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Hearings set on land alienation changes
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Posted on Mar 29 2008
A series of public hearings will be held in the next two weeks on proposed constitutional amendments to the Commonwealth’s land alienation law.
The House Committee on Natural Resources will conduct the hearings to receive testimony on House Legislatives 16-3, 16-4, 16-8, all of which relate to land alienation laws. The hearings will take place at the House chamber on Capital Hill, on April 2 and in the Multi Purpose Center on April 3.
Separate hearings will be held on April 9 and 10, at the House chamber and Multi Purpose Center, respectively, on House Legislative Initiative 16-8.
All events will begin at 6:30pm.
Public hearings will also be conducted on Tinian and Rota. The schedule are yet to be announced.
H.L.I. 16-3 will allow the government to tap at least US$25 million generated through leasing public lands so that it can be funneled for the financially troubled Commonwealth Utilities Corp.
H.L.I. 16-4 proposes the extension of leasehold interest on private lands from 55 to 75 years.
H.L.I. 16-5 will allow the cash-strapped government to borrow money from legitimate financial institutions for its operating expenses.
Rep. Heinz Hofschneider authored the three mentioned initiatives.
Sponsored by Rep. Victor B. Hocog, H.L.I 16-8 seeks to allow each senatorial district to amend or repeal the restrictions on alienation of land with respect to its senatorial district.
Legislative initiatives have to be passed by the affirmative vote of three-fourths of the members of each house present and voting. The governor cannot veto legislative initiatives, which are proposals to amend the Constitution.
Once passed by the Legislature, initiatives will be subject to voter ratification.
Members of the public may submit written or oral testimony at the hearings. They may also submit comments at Rep. Ramon Tebuteb’s office at the Legislative Building on Capital Hill; mail to PO Box 500586 Saipan MP 95960; email rtebuteb@yahoo.com; or fax 664-8985.
Comments are due on April 10, 2008.
Copies of the initiatives may be downloaded from Rep. Joseph N. Camacho’s website at www.camachocnmi.com. They are also available at the Legislative Bureau library (322-8840) or Rep. Tebuteb’s office (664-8983).
