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Torres signs law transferring GHLI to Finance
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres signed into law on Friday a bill to transfer the administration of the government’s Group Health and Life Insurance program to the Department of Finance.
Torres vetoed an earlier version of the House Bill 19-114, House Bill 19-37, last year.
The governor had cited a Senate amendment that would have essentially allowed retirees to enroll in the program said then that the increase in the number of re-enrollees into GHLI may lead to a potentially significant increase to overall premiums for members of the GHLI programs”
The bill’s intent was to “re-introduce the original intent and principle of House bill 19-37,” Rep. Angel Demapan (R-Saipan), the author of the bill, wrote in its findings section.
House Bill 19-144 is now Public Law 19-160.
The new law finds that the Department of Finance can administer the GHLI program more efficiently than the Northern Marianas Retirement Fund and accordingly, transfer the administration of GHLI to Finance.
The bill also mandates that all government agencies participate in the government’s group health and life insurance plans in order help control premium costs.
“Increasing the number of participants in the government’s group insurance plans will minimize increases in premiums,” the bill states.
