House overrides Torres’ veto of PSYPACT bill

Christina E. Sablan

The House of Representatives on Tuesday unanimously voted to override Gov. Ralph DLG Torres’ veto of a bill that proposes to have the CNMI join the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact, or PSYPACT, to improve and expand access to mental health care services for CNMI residents.

All 19 House members present voted “yes” to the motion to override the governor’s veto on House Bill 22-80. Roy Ada (R-Saipan) was absent and was excused from the session.

During the discussions, Rep. Christina E. Sablan (D-Saipan), who is the main author of the legislation, said the bill unanimously passed the House and the Senate with strong support expressed by the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., the Community Guidance Center, licensed psychologist in the private sector, the Healthcare Professions Licensing Board, and other advocates. Sablan said they expressed their support in oral and written testimony at multiple public meetings.

“We passed this bill…because we recognized the serious mental health crisis that is facing our community, especially in light of multiple and traumatic typhoon disasters and the far-reaching impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.

Sablan said that mental health providers have recounted having tremendous caseloads and lengthy wait times for people who really need help.

While working to build local capacity in the CNMI, Sablan said there is an avenue available to the CNMI right now through PSYPACT that would make it easier for licensed providers and other jurisdictions that are members of PSYPACT to provide services through tele-psychology, as well as through temporary 30-day licenses for in-person practice, if an authorized psychologist travels to the CNMI.

Torres vetoed House Bill 22-80 last month, citing a lack of information about its costs to administer. He said that, although he supports the Legislature’s initiative to improve and expand mental health care within the CNMI, there is a financial commitment to joining the PSYPACT which will coordinate the efforts of the participating jurisdictions to provide and regulate psychology services.

The House passed the bill last April 27 without amendments. The Senate passed it without amendments last July 22.

At the House session Tuesday, Sablan said Torres vetoed this bill, claiming there is a financial commitment to joining PSYPACT.

Quoting his veto message, Sablan said that Torres stated that the bill does not include information detailing what the estimated annual costs will be to administer PSYPACT, nor any funding support via appropriation to support this annual financial commitment.

Sablan said that Torres was wrong and the people of the Marianas should not have to suffer because of it. She said PSYPACT is a legal agreement among participating jurisdictions and that there is no annual financial commitment to joining PSYPACT.

The lawmaker said the legislation that they passed in the House and Senate derives from model legislation provided by the PSYPACT Commission and it has already been passed in pretty much identical form in more than 30 other states. Moreover, she said, the Commonwealth will not be administering PSYPACT at all.

“The fact that Gov. Torres even described it that way shows how little he understands about how PSYPACT works, how little he understood this legislation, and how little he bothered to do his homework,” Sablan said.

She noted that there is a state assessment fee of $10 for any licensed psychologist here who participates in PSYPACT. That means if no CNMI licensed psychologist participates, there is no fee, Sablan said.

She said there are currently six licensed psychologists in the CNMI and if all choose to become authorized under PSYPACT, the cost to the CNMI would be $60. The lawmaker said most states pay this fee, but it could be passed on to the authorized psychologist, resulting in no cost to the CNMI.

“Gov. Torres was gravely mistaken and misguided when he vetoed this bill,” said Sablan as she asked House members to correct that error and exercise their constitutional authority to override the veto.

With no House members objecting, floor leader Rep. Ralph N. Yumul (R-Saipan) offered a motion to override the veto.

Before the voting, House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez (Ind-Saipan) reminded House members that the requirement needed to override the veto is two-thirds or at least 14 members.