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Froilan had most number of absences
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Posted on Jul 11 2011
Rep. Froilan Tenorio (Cov-Saipan) missed three of six special sessions during the second quarter of 2011, even as 21 of 29 lawmakers had perfect attendances in both House and Senate sessions.
Tenorio, in an interview yesterday, said he doesn’t believe that the Legislature should be conducting a lot of special sessions, unless the matters to be tackled are of extreme importance.
“Because having special sessions means we didn’t do our job during the regular sessions. The Constitution allows for a hiatus,” he said.
Article II of the NMI Constitution says each house shall meet in regular sessions for no more than 90 days each year, 60 days before April 1 and 30 days after July 31 of each calendar year.
They may be convened at other times for not more than 10 consecutive days upon request by its presiding officer or by the governor.
When meeting pursuant to a call by the governor, the Legislature shall consider only those subjects described in the call.
Of the 20 House members, 14 were present in six special sessions.
Besides Tenorio with three absences, those with one absence each during special sessions held between April and June were Rep. Frederick Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan), Rep. Ray Palacios (Cov-Saipan), Rep. Tony Sablan (R-Saipan), Rep. Teresita Santos (Ind-Rota) and Rep. Edmund Villagomez (Cov-Saipan).
Tenorio said he was in California for official business and personal leave during the times he was absent from special sessions.
In the Senate, only two senators had one absence each during six special sessions.
They were Sen. Juan Ayuyu (Ind-Rota) and Sen. Luis Crisostimo (D-Saipan).
All the absences were marked “excused.”
During the quarter, 11 bills were signed into law, but most of them introduced during previous quarters.
One became law after the House and Senate overrode the governor’s veto, authorizing the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to establish a student driver education program.
