out at the end of the current fiscal year and we needed

to ensure that the probation office continues to function. They are understaffed as is and for those

of us that have heard the number of probation officer would certainly agree with that. We were

also able to provide two additional position funding for the Department of Public Safety and this

is to ensure that the two WIA trainings that have worked well and have gone to training with

their time at the DPS continue to work on a regular employment basis. Also in our discussion or

during the budget hearing for the Department of Community Affairs, the committee found out

that one critical activity out of the Community of Cultural Affairs is the licensing of the day care

centers. There was no person in charge of that particular activity, understanding the critical and

the sensitivity of that operation and we wanted to make sure that somebody was in position to


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ensure that people that operated these day care centers operated them according to standards to

ensure the protection of the children that are attended to in these facilities. Also an oversight in

the Department of Land and Natural Resources required additional allotment of roughly

$9,000.00 and this is to ensure that the funding level for one position is in accordance with the

contract signed by the government and the employee. Additionally in this budget process we

came across an item of concern for the CNMI Museum. We understand that the potential to

generate much revenue is there, however; absent any professional staff on payroll, the committee

members decided that a exhibit corridor be funded and by making this particular professional

available the museum would be able to tap additional funding and in the long run we believe that

this would be to the benefit to the museum and our government. Additionally, after all of the

adjustments are made we came up with a little bit over $500.00 the committee members decided

to go ahead and allocate this to the Legislative Bureau and this is basically to provide fuel and

lubrication as the LB staff and other member personal staffs are the ones that maintain the

legislature grounds. Again, $38 Million above what is available is a lot in request and I am sure a

lot of those are legitimate, but there are a lot of pressing issues. I know in regards to law

enforcement we have the ice problem as we have heard during the public comments, but the

Chair and members are working on a funding scheme to allow funding to the drug court, provide

funding to DPS for its task force operational needs, to the community guidance center to provide

professional staffing to help those who have fallen into the crack of this so called drug evil can

get the treatment that they need. As I have mentioned the Attorney General’s Office has received

an increase funding and all those are critical stakeholders in this war on ice, but we ask everyone

to be patient. Earlier we had our colleague Representative John Paul Sablan introduce legislation

to earmark some funding to Customs and we will work on that but at the same time during the

budget hearing we had an assurance from the Secretary of Finance that the Department of

Finance share in the hotel occupancy tax will be made available to try to address some of the

pressing personnel and operational needs of Customs and Tax and Revenue. We will hold the

Secretary to her word in regards to FTE number of positions issues, we have been assured by the

Administration and I am stating this for the record, we have been assured by the Administration

in this budget we have an account for 50 FTE that would be made and reserved for law

enforcement positions. We would hold again the Administration and the Department of Finance

on this assurance that they gave this body. I know that our personnel here our Customs officers

and DPS personnel expect more and we will continue to do more and again we will provide

funding for those needs, but in this budget we are basically working with the same FY 2015

numbers. We have an increase of roughly $11 Million like I have stated earlier, but minus – you

earmark those obligations that must be paid for we are basically working with the same

allotments for the various departments except for the two departments fire and the new Attorney

General’s Office. So with Mr. Speaker and members, we are open to any suggestions on how we

can change and amend this budget, but let me just say this even with this committee tried to look

for $50,000 here or $30,000 there it was difficult because basically when we were working with

current FY 2015 numbers to give somebody more than what they are allocated on this budget

proposal means taking money away from somebody else and everybody is hurting, everybody

needs more and again do you turn back to the $38 Million above projection and no one needs to

have their budget reduced. So the alternative is to maintain current and the only way to do that is

by not taking from anybody else and giving it to somebody else. Again, the challenges are huge

and I welcome, but I ask for the members support for this budget it will go to the Senate and we

do not know what to expect, but I just want to say that we did look at all avenues even trying to

tap the transfer out funds such as the CIQ funds and all of that but we were not able to do that. So


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with that Mr. Speaker and members, I yield at this time and I am ready for questions from the

members. Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you to Representative Sablan for your summary. At

this time, we are ready to entertain any comments or amendments. The Chair now recognizes

Representative Yumul.

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With what the Chairman of Ways and

Means have mentioned, why did other department or branches have increases with salary and

from what the Governor has mentioned they will be using based on 2015 why were the increases

accepted in a lot of the departments. I can see the executive branch had an increase of

approximately $314,000. Others are very minor and that is because of the utilities and the 110-

229 with regards to CW, but the administration speaks about using last year’s budget for this year

and they had an increase of $314,000 how did the committee address that and I guess transfer it

or use it in other agencies that need more funding. We always talk about ice, drugs and so forth

but here we have the administration increasing its budget to $314,000.00. How did the committee

decided not to touch anything, they barely touched any amounts here. There is a lot of agencies

that had increases so I do not understand the direction that the committee has decided to go.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Recognize Representative Sablan to respond.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In response, again I think in total

when you look at the salary adjustments – salary adjustments was a big issue of discussion during

this budget process. Looking at some of those salary adjustments when it comes to some of those

in the executive branch, we are not talking about the Governor’s office we are talking about

increases as a result of people being included in this fiscal year’s budget worksheet. In total again

in looking at the total salary adjustments it is small in comparing that with the overall $145

Million. Personally and I will not speak for the other members, but we are talking about trying to

find ways to help people within our administration or those that work for our government and do

we take the position that we are able to help those that are according to their department heads

deserve help, do we say no because we cannot help everybody and that is a policy call for

everybody. I rather take the idea or the approach at least we are able to help some and we have to

understand that across the board funding or across the board salary adjustment for everybody as

proposed and supported by OPM is going to take roughly a little bit over $4 Million. We do not

have $4 Million and maybe we have $200,000 to help a few according to the expenditure

authorities of these various agencies and departments. Personally, I would support where we are

able to do that I do not know but we talk about helping but also when we find ways to help we

criticize it again at the same time. So which one do we want and I am not going to speak for any

other member, but I think when you look at the overall budget proposal and the amount in salary

adjustments it is small. I wish we can do more, $4 Million from $200,000 is very small, but again

it is a policy call what do you want to do until such time that you can come up with the $4

Million you are not going to help anybody that we are able to or we are in the position to do that.

You ask yourselves that but I have made my decision. The $295,000 we can just say let us not

touch it because that is an over allocation that is a computation error that was embedded in the

submission of the Governor and we did not take it from anybody and the worse we could have

done with the $295,000.00 is not give it to the Judiciary, not give it to the museum, not give it to

DPS because we cannot – because by taking the position we are suppose to help everybody. We


-22-

are fooling ourselves if we say that we do not help everybody then do not help and that is the

worse we could have done with the $295,000 is not make it available to others so that we move

forward. Again, I am not going to question anybody else, but the challenges are huge and we are

not going to dwelling here this afternoon on $200,000 look at the overall picture and if anybody

have any proposals on how to come up with $4 Million so that we can give everybody in this

government a salary increase let me hear it and we will work it in this budget.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Sablan. Representative Yumul

still has the floor.

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Just a comment. I understand the difficulty in giving everybody

raises, but there are certain departments that got raises and that is what bothers me. There are

people in Finance that got raises because they have the money, but if we are going to be fair let

us leave the salary the way it was based in 2015 and separate that and address issues right now.

Let us be fair to everybody let no one be raised and everybody that is here remains at the same

salary from DPW, DPS wherever. Everybody will remain the same for 2016 because it is not fair

you raise certain departments because they have extra funds or they can move funds around. I just

cannot comprehend that right now. Secondly, you have positions that has been vacant for as far

back as 2010 or 2008. Why do we keep funding that we can use that and address issues right now

that affects the CNMI. That is my only concern and comments Mr. Speaker, thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Just to clarify. You said there were vacant positions since

2008?

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Yes that is correct and that is I believe under Department of

Finance Director vacated since 2008.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: My understanding based on the budgets that have been

passed over the years is that if it is not filled within 90 days it is no longer.

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: It is just a note here on vacant and the last person they are

asking for has vacated the position since July 2008 and that is the Director on the Revenue and

Taxation. So just a note, I am saying that they have not filled the position since then and it is still

here for the last three budgets, I monitor it actually.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: So noted. I think we have also even increased that position

by law because to attract qualified individuals. Thank you. Any other members now, any

amendments? Recognize Representative Attao.

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you Chairman and

the committee for your work and providing a budget for fiscal year 2016 for our action today.

You mentioned Mr. Chairman that the Administration had stated that the 50 NOP’s would help

in assisting and addressing the enforcement portion of our Commonwealth. As Chairman of the

Ways and Means, are you willing to go ahead and put that in language on this legislation so we

can make sure that those NOP’s actually go to enforcement agencies?


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Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Before you respond, I believe the language contained in the

current budget bill is on page 20, starting on line section 603 and really what it does – I believe

the word is not just law enforcement it is that they noted the number of positions shall be

restricted to positions that are essential to the delivery of public services so whatever positions

qualify under that language.

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: Yes, Mr. Chairman as a member of the 17th

Legislature you remember that we actually requested that and a list really never came out so there

is no exact definition of what essential service is. Until we get to that definition then we can

actually do a breakdown of how the NOP’s and under section 603 this has been a continuing

section for the last two fiscal years so technically this would make it 150 NOP’s total since the

beginning of the 18th

Legislature. So if we do not have a definition for essential services are we

willing to put the language to mandate that the 50 NOP’s satisfy enforcement entities before

anything else? Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Maybe we can ask the Legal Counsel, but it is a fair

assumption that law enforcement definitely fall under essential and there may be others such as

homeland and maybe the hospital positions that may be questionable, but I think law

enforcement there is no question about that.

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: Thank you, Mr. Speaker but as you can recall back

in the 17th

Legislature when we had austerity measures within the Commonwealth. The Division

of Customs, Agriculture and other enforcement agencies were subject to the 16 hour cut so are

they considered essential or not?

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Maybe we will ask the Legal Counsel. Legal Counsel, can

you clarify?

Legal Counsel John Cool: Actually the use of the term essential to the delivery of public services

is extremely broad that is the standard for hiring a government employee. You do not hire a

government employee unless that employee services are essential to the delivery of public

services. If it is not essential to the delivery of public services, you do not need the employee.

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: So you are saying Legal Counsel that any employee

in the government is a essential employee?

Legal Counsel John Cool: Correct.

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: So Mr. Chairman are you willing to include that

language and make it more specific so we can satisfy the enforcement at least on that portion

when they begin filling the NOP’s? We take care of our enforcement entities. Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Recognize Representative Sablan.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: I think at this point the committee has taken its time to come

up with this budget. Anybody that wants an amendment to this would have to come forth

themselves in regards to this. Let me just say this in regards to the 50 NOP’s and this is again


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statements for public record during the budget process and we heard it from Finance and OMB

when the issue of needs for additional front line personnel in regards to law enforcement that the

50 NOP’s in this account would be made available for those. There is I believe an academy set to

begin at the end of the year and we question where are they going to be placed. Aside from these

NOP’s there are some vacant positions in the current worksheets that would be available for

some of these new hires. Let me just say this I elude it to the law enforcement fund available to

finance and customs and you know that amount, I cannot remember but I think it is around

$413,000 I think that is significant to put front line personnel only job immediately. Again it is

important that we provide these provisions so that the agencies do not need to come before this

body and ask for our authorization for additional FTE’s. Again in response colleague Attao it is

there for amendment if you want it but again when it comes to what critical and essential it is

subject to the need of the department. Assistant Administrator or a Auditor or a Customs Officer

could all be critical to ones operations. We have to understand that running a department requires

the workings of every section within that department and I am just trying to understand whether

what you are trying to insist that we limit it to sworn officers and not the other critical positions

that might be required?

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: No that is not what I am saying, but you had

mentioned that the administration had mentioned that they would prioritize law enforcement

entities. In addition to that you go further down and it says restrictive positions and I bring this up

because Mr. Speaker you remember the 17th

Legislature and a lot of the government employees

here today were affected during the shutdown period and you as a member of the 17th

Legislature

and quite a few of you guys that were there understood that the Legislative Bureau were working

at like 18 hour days and we were not even considered essential employees during that period. So

now we have job title description, department, which NOP is assigned, based salaries, date and

time. We have had two fiscal years do we have that list of the first 50 and the second 50 in which

these positions were listed and filled by the Administration because we all know the 50 NOP’s

were unfunded positions, but do we have a listing and how can we go ahead and break that down

and see maybe we can determine the percentage of the law enforcement of the first 100 if any of

them were even used for that. So that is what I am trying to get there is the Administration had

stated that but the legislation is flexible. So if that is the case we will move to make an

amendment and make sure that the enforcement entities are taken cared first on the NOP’s. If you

need a written floor amendment, give me a couple minutes and we will get that ready. Thank

you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you and for the members information OMB has been

submitting the quarterly report to the Legislature and it is included in our communications from

the Governor. Any further discussions? Madame Clerk, can you please inform the members as to

the communication.

House Clerk Linda B. Muña: Miscellaneous Communication 19-8 OMB second quarter of vacant

holding account for FY 2015 in regards to the 50 NOP’s.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you. Did you want to continue Representative Attao?

Representative Sablan, one more round on this issue and then we move onto other.


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Representative Antonio P. Sablan: I think we are under discussion. Mr. Speaker, you asked

whether everybody had amendments and I do. If I may?

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: You are recognized, please continue.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time, this is to formally offer

a floor amendment to House Bill 19-86.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan offered the following floor amendment:

Floor Amendment

To: House Bill No. 19-86

Offered by: Representative Antonio P. Sablan

AMENDMENT: 1. Page 20, Line 7: After the word “position.” Delete “Any funds realized as a result of

position vacancies shall remain with the department or agency” and insert “Any funds realized as a result of position vacancies shall go to the Medical Referral- Services, Business Unit 1979.”

Consistent with the intent of the forgoing amendments, I hereby also move to allow the Legal Counsel together with the Clerk to make further non-substantive technical amendments that are strictly necessary to effectuate the intent of this floor amendment prior to transmittal. Date: July 16, 2015 /s/ Representative Antonio P. Sablan Reviewed for Legal Sufficiency /s/ John F. Cool

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Basically, I think colleague Yumul mentioned a position for

Director of Tax and Revenue and quickly on that I think the reason it remains vacant because it is

hard to recruit, but this amendment will ensure that if the funding for this position is not used or

it lapse then it goes to Medical Referral and any other lapses in the department. So offered.


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Before the Chair recognizes the motion, just to be in

conformance with the rules, I believe the rules require that it be written. Do you have a written

amendment?

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: I have a written prepared. Again, to repeat it is on page 20,

line 7. So offered.



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Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Sergeant at Arms, can you make copies for the members.

Since it is a simple amendment, meaning it is not very long we can go ahead and entertain

discussions. Any discussion on the first amendment? Are we ready to vote of the floor

amendment? We will take a short recess and reminders to the members if you have amendments

to propose please make copies in advance. Short recess.


RECESS


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, members. We now return back to our session.

Leaving off on item XVI, Bill Calendar. The motion was made by the Floor Leader for the

passage of House Bill 19-86. We were under discussion and the Chairman of Ways and Means

have a floor amendment, which has already been distributed to all the members. He has read it

out and at this time we are under discussion. Any discussion from the members on the floor

amendment. Under discussion recognize the Chairman.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is in consultation with looking

at that section on page 20, line 7 where the proposed amendment tends to delete any funds from

realized as a result of position vacancies it stopped on agency. At this time, if there is no

objection and this is in consultation with the Legal Counsel because when I requested for the

proposed amendment to include deleting everything after the word “position.” So at this time, I

would like to make corrections to the proposed amendment if there is no objection and maybe

with Legal Counsel to come up with the language to say delete the sentences after the word

“positions” in line 7 and insert “Any funds realized as a result of position vacancies shall go the

Medical Referral.” Again, the last sentence there basically nullifies the intent of my amendment.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Legal Counsel, can you turn on ELMO. So it would also

remove the last sentence?

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Yes, “the provision of 1CMC 8253 is suspended for this

period of this act.”

Legal Counsel John Cool: Do you want to delete that last sentence?

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Basically Mr. Cool and that is why I conferred with you. The

intent is to ensure that that provision the last sentence does not conflict with the intent of the

amendment.

Legal Counsel John Cool: So the purpose of the last sentence suspends 1CMC 8253, which

would give any funds freed up as a result of a vacant position to the retirement fund. And the

retirement fund is now the settlement fund so this would go to the retirement funds with the

Department of Finance. So in order to accomplish your purpose of having the surplus funds go to

the Medical referral we need to spend 1CMC 8253 otherwise it would take precedence and your

amendment would have no affect at all.


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Representative Antonio P. Sablan: So we need that provision?

Legal Counsel John Cool: Yes we need to leave that.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: So we are alright with the amendment as offered?

Legal Counsel John Cool: Yes.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: So clarified, Mr. Speaker.

Legal Counsel John Cool: I signed off on the approved.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you. So the amendment as offered by Representative

Sablan still stands. At this time, are there any discussions on the amendment? Recognize

Representative Deleon Guerrero.

Representative Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just for clarification from

Chairman Sablan. Any funds vacant because of a position vacancies will go to Medical Referral?

Is there medical referral for operations or for personnel? Is that something that we need to

broadly specify or is it for stipends and those kinds of stuff. I just needs clarification whether it is

for operations or personnel. Thank you.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: I think the intent for this funding is to go to operational cause

and not personnel. I think every personnel NOPA needs certain requirements. I think for the

record this is intended to go to Medical Referral administration operations.

Representative Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero: Alright, thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Again to clarify Chairman, this lapse funds will go to

Medical Referral, but do you want to specify where in Medical Referral would it go to personnel

or operations?

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: The intent is for this to go to operations, but I think more

specifically – let me ask Dave our Fiscal Analyst – and if we need to refer it to the specific

activity we can include that in the amendment so that there is no question or misunderstanding in

regards to the intent of where these funds are going to go and for what purposes. Dave can we

look at the schedule – I know there is Medical Referral Administration or something there.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Short recess.


RECESS



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Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: We now return back to our session and Representative

Sablan had the floor on a floor amendment. After discussion during the short recess we come

back and I will now open it up to any further discussions on the floor amendment. Do you want

to clarify Representative Sablan?

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Yes, Mr. Speaker. Again, some of the members before we

went into recess were questioning the intent of the use of these funds or where does it go to in

Medical Referral and I think we have clarified, for the record that these funds go to Medical

Referral Services and to be more specific it is Business Unit 1979. If there is no objection, I

move to further amendment the floor amendment as offered to include after Medical Referral add

“Services, Business Unit 1979” to ensure the intent of where these funds are going to go.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Any objection to the clarification on the floor amendment?


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Does everybody understand the technical amendment that

was made just to include the Business Unit? Any discussion on the floor amendment as offered

by Representative Sablan? Are we ready to act on the floor amendment?


There was no further discussion and the motion to adopt the floor amendment as offered

by Representative Antonio P. Sablan was carried by voice vote. There was no nay vote.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: House Bill 19-86 is now HD1. Representative Sablan did

you have another floor amendment while you still have the floor?

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Yes, thank you Mr. Speaker. This is to offer the second floor

amendment to House Bill 19-86.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan offered the following floor amendment:

Floor Amendment

To: House Bill No. 19-86

From: Representative Antonio P. Sablan 1. SCHEDULE A: Page 5, Other Programs: (Transfers out to Agencies):

Under the Operations of the Public School System (PSS), subtract the amount of “Fifty Thousand Dollars” and insert the amount of “Fifty Thousand Dollars” to the Operations of the Board of Education. The amendment is reflected in the attached revised “Schedule A” in “Other Programs: Transfers Out to Agencies.”

Consistent with the intent of the forgoing amendments, I hereby also move to allow the Legal Counsel together with the Clerk to make further non-substantive technical


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amendments that are strictly necessary to effectuate the intent of this floor amendment prior to transmittal. Date: July 16, 2015 /s/ Representative Antonio P. Sablan Reviewed for Legal Sufficiency /s/ Legal Counsel John Cool


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Chairman Sablan, do you have a written floor amendment

that we can use with ELMO if you do not have copies made?

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: I think our fiscal analyst Dave, I think he has got the intended

amended schedule. Do we have that ready for the members? Yes.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Sergeant At Arms, can you please turn off the lights? Can

everybody see it? The only thing that we ask is the Schedule A be corrected at least the PSS,

what is it operations or personnel, Chairman Sablan?

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: It is taking the amount of $50,000.00, I believe from fuel and

lubrication under PSS allocation and transferring to all other under the Board of Education.

Again, this is upon request and consultation with PSS in looking at the schedule for the Board of

Education they are left without any operational all others funding. Again, for the members we

have clarified this. These two activities are both under PSS so it does not impact the 25%

mandate.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: So just to clarify, Chairman Sablan. Since it would come out

of fuel and lubrications it would be the operations under Schedule A on page 5, the operations

line under PSS, which is $3,727,262 would be reduced by $50,000?

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: That is correct.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: And so the resulting figure for operations would be

$3,677,262 under operations. Is that figure correct?

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: That is correct. Mr. Speaker, basically it is just taking $50,000

from PSS all others or operations over to Board of Education operations. And that is to the board

the necessary funding to conduct its business.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Is everybody clear with the amendment? Under discussion

now since it has been – motion has been offered was it seconded, any second?


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: It has been seconded. Now under discussion, recognize

Representative Benavente.


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Representative Roman C. Benavente: Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you for the thought Mr.

Chairman. I do personally – it does not disrupt the 25% requirement with regards to the budget

though. Although, I have one major concern and I know personally the Board of Education

sometimes subsidized by the central office to all extent. Allocating this budget to the board, I feel

that it is alright to add additional, but I am looking at priorities Mr. Speaker and the priorities are

in the classrooms down in the school level. A lot of issues have arise in the school level. They do

not have toilet papers, they do not have – stuff like that. I as an ex-former board member, I travel

to places and I pay my trips paid under the board and all expenses paid and whatnot. Nothing

against the present board or anything, but I look at the priorities of the Public School System and

I felt that the major priorities right now that is needed to accommodate is down at the school

level. You can ask any representative here even from Rota and even from Tinian they see what

they need in their school level and $50,000.00 might sound a little bit of money but that little bit

of money can make a difference in the school level, Chairman. Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Roman Benavente.

Representative Lorenzo Deleon Guerrero did you raise your hand?

Representative Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero: I yield Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you. Are there any further discussion on the proposed

amendment? Is everybody clear on the amendment? Are we ready to vote? Recognize the author.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Question for the Legal Counsel Mr. Cool. I know that the

proposed amendment is to amend the schedule. The attached schedule to 19-86 are all initial to

ensure that those are the adopted schedule sheets for this. Do we need to do the same before we

vote on the actual bill?

Legal Counsel John Cool: No.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: So all we need to do is clarify that under PSS as a result of

this amendment if adopted is that the numbers for operations under the Public School System is

going to read $3,677,262 and for Board of Education $50,000 that is all we need to do right?

Legal Counsel John Cool: Yes.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: I yield Speaker, thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Any further discussion on the floor amendment? Ready?


There was no further discussion and the motion to adopt the floor amendment offered by

Representative Antonio P. Sablan was carried by voice vote. There was no nay vote.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: For the record Representative Roman Benavente voted “no”

on the proposed amendment. Thank you. At this time, I am going to call it a day. The Chair will


-31-

call for a recess and resume tomorrow at 10:30 to allow for PUTC’s meeting with GTA at 9:00?

Chairman 9:00 i miteng?

Representative Francis S. Taimanao: Yes, Mr. Speaker 9:00.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: And this is open not only to PUTC, but to all members?

Only PUTC or to all members?

Representative Francis S. Taimanao: Given that this is a presentation from GTA with respect to

opportunities regarding the communication system that they can offer to the CNMI, I am asking

all members if they are interested to partake in this presentation.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Alright, thank you. Anything before we recess? Chairman

Sablan.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Mr. Speaker, we are at 5:00 and on other legislative matters

we have stayed long before or after 5:00. I respectfully ask that we poll the members whether we

want to continue with the session and get the budget out of the way so that we can entertain all

the others bills tomorrow. I know we have got quite a calendar remaining.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Let us take a short recess.


RECESS


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: We return back into session and at this time the Chair will

recess until tomorrow Friday at 10:30 a.m. Recess.

There was no objection from the Floor, and the House stood recess at 5:00 p.m., and will

reconvene on Friday, July 17, 2015, at 10:30 a.m.

RECESS


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The House of Representative of the Nineteenth Northern Marianas Commonwealth

Legislature reconvened its First Day, Sixth Special Session on Friday, July 17, 2015, at 11:12

a.m.

Due to recording issues, portions of this session were not recorded. The following is a

summary of what had transpired as per House Clerk’s notes on the day’s agenda.

The following recesses not included in the recording:

The House recessed at 11:25 a.m.

RECESS

The House reconvened at 11:35 a.m.


RECESS

The House reconvened at 11:50 a.m.


RECESS



RECESS


The following amendments that were adopted by the House:

FLOOR AMENDMENT

To: H.B. 19-086

Offered by: Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao

AMENDMENT: To amend Section 603 of House Bill No. 19-086 to read as follows:

“Section 603. NOPs – Vacant Holding Account.


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The NOP ceiling for the entire Executive Branch includes 50 NOPs which shall be allocated to a Vacant Holding Account in the Other Offices of the Governor and Lt. Governor, which may be filled at the Governor’s discretion, provided however that law enforcement entities shall be prioritized subject to the following:

(a) The NOPs shall be restricted to positions that are essential to the delivery of public services.

(b) The Governor submits a quarterly report to the legislature on the utilization of these 50 NOPs as follows; (1) Job title and job code (2) Department to which the NOP is assigned (3) Base salary, grade/step if applicable (4) Date of hire

Consistent with the intent of the forgoing amendments, I hereby also move to allow the Legal Counsel together with the Clerk to make further non-substantive technical amendments that are strictly necessary to effectuate the intent of this floor amendment prior to transmittal. Date: July 17, 2015 /s/ Rep. Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao Reviewed by: /s/ Legal Counsel Joseph Taijeron

FLOOR AMENDMENT

To: H. B. 19-086


AMENDMENT: To amend Section 709 (h) of House Bill NO. 19-086 to read as follows:

“Section 709. Independent programs. (h) For programs and activities not specifically mentioned, the expenditure authority shall be the Secretary of Finance. Provided however, that the amount of $1,216,621 under Business Unit 1591 entitled “Utilities-CNMI Government” shall be dedicated in its entirety to the Commonwealth Health Care Corporation (CHCC) and distributed accordingly as set forth in Schedule A ($12,046 for operations and $1,204,575 for utilities). Consistent with the intent of the forgoing amendments, I hereby also move to allow the Legal Counsel together with the Clerk to make further non-substantive technical amendments that are strictly necessary to effectuate the intent of this floor amendment prior to transmittal. Date: July 17, 2015 /s/ Rep. Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao


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Reviewed by: /s/ Legal Counsel Joseph Taijeron

Floor Amendment

H. B. 19-86

I hereby move to amend or revise current text to reflect an amendment as follows: I. Page 29, line 8: Delete the following: “(Source: CNMI PL 13-38)” II. If necessary, amend and adjust all totals that are affected by this amendment

accordingly. Consistent with the intent of the forgoing amendments, I hereby also move to allow the Legal Counsel together with the Clerk to make further non-substantive technical amendments that are strictly necessary to effectuate the intent of this floor amendment prior to transmittal. Dated: July 17, 2015 Offered by: Rep. Antonio P. Sablan Reviewed for legal sufficiency: /s/ Legal Counsel Joseph Taijeron

The following amendments that were defeated by the House and were done by roll call

vote:

FLOOR AMENDMENT

To: H. B. 19-086


AMENDMENT: To amend Section 202 of House Bill No. 19-086 to read as follows:

“Section 202. Suspension of Earmarked Funds. Except for debt service obligations and other earmarking of funds as permitted in Section 201 of this Chapter, the earmarking, reservation, commitment, allotment, or allocation of funds pursuant to the following public laws are hereby suspended for Fiscal Year 2016 and shall be distributed equally for the functions of Department of Public Safety (DPS [operations]), Commonwealth Health Care Corporation (CHCC [utilities]), Department of Public Works (DPW [operations]), Judicial Branch (for the upgrade of the Judicial building within each Senatorial District), and the CNMI Medical Referral Office (to assist indigent patients being treated outside the Commonwealth):

(a) Public Laws 15-5 and 14-54 (Non-resident Worker Fund Fees to NMC and PSS and 10% of Gaming Jackpot Tax to PSS); and


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(b) 4 CMC§ 1508(a) and (b) (10% of General Fund poker fees to the Human Resources Development Fund [WIA] and 50% to the Retirement Fund).

Consistent with the intent of the forgoing amendments, I hereby also move to allow the Legal Counsel together with the Clerk to make further non-substantive technical amendments that are strictly necessary to effectuate the intent of this floor amendment prior to transmittal. Date: July 17, 2015 /s/ Rep. Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao Reviewed by: /s/ Legal Counsel Joseph Taijeron

The Clerk called the roll on the motion to adopt the floor amendment offered by Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao with the following results:

Representative Edwin P. Aldan no Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao yes Representative Anthony T. Benavente yes Representative Roman C. Benavente yes Representative George N. Camacho no Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero no Representative Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero yes Representative Angel A. Demapan no Representative Rafael S. Demapan no Representative Joseph Lee Pan T. Guerrero no Representative Glenn L. Maratita no Representative Felicidad T. Ogumoro no Representative Edwin K. Propst absent (excused) Representative Antonio P. Sablan no Representative John Paul P. Sablan yes Representative Vinson F. Sablan yes Representative Francis S. Taimanao no Representative Ramon A. Tebuteb yes Representative Edmund Joseph S. Villagomez yes Representative Ralph N. Yumul yes

FLOOR AMENDMENT

To: H. B. 19-86 Offered By: Rep. Ralph N. Yumul AMENDMENT: 1. Page 18, Line 21: Delete (b) 1 CMC § is suspended to provide the Governor with

50% reprogramming authority within the Executive Branch. Consistent with the intent of the forgoing amendments, I hereby also move to allow the Legal Counsel together with the Clerk to make further non-substantive technical amendments that are strictly necessary to effectuate the intent of this floor amendment prior to transmittal.


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Date: July 17, 2015 /s/ Rep. Ralph N. Yumul Reviewed by: /s/ Legal Counsel Joseph Taijeron

The Clerk called the roll on the motion for the adoption of the floor amendment offered by Representative Ralph N. Yumul with the following results:

Representative Edwin P. Aldan no Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao yes Representative Anthony T. Benavente no Representative Roman C. Benavente yes Representative George N. Camacho no Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero no Representative Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero yes Representative Angel A. Demapan no Representative Rafael S. Demapan no Representative Joseph Lee Pan T. Guerrero no Representative Glenn L. Maratita no Representative Felicidad T. Ogumoro no Representative Edwin K. Propst absent (excused) Representative Antonio P. Sablan no Representative John Paul P. Sablan no Representative Vinson F. Sablan yes Representative Francis S. Taimanao no Representative Ramon A. Tebuteb yes Representative Edmund Joseph S. Villagomez yes Representative Ralph N. Yumul yes

The following journal transcription started on this part of the recording:

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Prior to our lunch break we had disposed of a floor

amendment on House Bill 19-86, HD4. We will continue on under discussion at this time the

Chair will entertain any floor amendments. I believe will start with the floor amendments that

were passed out prior to lunch and so that every member should have a copy of those. The Chair

will now recognize Representative Yumul.

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Now introducing another amendment

and you should receive the page under the Schedule A 1-5, we are working on that amendment

now.

Representative Ralph N. Yumul offered the following floor amendment:

FLOOR AMENDMENT

To: House Bill 19-86 Offered by: Rep. Ralph N. Yumul AMENDMENT:


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Schedule A of House Bill 19-86 is amended to read as follows: Page 1/5. Within the Executive Branch under Governor’s Office Business Unit 1011 under Personnel $125,000, Indigenous Affairs Office BU 1202 under personnel $54,550 and under Utilities operations $10,000 hereby transfer to the Department of Public Safety BU 1370 for Operations. and Overtime Compensations. Amend all totals affected by this amendment accordingly. Consistent with the intent of the forgoing amendments, I hereby also move to allow the Legal Counsel together with the Clerk to make further non-substantive technical amendments that are strictly necessary to effectuate the intent of this floor amendment prior to transmittal. Date: July 17, 2015 /s/ Representative Ralph N. Yumul Reviewed by: Legal Counsel John Cool


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: A motion has been offered and seconded for the members

attention this is the on the first amendment page 105 it has been seconded, discussion on the

motion. Recognize Representative Roman Benavente.

Representative Roman C. Benavente: I personally support the effort of the amendment, but in the

other hand, taking the money out of the Indigenous Affairs Office and really completely zeroing

out is not – as you know everyone knows Indigenous Affairs Office is a Constitutional mandate

office and we have to be mindful of how we are going to – we can probably take out some

money, but I do not know to take out all of it in that way we will give flexibility for the Governor

and the Administration to try to work out something if they can work out that is all, I am not

against the amendment but I would like to register my concerns with you. Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Benavente. Before the Chair

recognizes any other members for discussion, I just want to clarify with the author of the

amendment. I have two versions, one that has the overtime compensations stricken out and one

that does not have it stricken out, just to clarify which version are we working on?

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: It is the one with the stricken overtime compensations.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: And the “utilities” is changed to “operations”?

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Yes. I thought it was “utilities” but it was “operations”.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you for the clarification. At this time –

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Mr. Speaker, if I may continue?


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Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: You may continue.

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Just so that the members are aware, the reason the amounts

came about under the business unit 1011, Legal Counsel is currently shared right now so that

leaves it vacant. I believe the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor have shared the Legal

Counsel. Other than that I just cleared out a lot of the other amounts – public information

specialist $20,000.00, program analyst $35,000.00 these are employees that were transferred to

other parts of the government. With the business unit 1016 under utilities under the SA past

spending amount was only $100,000.00 so there was an additional amount that is for the amount

I took out $80,000.00. Under the Indigenous Affairs Office I do not believe it is a constitutional

mandate office. We did zero it out the last two budget and that is why I took it out again. Thank

you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Under discussion, recognize Representative Angel

Demapan.

Representative Angel A. Demapan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to ask the mover

clarification on the public information specialist and the program analyst. You mentioned they

were transferred out, but they are still working at the Governor’s office at this moment so I want

to know what the source was for you believing they are transferred out.

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Thank you, colleague. The reason why I took out the PIS or PIO

because it was vacant and that is why I did it that way. If it is not then I am open for amendments.

Representative Angel A. Demapan: Thank you. Just to continue, it is not and I know that both

people are there physically working so that is where I have a little bit of a problem with

displacing actual people that are on the job. In terms of the Indigenous Affairs Office, yes I

understand the past two legislative bodies zeroed out the funding for this office and yes it is

constitutionally created and I think that enough sacrifice has been done to Indigenous Affairs and

I think it is high time that we restore funding for Indigenous Affairs and allow this office to offer

the programs and policies that are prescribed within the Constitution. For the past two fiscal

years we have allowed Carolinian Affairs Office to exist and not the Indigenous Affairs Office.

And I think that it is only fair that we allow both offices to carry out their constitutional duties. In

terms of the other accounts here that reflect utilities, I am just questioning if we take this away

then how does utilities get paid? I understand that the intent is to transfer to DPS for operations

and as a member of the Ways and Means committee we tried to do that in preparing this budget

and what we have now is a product that was agreed upon by the committee that met to the best of

its ability on supporting the all activities and functions of the government so at this time that is

why we voted in favor of keeping the 50% reprogramming authority for the Governor is to ensure

that if there is a critical need for DPS in terms of operations and overtime although overtime was

crossed out on this amendment that that reprogramming authority exists and because of that and

primarily because of my objection to displace current employee, I am registering my objection to

this amendment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Demapan. I would like to remind

the members before we proceed that the Chair would have to recognize you before you speak. So

just a reminder, thank you. Let us proceed. You still have the floor Representative Yumul.


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Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Just a question to the Ways and Means Committee. Those

names under the Governor’s office that were vacant, are they there? Why was vacant still left

there?

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: You are referring to the current?

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: The submission of the Administration.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Budget.

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: It is vacant so that led me to assume that they are within the

Governor’s office but this position is vacant meaning they are probably somewhere else and

being funded, they are probably transferred so that is why it led me to believe that these are

actually – one of the other employee is in another department so he is not paid under the

Governor’s office so we need clarification.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you. Any clarification? Recognize the Chairman of

Ways and Means.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the budget process there are a lot

of positions in the personal worksheet that are reflected as vacant in the time that these budget

submitted to this body. I know that on occasion during the budget hearings, specific questions on

specific vacancies generally are accounted for as being in the process of being filled or have been

filled, but after the submission or preparation of the worksheet. Again this is a personal funding

that the committee is comfortable in leaving the personal in this amount and the positions in the

worksheet at this time to go back and try to verify every vacant position within the worksheet, I

think we are beyond that. We have a floor amendment before us and the committee has done its

work. In looking at the intent to provide this funding to Public Safety, during the course of this

budget we have in constant communication with the Commissioner of DPS as recently as

yesterday here in this chamber about the pressing needs for additional funding for public safety.

So just for the public’s information out there, the committee has taken those needs into

consideration and we are working on a funding appropriation measure to address not only public

safety DPS, but also for Customs, the Judiciary in regards to the creation of the new drug court,

the Community Guidance Center and this all in line of trying to package together a concerted

effort to address the challenge to the war on ice effort that we are putting together. So it is not

like we are completely ignoring the needs of public safety or DPS and at this point to start taking

allocations from other operations as the Chairman of Ways and Means I ask the members support

on what the committee has taken and put together. The Indigenous Affairs Office we have in the

past and I have strongly supported zeroing out that but there are members in the community and

the committee that came forth and wanted to restore the funding so that the intent of the office is

restored and that is why we decided to retain that funding. It was on a number of occasions we

have put that down on a list of a potential reallocation, but in the end the committee decided that

it is best at its point to try to restore the programs of these office by starting out with these minor

funding as a start. Again, the intent to provide additional funding to public safety is noble we all

are in agreement that we should try to do what we can to do this but there are other ways and

there are plans on addressing this overall funding for DPS and the Judiciary, Customs and others


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that would be part of this concerted effort to try to tackle this problem within our community.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you. Are there any others who have not spoken yet?

Recognize the Minority Leader.

Representative Ramon A. Tebuteb: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In all fairness really, I am also a

member of the Ways and Means Committee, but in all fairness to the issue that also

Representative Demapan has raised and subsequently because of Representative Yumul’s

concern and in all fairness to Representative Yumul and those other members who are not

necessarily part of the Ways and Means Committee, I think it is appropriate to actually clarify the

points trying to make clarification with respect to Representative Angel’s points on specifically

on the personnel or PIO and I think for me that was the gist other than the other amendments

alone with what Representative Yumul is offering and in lieu of not being a member of the

committee we have a bill in front of us that is from the committee but now it is a property of the

whole. So I think in all fairness it is appropriate that any of the members of the Ways and Means

Committee needs to respond to those issues and clarifications and such. Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Minority Leader. Any other discussions on the

floor amendment? Are we ready for vote?


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Alright, just to clarify this is the amendment “page 1/5”.


Representative Ralph N. Yumul was carried by voice vote. There were several nay votes.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Division on the floor. Madame Clerk, please call the roll.


Representative Edwin P. Aldan no Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao yes Representative Anthony T. Benavente no Representative Roman C. Benavente yes Representative George N. Camacho no Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero no Representative Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero yes Representative Angel A. Demapan no Representative Rafael S. Demapan no Representative Joseph Lee Pan T. Guerrero no Representative Glenn L. Maratita no Representative Felicidad T. Ogumoro no Representative Edwin K. Propst absent (excused) Representative Antonio P. Sablan no Representative John Paul P. Sablan no Representative Vinson F. Sablan yes Representative Francis S. Taimanao no Representative Ramon A. Tebuteb yes


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Representative Edmund Joseph S. Villagomez yes Representative Ralph N. Yumul yes

House Clerk Linda B. Muña: Mr. Speaker 7 members voted “yes,” 12 members voted “no,” and

1 member is absent.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Madame Clerk. With the vote of 12 “no,” 7

“yes,” and 1 absent, the floor amendment page 1 of 5 as offered by Representative Yumul is

hereby defeated. Representative Yumul, would you like to continue.

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Now offering another amendment to

House Bill 19-86 and that should be 3-5, which is on the wall right now.


To: H. B. 19-86 Offered by: Rep. Ralph N. Yumul AMENDMENT: Schedule A of House Bill 19-86 is amended to read as follows: PAGE 3/5. Within the Department of Public Works BU 1490 under Personnel. And $30,000 shall be transferred to the Office of the Northern Mariana Island Mayor BU 1060 Professional Services. Amend all totals affected by this amendment accordingly. Consistent with the intent of the forgoing amendments, I hereby also move to allow the Legal Counsel together with the Clerk to make further non-substantive technical amendments that are strictly necessary to effectuate the intent of this floor amendment prior to transmittal. Date: July 16, 2015 /s/ Rep. Ralph N. Yumul Reviewed by: /s/ Legal Counsel John Cool


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Yumul. Motion has been offered

and seconded for floor amendment page 3 of 5. You still have the floor.

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If you are aware it is Business Unit

1490 it is Public Works there is a new position for mechanical engineer that is there. What I did

was took out $30,000 of the $70,000 because we have a couple of engineers that are currently

working at the Department of Public Works that are currently earning $40,000. So what I did was


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the Northern Mariana Islands Mayor needs advisors now. Now that the DEIS is out it needs the

consultation of maybe consultants to abreast them of what is going to happen in the next couple

months so that is what I did. I offered it and I hope the members support this. Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Yumul for clarifying where the

professional services would go to. So it would secure an advisor for the ongoing DEIS review.

Under discussion. Any discussion on the motion? Recognize Representative Angel Demapan.

Representative Angel A. Demapan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I commend the mover for this

amendment. I am just a little concerned that when these funds become available in October 1st

there is nothing to review because the review period ends in August. Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Demapan. Any further

discussion? Recognize the Floor Leader.

Floor Leader George N. Camacho: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just a clarification to the mover if he

spoke to the Northern Islands Mayor and what the personal request of his?

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Recognize Representative Yumul.

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Yes, I did speak to the Northern Mariana Islands Mayor and we

did speak a couple of days ago and he did ask for some funding and that is what it is.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you for the response. Any further discussion on the

matter? Are we ready for the vote?




Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Division on the floor. Madame Clerk, please call the roll.


Representative Edwin P. Aldan no Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao yes Representative Anthony T. Benavente no Representative Roman C. Benavente yes Representative George N. Camacho yes Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero no Representative Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero no Representative Angel A. Demapan no Representative Rafael S. Demapan no Representative Joseph Lee Pan T. Guerrero no Representative Glenn L. Maratita no Representative Felicidad T. Ogumoro no Representative Edwin K. Propst absent (excused) Representative Antonio P. Sablan no


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Representative John Paul P. Sablan no Representative Vinson F. Sablan yes Representative Francis S. Taimanao no Representative Ramon A. Tebuteb yes Representative Edmund Joseph S. Villagomez no Representative Ralph N. Yumul yes

House Clerk Linda B. Muña: Mr. Speaker, 6 members voted “yes” and 13 members voted “no.”

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Madame Clerk. With 13 voting “no,” the floor

amendment as offered by Representative Yumul specifically page 3 of 5 is hereby defeated.

Maybe we can take this opportunity to bring this matter to the attention of our SNILD Delegation

Chair to maybe consult with the Northern Mariana Islands Mayor and see if we can assist him.

Thank you. Representative Yumul, you still have some more please continue.

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is my last push for any

amendments to the budget bill.


To: H. B. 19-86 Offered by: Rep. Ralph N. Yumul AMENDMENT: Schedule A of House Bill 19-86 is amended to read as follows: PAGE 2/5. Within the Department of Finance BU 1100 under personnel $49,266, BU 1120 under personnel $26,106, BU 1130 under personnel $166,684, BU 1140 under personnel $33,716, BU 1160 under personnel $62,101 hereby transfers to the Department of Finance Customs Services BU 1150 Operations for Purchase of X-Ray Machines. Amend all totals affected by this amendment accordingly. Consistent with the intent of the forgoing amendments, I hereby also move to allow the Legal Counsel together with the Clerk to make further non-substantive technical amendments that are strictly necessary to effectuate the intent of this floor amendment prior to transmittal. Date: July 17, 2015 /s/ Rep. Ralph N. Yumul Reviewed by: /s/ Legal Counsel John Cool



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Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Yumul. Motion has been offered

and seconded on the floor amendment on page 2 of 5. Motion has been made and seconded

already. Do you want to continue Representative Yumul?

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Yes.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Please continue.

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: What I did was basically transfer new positions and some of the

vacant positions within the Department of Finance and put it over to the Customs service

division to try to purchase the X-Ray Machines and I did not want to move one to another so

what I did was just transfer it from one division or department and it is within the division and

hopefully this would satisfy the Custom needs.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you. Maybe from my understanding there are several

Business Unit that you are re-appropriating all personnel, but different business units. Do you

want to enlighten the members as to which division these funding are coming from within

Finance?

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Under Business Unit 1100 that is Secretary’s Office there is a

new position. Mr. Speaker, most of the amounts that I am moving on my amendment is new

positions with the exception of Revenue and Tax, which is Business Unit 1130. Those were

vacant positions like I said the other day some of them are vacant since 2008 so it is a funding

that should just go to other division especially Customs so that they can purchase the X-Ray

machines.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Just to clarify further. Actually, you only clarified one

Business Unit.

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will go through it one by one. Under

1120, the Treasurer’s Office there are two new positions being requested and I zeroed that out

and that is for $26,106, under Business Unit 1130 that is Revenue and Tax, there are six

positions and it starts with the Director $65,000, Manager Compliance is $35,013, Revenue

Enforce Officer I $22,577, Revenue Tech II $14,389, Tax Technician I $13,053, Tax Technician

II $16,652, these are all vacant positions that have been vacant for the last three budgets and this

is my third one unless there are new names coming in, I am amenable to adjusting the amounts.

Now moving on to Business Unit 1140, Procurement and Supply, these are new positions that I

just struck-out. Supplies Specialist I new position request for 2015 and Supply Specialist I

request for 2016. Moving along Mr. Speaker, 1160 we have three request for new positions

Computer Programmer, Computer Program Trainee Specialist, the amounts are the total that I

took out.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: What is the name of that division again?

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Electronic Data Processing. So there are three new positions

with the exception of one new which is the request conversion, I left that out and then the three


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new ones I did zero it out and transferred it to the Customs. So the total that I am moving is

$330,873.00.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you for the clarification Representative Yumul. Any

discussion at this time on the floor amendment? One thing I wanted to clarify, the purchase of the

X-Ray machines is that for the port or the airport?

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: It is for both whichever that has not been fulfilled so I leave it

to the division to purchase whether a standby or a replacement. Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you again. At this time, I recognize the Chairman of

Ways and Means.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In discussion of the proposed

amendment, we have to be mindful that as far back as the 17th

and 18th

Legislature a stratum has

been put together to try to address without introducing new laws how best to increase

enforcement in regards to tax obligations and some business compliance. We have taken this step

and I think most of the encumbrances voted for the law enforcement provision and the hotel

occupancy tax to try to find funding to provide the Department of Finance with the necessary

funding to increase compliance in regards to our tax laws. Here we are trying to take away

positions that we have worked the past two fiscal years to try to make available. I know some of

these positions are there we have talked about one in particular the Director of Tax and Revenue

and it is not because the intent is to leave it vacant. The result is a recruitment difficulty, but the

others we have heard that the Secretary of Finance during the budget hearings mentioned that

they are as a result of an increase enforcement and monitoring of our private sector collections,

we have generally saw a spike an increase in most of the revenue collections except for one

income tax. It is all because of putting people in place to try and increase compliance. The

additional funding for finance that is there is to allow one. I think what we have heard from the

Secretary of Finance is a tax counsel is in the process of being hired to help the department file

cases and go after companies that continually violate the tax quotes of the CNMI. They are also

in the process of putting on board additional auditors and all of this is absence. Necessary

changes or changes in statute all it is beefing up enforcement and this amendment will basically

take away a lot of the funding made available toward this effort. To go to the other section of this

amendment, which is to provide this amount of funding for purchase of the X-Ray machine, I

think we have already mentioned that the one X-Ray machine has been assured according to the

Director of Customs as of yesterday that they were the only applicant for funding to purchase the

X-Ray machine and they are targeting to put this down there at the seaport. Also, as of yesterday

funding source have been identified they are working – we are trying to secure that for the second

machine and so we have two problems with this proposed amendment. One it is taking away

funding for the needed enforcement efforts of the Department of Finance and secondly, the intent

of the funding is not necessary. Again, Customs is part of this joint effort on trying to address the

issue in regards to law enforcement issues in the community and personally I just ask the

members to oppose the amendment. It has got two basic issues, one is taking away much needed

funding for enforcement and the other is that the purpose is no longer there as of yesterday. So

with that I ask for the members support in rejecting the amendment. Thank you.


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Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Sablan. Recognize

Representative Attao.

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you again to the

Chairman of Ways and Means for sharing and enlightening the members of the information

provided by the department. Right now within our own House agenda that is continuing to

today’s session from yesterday, we have House Bill 19-83 by Representative John Paul Sablan

that we can actually take the provisions of that specific bill and embedded into this budget

legislation under Chapter 6 to satisfy both Representative Yumul’s amendment and the concerns

in regards to the taking away of the salaries of the other divisions within the Department of

Finance. Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Attao. Although if anybody

wants to go to that direction a floor amendment needs to be offered. Recognize Representative

Lorenzo Deleon Guerrero.

Representative Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to vouch what

Representative Sablan had mentioned earlier, we did meet with Secretary of Finance and she did

express the importance of hiring all these critical vacant positions. The other thing is we were

also assured that – like Chairman mentioned that a grant has already been applied and we have a

pretty good chance 99% to get a grant to purchase an X-Ray machine for the purpose of

identifying and detecting illegal drugs coming in into all point entry of the CNMI. Again, this is

just my comment, tampering or touching a department’s budget, specifically on personnel where

it is within – Division of Customs is within the Department of Finance and I am pretty sure that

the Secretary of Department of Finance can and she understand that there are critical needs that

every division within her department needs so she assured us that as well that she will be looking

forward to look under the other divisions’ needs. So just a brief comment with my experience

when we met with the Secretary of the Department of Finance. Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Guerrero. Recognize

Representative Benavente and then Representative Yumul.

Representative Roman C. Benavente: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I share also the same sentiment of

what the Chairman of Ways and Means have mentioned and colleague Lorenzo Deleon Guerrero.

We both talked to the Secretary of Finance. I had a chance to talk to the Secretary of Finance and

she mentioned that the position that has been stricken out on this amendment is very much

needed to augment the needs of enforcement of the cash registers and other financial enforcement

capability. So in order for finance to realize more funding and maybe by realization of these

funding this would enable Finance to help Customs to purchase the X-Ray equipment which is a

very sound and reasonable approach. On top of that I feel that personally in my own opinion she

is the Secretary of Finance and by being sort of disrespectful, you know that she is eyeing to the

point to try and help her department. We should really consider it and give her a chance. She

already have a scheme and an action plan that she wants to do based on the budget request that

she has. So let her implement it and then from there we can see if it will work based on the

collections of the funding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.


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Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Benavente. Recognize

Representative Yumul.

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Thank you. This is just to comment on the two gentlemen that

just spoke. I mean let us not kid ourselves. The Administration of Finance has failed. Otherwise

we will not see these law enforcement here coming every day. Something failed. So if you

gentlemen want to kill it then that is fine with me, but do not say that we did not try. It is our job

to put things on the table, let us try to move it. Now we are going to pass the buck to our

Department of Finance then you know that is our call, but do not give me the advice of putting

amounts. These are new amounts. We just killed an amendment that allows the Governor to

restrict, now we are allowing a 50% re-appropriating power so I do not see what is the problem.

The problem is not complete. We do not even see casino revenues in here. So I mean let us not

kid ourselves. Agencies will not come out here and ask us. Now if we are going to rely on one

person to say, “well, we are working on it, we applied for grants” then that is your call. Thank

you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you. If there is no objection I want to enlighten the

members as to something else in addition to Chairman Sablan. Any objection?


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Just to kind of put on the table that this issue with the X-Ray

is something that the division has asked for specifically to help them curb or choke the

importation of ice into our islands. So this is a matter that has been placed in front of us and

Division of Customs is a member of the war on ice task force in which we have asked the

Governor to create and we have had meetings with them and the courts and DPS and Chairman

Sablan had already mentioned without being specific that there is funding that will be given to

this effort, this initiative this war on ice and this is one of them. This is one of the request and so

there will be funding, this is at the top of all of us our priority. I just want to throw that in. In

addition to the – Representative Sablan hafa na’an-ña ayu na grant ginen i Homeland?

Representative John Paul P. Sablan: That is Port Security Grant that is from the Coast Guard and

Customs is most likely going to be granted with that but this X-Ray is for the seaport. Now the

X-Ray that the Director of Customs is looking for the airport, there is a works going on now with

MVA it is within the MVA attention right now. The board has yet to make a decision on that.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you for that clarification. And so the ports is already

through that grant. We now understand that MVA is currently under discussion with the division

of Customs for the airport X-Ray and in addition to that this funding that will be made available

to this task force will include if need be if the funding does not come through from this

appropriation. I just want to kind of throw all that in the table so that we are all aware of what is

going on with this request. Thank you for allowing the Chair to weigh in and are there any further

discussions? Recognize Representative John Paul Sablan.

Representative John Paul P. Sablan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to commend the

mover for trying to find funding for the Division of Customs services, but at this floor

amendment I hate to see that we are kind of taking chunks from divisions within the Department


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of Finance. Only because as a former worker of Customs services, the divisions under the

Department of Finance we are all linked together whether it is business license, whether they

expire on taxation issues with our Division of Customs. So I would like to say for the record that

all these positions under the division are very critical and important, therefore I hate to see that

we are going to strip them off from this funding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Sablan. Any further discussion?

Recognize the Chairman of Ways and Means.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is just a short statement. I do

not know who is kidding who. Let me just say this I am not in here and taking this job and trying

to kid anybody or passing the buck. Let me just say this and I do not know whether Chairman

Yumul needs to qualify that statement. What I know is this that this body or the 18th

Legislature

gave Department of Finance a source of funding to exactly address some of these needs that have

come in front of us. Let me just say for the record again, also that during this budget process that

the Director of Finance was asked directly by Representative Lee Pan Guerrero whether he was

satisfied with the budget he was getting and he said he was. The response by Representative Lee

Pan was “you know what Director I am not satisfied” and that is the mixing we are getting here.

And I do not know who is trying to kid who or who is trying to look good to whom. What we

know is this we need $38 Million to satisfy everybody who has submitted the request to the

Department OMB. Again, if you can come up with $38 Million let us hear it let us not kid

anybody that we have the solution to this. It is a challenge and I know we all want to help

everybody and we all want to give everybody what they ask for but we cannot. What we have in

front of us regarding this amendment is trying to take other and you are basically trying to act at

the Secretary of the Department of Finance and trying to allocate and prioritize and

micromanagement the Department of Finance. I am not going to go that far, I am here to listen

and try to allocate and provide funding for Finance. We have a social funding, I informed the

Director yesterday to talk to the Secretary because it is there. Again, to try to take away funding

that is basically working, the strategy is try to beef up enforcement in regards to ensuring a

business compliance and collections. That is what these funding are for and it is working. During

the budget process, even Customs have informed us that due to increase of enforcement not

changes of statute just increase of enforcement has basically increased their collections, I think

the amount was something like Five Million and again this is all about putting the funding to

make sure that we have people there that work and I agree with you we need more on the front

lines, but there is a source of funding that is available. We do not need to sacrifice another

section of the Department of Finance to help another division. We have to understand the fact

that there really is not that much we can move around in regards to this budget. $145 Million and

the request is $38 Million above that. I do not know whose math you guys want to depend on, but

that is a huge challenge. Basically what we did here is try not to hurt departments that are already

hurting by cutting what they have. We try to maintain and again let me go back to my statement

when I introduce this bill. We basically worked with calculation over allocation. We did not take

anything from any department. We just worked on that because to take even $10,000 or $15,000

from any of the activities is going to hurt them. Basically that is the position that the committee

took. Let us just work with this $234,000 and leave it at that. We did not take $10,000 from

anybody. We just distributed the $234,000 that was an error in computation and that was it

because we are mindful that could take $15,000 or $10,000 from anybody is too much for the

departments knowing that they requested more than what is showing in the Governor’s proposal.


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So you know we are not trying to kid anybody. As much as possible I have come straight out and

I have told everybody the challenges that we have and it is going to go over to the Senate and the

Senate will find out and realize that the challenges before them in regards to this budget and then

we will wait for their action and hopefully avoid a conference committee, but you know this

budget – the committee has taken its time and I am not trying to pass the buck onto anybody, let

us just be clear about that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you. Are there any other members that have not

spoken and wish to further comment? Are we ready?




Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: At this time, the Chair is going to rule that that is pretty

clear. The “nays” have it. At this time, the chair will entertain any additional amendments if there

are any. Recognize the Floor Leader.

Floor Leader George N. Camacho: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do have one floor amendment to

offer. I believe everybody has copies that have been passed out.

Floor Leader George N. Camacho offered the following floor amendment:

Floor Amendment

H. B. 19-86 I hereby move to amend or revise current text to reflect an amendment as follows: I. Page 5 of Schedule A: Under BU 1519 from Elected Attorney General Operations: deduct the sum of $50,000 and then place said sum into BU 1568 Domestic Violence for Operations. II. If necessary, amend and adjust all totals that are affected by this amendment

accordingly. Consistent with the intent of the forgoing amendments, I hereby also move to allow the Legal Counsel together with the Clerk to make further non-substantive technical amendments that are strictly necessary to effectuate the intent of this floor amendment prior to transmittal. Dated: July 17, 2015 Offered by: /s/ Rep. George N. Camacho Reviewed for legal sufficiency: /s/ Legal Counsel Joseph Taijeron



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seconded everybody should have a copy of the proposed floor amendment this is page 5 of

Schedule A it has been offered and seconded. Recognize the Legal Counsel.

Legal Counsel Joseph Taijeron: Just wanted to clarify you stated 1115 as oppose to Business

Unit 1519. You meant to say 1519?

Floor Leader George N. Camacho: Business Unit 1519 and the other Business Unit is 1568.

Thank you.

Legal Counsel Joseph Taijeron: Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Floor Leader for clarifying. Discussions at this

time? Just to clarify, Business Unit 1568 currently does have $20,938 and so this would add an

additional $50,000 for a total of $70,938. Any discussion on this motion? Recognize

Representative Lorenzo Deleon Guerrero.

Representative Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the

mover, he has taken out money from AG’s operation of $20,000 and I wanted to ask exactly what

Business Unit you are taking this out of the AG’s operations budget?

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Recognize the Floor Leader.

Floor Leader George N. Camacho: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To respond to that question, this is

moving from specifically the Attorney General’s operation to the Domestic Violence Intervention

Center operation. We are not touching any personnel on this matter. This is strictly moving from

operation to a different operation.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Floor Leader. And you are saying that Domestic

Violence is a component or a division under the AG’s office?

Floor Leader George N. Camacho: Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Why is it listed as independent program?

Floor Leader George N. Camacho: I am not sure how it came out under Schedule A, but they are

under the Attorney General’s Office. Unless when the Attorney General became an independent

agency I am not quite too sure why that happened or what logistics is but domestic violence is

suppose to be under the Attorney General’s office.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you again for clarifying. Representative Deleon

Guerrero you still have the floor.

Representative Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero: I guess what I am asking is you are taking money

from an operation, but my question is what subunit are you taking it from fuel and lubricant, you

know those subunits and I guess this is just the same thing with what we discussed earlier

without any consultation with the appropriate department taken money and putting it somewhere


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else. I guess we have got to be more respectful when we move funds. We had a lengthy

discussion with the Department of Finance and it really troubles me and here we are taking funds

without any consultation. Either whoever manage the domestic violence program and of course

AG is all assistant attorney general’s. Have you discussed any of them about this movement?

Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Floor Leader to respond.

Floor Leader George N. Camacho: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To respond to that under Section A

the operation is not divided into two different individual accounts. The proposal before us

Section A is grouped as one under independent programs. We do not have an Appendix A or

worksheet to discuss in front of us. This is an amendment based on what is in front of us Section

A and again differences between the previous amendment we are not touching any personnel

here, we are not hampering or we are not trying to take vacant positions or any positions for that

matter. We are strictly dealing with operations here.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Floor Leader. Representative Guerrero for the

last time.

Representative Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero: You know I respect this effort that you are doing.

Domestic is very important but it is just the thought that you would go in there and take away

funds without any consultation that is just my point but I do support the intent. Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you. Now recognize Representative Lee Pan

Guerrero.

Representative Joseph Lee Pan T. Guerrero: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I totally agree with

Representative Guerrero but however Representative Guerrero you should be mindful that when

you say consultation, we have been receiving the Governor’s office raising the AG, what

consultation have been given? They are raising out the Assistant Attorney General’s salary are

we being consulted a piece of paper. Now that we are giving money that belongs to the same

entity and I am certain that domestic violence is still part of the AG. I have worked with this

entity and there is nothing inappropriate with this. This is fine. They are just giving them more

additional money. We have a bigger issue. We talk about war on ice, we should be having war on

domestic violence because every day there is domestic violence. I have heard there is a lot of

incident in Kagman, you know when we receive those communications from the Governor

raising the Assistant Attorney General’s salary we just keep our mouths shut. What consultation

have we been given? There is no consultation, just a piece of paper saying, “we are raising this

Assistant Attorney General’s salary.” That is it. What do we do? Where is the money coming

from? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Guerrero. To respond

Representative Guerrero.

Representative Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero: I guess on my last statement, I did say that I do

support the intent of the amendment.


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Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you. Any other who has not spoken? Recognize

Representative Roman Benavente and then Ogumoro.

Representative Roman C. Benavente: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Through all the different

comments that is popping in. I look at it in all sides and both areas are very important. The

situation is very drastic out in our community, the crimes and the violence and everything we are

bombarded with all kinds of negativity out there and yet the Attorney General has just been

newly elected, newly been established, have not even had a chance to prove themselves yet. As

far as what they have when they first came into office they were given only $300,000.00 budget

and with the number of crimes and criminal activity out here and the prosecution requirements

that they are vested upon by law is overwhelming too. Going back to domestic violence itself is

whole, Mr. Speaker. These are critical issue. It is like a mother in the home who make sure her

kids do good and really you look at it, I do not care how they interpret it but let us have respect

with the people who holds the helm because they are the same amenity, they guard the same turf.

Let him have a chance to exercise his authority in deciding where to put the bucks where it is at.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.


Representative Ogumoro and then Representative Yumul. Short recess.


RECESS


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Members. We now return back to our session

we left off on item XVI, the Bill Calendar. A standing motion on the passage of House Bill 19-

86, we are currently entertaining a floor amendment offered by the Floor Leader and are under

discussion. At this time, are there any further discussion on the floor amendment as offered by

the Floor Leader. Recognize the Chairman of Ways and Means.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is in regards to the proposed

amendment of $50,000 to be transferred from the operations of the elected Attorney General to

Business Unit 1568 for operations. I think all of us who have attended this stop domestic

violence proclamation do understand the need and we have heard the plea for support in regards

to funding from the legislature. However, looking at the proposed worksheet for the office of the

Attorney General, I am comparing the FY 2015 funding level and the proposed FY 2016 we

basically have one large increase item there in the amount of $40,000 and this is for a judgment.

So what we are basically left with is something around $70,000 or $60,000 sum leftover from

there. Looking at every individual class code under that worksheet, I would like to ask the good

Floor Leader to reconsider the proposed amendment and I think we will work on other source of

funding. I know that $50,000 is small, but it is quite large when we take it away from an amount

that is roughly only $200,000 in total. So we are basically reducing the operational funding by

25% for the office of the Attorney General’s office. So with that again I respectfully request our

good Floor Leader to reconsider the offering of the floor amendment. Thank you.


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Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Chairman. Recognize the Floor Leader.

Floor Leader George N. Camacho: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I did speak with the Chairman of

Ways and Means and I got assurance that the Domestic Violence Center will get its additional

funding from a different source and I do not want to hamper the Attorney General’s office in

general its operation. So with the assurance from the Ways and Means Committee Chairperson

and several of the members that Domestic Violence will get its additional funding if not more

than that then without objection I would like to go ahead and withdraw the offered floor

amendment.


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Without objection then, the floor amendment as offered by

the Floor Leader is withdrawn. Any other proposed amendments? If there are none, can the Chair

make a clarification? Under page 5 of Schedule A under independent programs from the top, the

fourth Business Unit down which is a new one, the Breadfruit Program, does anybody know what

is that for? I know it is for breadfruit – the reason I ask I see an issue here, I see one of the items

under Independent Programs that looks sorely underfunded and that is the Judgment Against

Government. I wanted to ask the consideration of the Chair and maybe the members to see if you

can maybe give $30,000 or more from the Breadfruit Program to the Judgment – we do have a lot

of judgments and repeated request and I know we cannot fund everything, but maybe to put a

little bit more into it so we can at least stop the bleeding. It is just a suggestion. I will not be

making the floor amendment, I am just asking for discussion. Recognize Representative Yumul.

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It looks like it is a grant so that might

be Administrative for the Breadfruit Program, I do not think we can touch that right now

otherwise it affects the grant.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Anybody else? Recognize Representative Angel Demapan.

Representative Angel A. Demapan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Representative Yumul may be

right. We are recipient of the Pacific Island Breadfruit Initiative from the Department of Interior

and partnership with the University of Hawaii Business Center Program. So I think we using that

for the administrative provision of that grant and this is a participation with other jurisdictions in

Micronesia. Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Alright, thank you. I guess we put that to rest, hopefully it

can be entertained maybe in the Senate or Conference Committee. Any other amendments or

comments? Recognize Representative Attao.

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just a question to maybe

the members of Ways of Means on Section 201, page 13, line 6. It has got the 13-38 cigarette tax

to tobacco control at $2.7 Million and on page 29 it is the same source at $3.2 Million. I

understand that the tobacco settlement and tobacco control tax is a CNMI tax so why is it being

considered an outside source in this proposal.


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Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Chairman I believe that is directed to either the Chairman or

the members?

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: Line 6 on page 13 and line 7 on page 29, it is the

same public law but it should not be an outside source that is CNMI tax.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: And it is identified as a budgetary resource subject to

appropriation and then it is showing as an outside source. That is the clarification right?

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: Yes, we are looking at approximately $5.7 Million

Dollars so our concurrent resolution would be really off by at least $3.2 Million.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Let us take a short recess. Short recess.


RECESS


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, members. We return back to our session. The

Chair will now recognize the Chairman of Ways and Means for a floor amendment with the

assistance of the Legal Counsel to use ELMO, it is on page 29, line 8. Now recognize the

Chairman of Ways and Means.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Upon discussion with some of the

members I think there is a need to remove on page 29 of the bill page 29, line 8 and at this time I

would like to offer a floor amendment with the assistance of the Legal Counsel to delete the

following from the “reading source, CNMI Public Law 13-38” delete in its entirety. So offered.


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Motion has been offered and seconded for the floor

amendment as shown on the screen. Any discussion at this time? Recognize the Chairman.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The amendment is to basically

remove because I think the citation contradicts with this particular entry in the bill. The

$3,280,000.00 is not coming from Public Law 13-38, the cigarette tax. This is coming from the

tobacco settlement funding. So again to remove that citation would remove – I think the wrong

citation that is just to clarify that this is tobacco settlement funding and not CNMI tax revenue.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Sablan. Any further discussion

on the floor amendment. Recognize Representative Deleon Guerrero.

Representative Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero: Chairman Sablan, we also need to change the total at

the back because we are deleting $3.2?


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Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Just the citation.

Representative Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero: Alright clarified, thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Alright. Any further discussion on the floor amendment?

Are we ready for the vote?


There was no further discussion and the motion to adopt the oral floor amendment

offered by Representative Antonio P. Sablan was carried by voice vote. There was no nay vote.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Clerk, what draft are we on now?

House Clerk Linda B. Muña: House Draft 5.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: So House Bill 19-86 is currently House Draft 5. On the

main motion of the passage of House Bill 19-86, HD5. Further discussion, recognize

Representative Attao.

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am just wondering under

the CW funds, the $1.7 Million we are giving it to the Department of Labor to administer the

funding source?

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Can you clarify the page you are at?

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: I am sorry, page 29 and 30 towards the bottom of

page 29 and over three-fourths of page 30.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Recognize the Chairman of Ways and Means.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Thank you again, Mr. Speaker. For clarification, the entry on

subsection 712 subsection (c) the Commonwealth Worker Fund. The amount of $1.7 Million,

which is the CW amount that is going to be received by the government is assigned to the

Department of Labor and by the Administration and the rationale and justification for this is that

in the message is that this amount would be monitored by the Department of Labor and its role.

The departments role is to work with NMC and NMTI in coming up with training for local

workers. Let me clarify the word “local worker” we are talking about US citizen workers. This is

basically to ensure that the expenditure of these funds are closely monitored. I think there has

been questions in the past in regards to the actual use – expenditure of these funds whether they

actually went toward training of workers or whether they went toward use of administrative cost

of the various entities that were recipients of the funding in the past. I guess it is PSS, NMC and

NMTI, but for this fiscal year I guess due to the 25% allotment to PSS, I think Department of

Labor is given the responsibility to monitor this funding and how it is spent by NMC and NMTI.

This money is not available for either personnel cost or operational cost of the Department of

Labor. They are basically the monetary disbursement – monetary agency for this funding. Thank

you.


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Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you. Before I recognize anyone else, Representative

Attao you still have the floor.

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you Mr. Chairman

for the explanation. Actually the binding portion of this amendment would allow this portion

because it is Subsection 6 of Public Law 110-229 specify that certain educational funding. I

would like to make an amendment using the ELMO Mr. Speaker if that is possible.

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao offered the following floor amendment:

Floor Amendment

H. B. 19-86

I hereby move to amend or revise current text to reflect an amendment as follows: I. Page 30, line: Delete the following: “partners such as” II. If necessary, amend and adjust all totals that are affected by this amendment

accordingly. Consistent with the intent of the forgoing amendments, I hereby also move to allow the Legal Counsel together with the Clerk to make further non-substantive technical amendments that are strictly necessary to effectuate the intent of this floor amendment prior to transmittal. Dated: July 17, 2015 Offered by: Rep. Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao Reviewed for legal sufficiency: /s/ Legal Counsel Joseph Taijeron

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Legal Counsel, can you assist? Can you go to page 30, line

7? Can we get the assistance of ELMO and on page 30, line 7 “partners such as” would be

stricken out as the floor amendment as shown on the screen. Is that correct Representative Attao?

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: Yes, Mr. Speaker. If we would like we can add the

Public School System if they do still offer vocational education curriculum.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: I believe that NMTI in their last meeting with us indicated

that they have developed some kind of Memorandum of Understanding or Memorandum of

Agreement to provide the vocational training or courses to the Public School System.

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is even more

comfortable.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: So the amendment as offered still stands?

Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao: Yes, Sir.


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Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Alright, motion has been offered and seconded to strike out

the words “partners such as” so it would read, “the Secretary of Labor shall collaborate with the

Northern Marianas College and the Northern Marianas Trade Institute.” Any discussion on the

motion? Are we ready?


Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao was carried by voice vote. There was no nay vote.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: This would be House Draft 6. Thank you, Representative

Attao. Any further discussions? Recognize Representative Yumul.

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question to the committee on

line 12, where it says “prior to the obligation and disbursement of funds the Secretary shall

develop a plan on implementation showing collaboration partners” is that going to delay – I

understand schools are going to start again and implementing a plan takes time. So my concern is

we have NMTI or NMC I am not sure which one but schools are starting soon and how long will

it take to develop a plan and so forth? If it is going to delay the disbursement of funds then I have

an issue with this. Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Representative Yumul, when you pointed that provision out

it only shows why the word “partner such as” was included in the first place. The provision now

shows who the partners are. So I am just raising another issue, I am sorry. To respond to your

concern, I believe the Chairman of Ways and Means had his hand raised. Recognize.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This particular language here is the

core of the whole issue with regards to transparency and how these funds are being used. We

wanted to make sure that expenditure of these funds are pursuant to an accountable plan, but I

believe that in regards to NMTI and all that I think NMTI in most cases with its programs have

developed a readily training program that can be made available as part of these required plans

and essentially to state for the record on the accountability of these funds. We only have a couple

of years until 1919 I believe to trade as much US citizen labor force. I think we need to do this

with plans in place and again the concern in the past couple years is how these funds have been

expended. I think the development of a plan I believe should not be an issue but it is the core of

ensuring that the intent of this funding is meant. Again, you cannot judge results if you do not

have plans in place to reference back. So I think this is essential and I ask the members to support

the intent. And this is basically referencing the language and the intent of Public Law 110-229.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: You still have the floor.

Representative Ralph N. Yumul: Thank you. I am not going to debate on this issue. I am just

saying my concern is the bottleneck right now. We are way beyond the development of plan and

so forth so if we have a document – my concern is the Department of Labor restricting funds

because they do not agree with certain parts of the program. So I do not want a delay in payment

so that is all my concern. Nothing more.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Just to clarify further. I believe the reason this was worded

the way it was is consistent with the Governor’s creation with a task force aimed at developing


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our workforce to meet the anticipated transition and zeroing out the CW workers after the end of

this transition period and I believe labor has been given the lead to develop our workforce and

that is why this language was worded the way it was but to do it in collaboration with the NMTI

and NMC. Recognize Representative Benavente.

Representative Roman C. Benavente: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just to clear the clouds with

regards to Representative Yumul’s concern. The Chairman for Ways and Means is right although

I am sure there is workable mechanism within the Workforce Investment Agency in conjunction

with all the different entities like public school and NMTI and Northern Marianas College. So I

am sure timeline for enrollment and other stuff are already addressed through the expectation of

NMC and PSS and NMTI. You just hit the nail right on the two-by-four when you said that it is

the Governor’s wish list to get this straight. I like this bill, I like this assignment with this amount

of money to WIA because it puts WIA as the clearing house for all the different educational

institution. Not only that I am also concern with regards to the WIA’s receiving other federal

funds, but it would be a win-win situation if they would utilize those funds to accommodate these

needed individuals that will be assuming these types of position. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.


Representative Vinson Sablan.

Representative Vinson F. Sablan: Not on that issue, probably just a typo or a technical. On page

30, line 1 is that an extra zero? That is One Billion. The sum of, it is on ELMO right now.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: I think there is too many zero’s after seven. Can we treat

that as a typo, a technical and strike out one zero after seven. Any objection treating that as a

typo?


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Members. Just strikeout one zero so it would

read $1.7 Million. Thank you, Representative Sablan. Recognize Representative Antonio Sablan.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: For the last time on this issue, Mr. Speaker. Let me just say

that I agree with the concern raised by Representative Yumul. I know that the very first time that

I read where this money was going to go, my concern and I directed this to the Secretary of Labor

as well OMB on the concern of whether this particular arrangement would result in delay of the

programs. I think it is a justifiable concern. We certainly do not want any delays on regards to the

disbursement of these funds in regards to plans that are developed to train local workers. So let

me just say for the record that I do agree with the concern of Representative Yumul and I think

every one of us in here should monitor on how this particular arrangement progresses as the

fiscal year comes in. Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Sablan. Any further discussion

on that issue? I have one small one as it was Representative Yumul and it refers to our previous

the last amendment that we just made removing “partners such as” and it was brought out when

he read line 12 to line 16 where it clarifies just uses the word partners. So I just wanted to ask the


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Legal Counsel, are we alright with that or do we need to restore it or do we need to change line

12 to line 16 to removed the word “partners” and include NMC and NMTI or can will it suffice.

Legal Counsel Joseph Taijeron: You ask me if it can or will it suffice and the answer is yes.

While it was clearer before the amendment it is still alright now. It is probably a little bit less

clear, but if you look at the first amendment “partner such as” it was not specific it is “partner

such as” which is including not necessarily limited to NMC and NMIT so down and below on

line 15, with the partners and you would like to know who those partners are we struck out

“partner such as” it is not necessarily too ambiguous that it is unclear. So I think it is alright.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: I am alright with that. Any others? Are we ready to vote on

the main motion?



The Clerk called the roll on the motion for the passage of House Bill 19-86, HD6 on First and Final Reading with the following results:

Representative Edwin P. Aldan yes Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao yes Representative Anthony T. Benavente yes Representative Roman C. Benavente yes Representative George N. Camacho yes Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero yes Representative Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero yes Representative Angel A. Demapan yes Representative Rafael S. Demapan yes Representative Joseph Lee Pan T. Guerrero yes Representative Glenn L. Maratita yes Representative Felicidad T. Ogumoro yes Representative Edwin K. Propst absent (excused) Representative Antonio P. Sablan yes Representative John Paul P. Sablan yes Representative Vinson F. Sablan yes Representative Francis S. Taimanao yes Representative Ramon A. Tebuteb yes Representative Edmund Joseph S. Villagomez no Representative Ralph N. Yumul no

House Clerk Linda B. Muña: Mr. Speaker, 17 members voted “yes,” and 2 members voted “no.”

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: And just to clarify, Madame Clerk, we are on House Draft

6?

House Clerk Linda B. Muña: Correct, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you again and so with the final tally being 17 in the

affirmative, House Bill 19-86, House Draft 6, hereby passes the House. Members, I wanted to

ask in your indulgence, there is a request from Representative Angel Demapan with one of the


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bills currently in the standing committee – it is a Standing Committee Report and this has to do

with the upcoming renewal of our health insurance. There is a bill there that is very time

sensitive and I wanted to ask if I can have your indulgence to go back to the Standing Committee

Report, pass that one committee report and then go to the Bill Calendar and then I believe he has

an amendment to do and then pass that and then we can take it from there and then break. Any

questions? This should not take long, hopefully.


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Without objection then I would like to go back on our Order

of Business to item XII, Reports of Standing Committee. Recognize the Floor Leader.

REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES

Floor Leader George N. Camacho: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Under item XII, Standing

Committee Report, we have Standing Committee Report 19-19, reporting on House Bill 19-37,

“To transfer the Administration of the Government’s Group Health and Life Insurance Programs

to the Department of Finance.” From your Committee on JGO recommending its passage in the

form of House Bill 19-37, HD1. So move, Mr. Speaker for its adoption.

S. C. R. NO. 19-19: Reporting on H. B. No. 19-37, entitled: “To transfer the Administration of the Government’s Group Health and Life Insurance Programs to the Department of Finance.” Your Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations

recommends that the House pass the bill in the form of H. B. NO. 19-37, HD1.



seconded for the adoption of House Bill 19-37, HD1. Any discussion on the motion?


Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: I believe he will do it on the Bill Calendar, he will do the

amendment. So on the committee report any discussion?


There was no discussion and the motion to adopt Standing Committee Report 19-19 was

carried by voice vote. There was no nay vote.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Standing Committee Report 19-19 is adopted and House

Bill 19-37, HD1 will be placed on today’s Bill Calendar. Let us now move back to item XVI, the

Bill Calendar and recognize the Floor Leader for the next motion.


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BILL CALENDAR

Floor Leader George N. Camacho: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Under our Bill Calendar, we have

House Bill 19-37, HD1 entitled, “To transfer the Administration of the Government’s Group

Health and Life Insurance Programs to the Department of Finance.” Mr. Speaker, I move for its

passage.

S. C. R. NO. 19-19: Reporting on H. B. No. 19-37, entitled: “To transfer the Administration of the Government’s Group Health and Life Insurance Programs to the Department of Finance.” Your Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations

recommends that the House pass the bill in the form of H. B. NO. 19-37, HD1.



seconded for the passage of House Bill 19-37, HD1. Under discussion, recognize Representative

Angel Demapan.

Representative Angel A. Demapan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time, I would like to a floor

amendment being distributed to the members and then we have it up on ELMO.

Representative Angel A. Demapan offered the following floor amendment:

Floor Amendment

To: House Bill No. 19-37, HD1

Offered By: Representative Angel Demapan

AMENDMENT: 1. Page 3, Line 10: After the word “Programs” delete “, nor may public resources be

used to withhold or transmit premiums for insurance policies or benefits that are not provided as part of the government’s Group Health and Life Insurance Programs. This restriction does not apply to payroll deductions for Medicare”.

Consistent with the intent of the forgoing amendments, I hereby also move to allow the Legal Counsel together with the Clerk to make further non-substantive technical amendments that are strictly necessary to effectuate the intent of this floor amendment prior to transmittal. Date: July 16, 2015 /s/ Rep. Angel A. Demapan


Representative Angel A. Demapan: Mr. Speaker this floor amendment is offered for purposes of

allowing government employees who on their own elect to get either primary or secondary

coverage with other insurance providers that are not in the government’s group health program to

allow for the Department of Finance process the allotments from their payroll so that their


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premiums are maintained in a timely manner. So if keeping this provision in there would bar

public resources and processing the allotment is one of those. So this is done in consideration of

the government employees who would like to do so and taking into consideration the official

comments submitted from Stay Well as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Demapan. On the floor

amendment are there any discussions or questions? Are we ready to act on the floor amendment?


There was no discussion and the motion to adopt the floor amendment offered by

Representative Angel A. Demapan was carried by voice vote. There was no nay vote.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: House Bill 19-37 becomes HD2. Are there any discussion

on the main motion at this time?



The Clerk called the roll on the motion for the passage of House Bill 19-37, HD2 on First and Final Reading with the following results:

Representative Edwin P. Aldan yes Representative Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao yes Representative Anthony T. Benavente yes Representative Roman C. Benavente yes Representative George N. Camacho yes Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero yes Representative Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero yes Representative Angel A. Demapan yes Representative Rafael S. Demapan yes Representative Joseph Lee Pan T. Guerrero yes Representative Glenn L. Maratita yes Representative Felicidad T. Ogumoro yes Representative Edwin K. Propst absent (excused) Representative Antonio P. Sablan yes Representative John Paul P. Sablan yes Representative Vinson F. Sablan yes Representative Francis S. Taimanao yes Representative Ramon A. Tebuteb yes Representative Edmund Joseph S. Villagomez yes Representative Ralph N. Yumul yes

House Clerk Linda B. Muña: Mr. Speaker, all 19 members present voted “yes.”

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Madame Clerk. With all 19 member present

voting “yes,” House Bill 19-37, HD2 hereby passes the House. At this time, let us move to item

XVII, Miscellaneous Business.

There was no discussion or action taken for the following:


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H. B. NO. 19-44, HD1

A Bill for an Act to require all scuba dive shop operators to impose a $1.00 surcharge per customer to purchase, install,

operate, and maintain decompression chambers in the CNMI; and for other purposes. See [S. C. R. NO. 19-14]

MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Are there any Miscellaneous Business? Recognize the

Chairman of Ways and Means.

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is just to take the opportunity to

thank all the members for their hard work during this budget process. Secondly, I also want to

thank the other Chairman for throughout this month and a half for these budget hearings and

deliberation have pretty much worked their own committee schedules around the budget process.

Again, without all of your cooperation we would not be here at this point. Secondly, to the LB

staff, especially to Char, Claire and Dave, there help was certainly cannot go unrecognized.

Again, thank you Dave and this goes out to Counsels. Basically, I think to everybody else the

other members, I know we have disagreements in regards to some of the detail in regards to this

budget bill that we just passed. We all want to do more but again, we continue to ask for

everyone’s patience. I think we have done that. I just want to extend appreciation to everybody

and I mean this to everybody. To the Speaker thank you for allowing the Chair and the committee

to basically run the business of this House the past couple months in regards to this budget. Let

me just say this, I certainly do not want to miss pointing this out, but let me extend my sincere

appreciation to the Minority Leader, I think throughout this process, I think he has played a very

important role in ensuring that the communication go back and forth between the members of the

majority and minority in regards to issues and concerns in regards to the budget. Again, dánkolo

na Si Yu’us Ma’ase to everybody. I know we are not done this is just the first and second step,

but I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank everybody. Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Sablan. Any other

Miscellaneous? Recognize Representative Angel Demapan.

Representative Angel A. Demapan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In line with that I just want to thank

you and the members for allowing House Bill 19-37 to get on calendar and be passed by the

House today. I hope we understand the urgency of that bill. It does not only transfer to the

Department of Finance, but it will allow a sixty-day open enrollment for government employees

that are not in the program at this time and if there is an increase in enrollment it would increase

the data it would increase the data to be used for the incoming RFP for the new contract and

hopefully allow it to reduce the premium if possible. So thank you again Mr. Speaker and the

members for allowing that to happen. I also want to extend an invitation to everybody who

missed the parade on July 4th

and July 11th

, they are going to do it one more time, tomorrow it

starts at 9 a.m. from quarter master to fishing base. I was going to extend an invitation to the

Denton’s hearing tonight but it is going to happen in about four minutes so if any of you guys can

make it down there that would be appreciated too. Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Where?

Representative Angel A. Demapan: Multi-purpose.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Time?


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Representative Angel A. Demapan: It starts at five I believe.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you, Representative Angel Demapan. Any further

Miscellaneous, if not, I just want to thank you members for your patience today. I know that there

were a lot of bills that were in the Standing Committee Report. I will assure you that we will

have a session next week so we can start working on those bills and getting them out. Anything

else, thank you. Recognize Representative Roman Benavente.

Representative Roman C. Benavente: I would just like to thank everyone for working together

side by side with each other. Despite we were on one end of the isle, but we managed to get

along and communicate and do with what we have to do with regards to fulfilling our obligation

as a public servant, but on the other hand Mr. Speaker I would like to share this among everyone

and to all the Chairman’s and everyone there are some pending bills that have been sitting in the

committee at the longest time specified bills that still have not been addressed and I would like to

ask everyone’s effort because these bills are not for one individual it is for everybody. Let us

work together and try to hash out these bills so that we can get it rolling for the people that we

represent.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you and I will take the hit for that. As you all know

since April 1st when the Governor submitted the proposed budget priority was given to the

Committee on Ways and Means to fast track or do their job so a lot of the other committees were

second I guess in priority and they had to kind of fit it in between the Ways and Means

Committee meetings. Now that Ways and Means is done and we got the budget out to the Senate,

now the other committees can dedicate our time and give our attention to the other committees

and bills. I will assure you that. Thank you. Now that we have announced most of the

announcements are there anything under Announcements under item XVIII? Recognize

Representative Sablan.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Representative Antonio P. Sablan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Now that the budget has been passed

by this body this is just an announcement for the members of Ways and Means that I have issued

a schedule for committee meeting on Wednesday at 9 a.m. to try and get those other legislations

in committee out so we are going to continue the work. I think for those committee members

notice and the agenda has already been – I think it should be distributed to your office by now.

Thank you.

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Thank you. Any other announcements?


ADJOURNMENT

Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero: Floor Leader for the motion to adjourn.


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Floor Leader George N. Camacho: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to make a motion that

we adjourn subject to your call.

The motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. There was no nay vote.

The House adjourned at 5:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Venetia A. Sanchez

House Journal Clerk

APPEARANCE OF LOCAL BILLS

FIRST LEGISLATIVE DAY: 1st

Legislative appearance of a local bill is on the day it is introduced.

SECOND LEGISLATIVE DAY: H. L. B. NO. 19-28: To establish the unarmed combat sport and to establish the athletic commission act; and for other purposes. Introduced by REP. RAMON A. TEBUTEB of Saipan, Precinct 3 (for himself) on June 17, 2015.

THIRD LEGISLATIVE DAY: H. L. B. NO. 19-26: To authorize, establish and regulate the operation of Chamorro Gaming of Cockfight, Bingo and Batu in the Second Senatorial District and to repeal in its entirety, Chapter 4 of Division 2 of Title 10 of the Commonwealth Code and all provisions of the Tinian Local Laws pertaining to licensing of Cockfighting; and for other purposes. Introduced by REP. EDWIN P. ALDAN of Tinian, Precinct 6 (for himself) on June 4, 2015.

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Appearance of Measures introduced on the House Floor during the House Session

6/17/15:

H. B. NO. 19-75: To establish a special account for the Child Care Licensing Program (CCLP) and to properly re-appropriate the generated license fees; and for other purposes. Introduced REP. LORENZO I. DELEON GUERRERO of Saipan, Precinct 5 (for himself) on June 17, 2015; was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. H. B. NO. 19-76: To amend 4 CMC §1401 and 4 CMC §1402(a) to separate cigars from being taxed as a tobacco and establish its own tax rate; and for other purposes. Introduced by REP. JOSEPH LEE PAN T. GUERRERO of Saipan, Precinct 1 (for himself) on June 17, 2015; was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. H. B. NO. 19-77: To amend 9 CMC §2109 to establish a regulation for a more recognizable license plate; and for other purposes. Introduced by REP. RAMON A. TEBUTEB of Saipan, Precinct 3 (for himself, Representatives Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao, and Vinson F. Sablan) on June 17, 2015; was referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations.


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H. B. NO. 19-78: To return the employees of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to the Civil Service System. Introduced by REP. LORENZO I. DELEON GUERRERO of Saipan, Precinct 5 (for himself) on June 17, 2015; was referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations. H. B. NO. 19-79: To provide legislative oversight over public land leases by limiting the Department of Public Lands’ scope of authority relative to parcel size and term of lease. Introduced by REP. ROMAN C. BENAVENTE of Saipan, Precinct 1 (for himself) on June 17, 2015; was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources. H. B. NO. 19-80: To establish rules for the creation, removal, and operation of special parking zones and parking meter zones; and for other purposes. Introduced by REP. EDWIN K. PROPST of Saipan, Precinct 1 (for himself) on June 17, 2015; was referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations. H. B. NO. 19-81: To amend 6 CMC §1601(b) to include elderly citizens and people with disabilities, and establish a set of punishments for theft committed against them; and for other purposes. Introduced by REP. LORENZO I. DELEON GUERRERO of Saipan, Precinct 5 (for himself) on June 17, 2015; was referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations. H. B. NO. 19-82: To abolish the Department of Public Lands and establish the Marianas Lands Corporation with a Board of Trustees entrusted with the power to manage and control the public lands in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Introduced by REP. FELICIDAD T. OGUMORO of Saipan, Precinct 3 (for herself, Representatives George N. Camacho, Angel A. Demapan, Joseph Lee Pan T. Guerrero, and John Paul P. Sablan) on June 17, 2015; was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources. H. L. B. NO. 19-27: To appropriate $10,000.00 from revenues collected pursuant to Saipan Local Law 11-2 as amended; and for other purposes. Introduced by REP. JOSEPH LEE PAN T. GUERRERO of Saipan, Precinct 1 (for himself) on June 17, 2015. H. L. B. NO. 19-28: To establish the unarmed combat sport and to establish the athletic commission act; and for other purposes. Introduced by REP. RAMON A. TEBUTEB of Saipan, Precinct 3 (for himself) on June 17, 2015. H. L. B. NO. 19-29: To appropriate $465,000.00 from revenues collected pursuant to Saipan Local Law 11-2 as amended; and for other purposes. Introduced by REP. FRANCIS S. TAIMANAO of Saipan, Precinct 5 (for himself) on June 17, 2015. H. RES. NO. 19-23: To recognize and congratulate Ponce Rasa and Joey Tudela for courageously undertaking a great feat as they became the first stand-up paddle board (SUP) paddlers to cross the Saipan-Tinian Channel on May 31, 2015. Introduced by REP. ANGEL A. DEMAPAN of Saipan, Precinct 1 (for himself, Representatives Edwin P. Aldan, Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao, Anthony T. Benavente, Roman C. Benavente, George N. Camacho, Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero, Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero, Rafael S. Demapan, Joseph Lee Pan T. Guerrero, Glenn L. Maratita, Felicidad T. Ogumoro, Edwin K. Propst, Antonio P. Sablan, John Paul P. Sablan, Vinson F. Sablan, Francis S. Taimanao, Ramon A. Tebuteb, Edmund S. Villagomez, Ralph N. Yumul) on June 17, 2015; was placed on the Resolution Calendar. H. J. R. NO. 19-6: To authorize the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, through its Governor, to submit to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Action Plan for the Community Development Block Grant Application No. B-15-ST69-0001; the HOME Investment Partnership Grant Application No. M-15-ST69-0203; and the Emergency Solutions Grant Application No. S-15-DC69-0001; to receive the funds requested therein, and to assume all responsibilities that may be imposed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnership Program, and the Emergency Solutions Grant Programs. Introduced by REP. JOHN PAUL P. SABLAN of Saipan, Precinct 2 (for himself, Representatives Blas Jonathan “BJ” T. Attao, Ramon A. Tebuteb, and Ralph N, Yumul) on June 17, 2015; was placed on the Resolution Calendar.

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House information on deadlines for override:

Adopted January 26, 2016 · The House recessed at 1:49 p.m. RECESS The House reconvened at 2:11...

Documents

Transcript of Adopted January 26, 2016 · The House recessed at 1:49 p.m. RECESS The House reconvened at 2:11...