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$112K Tinian appropriations and Saipan zoning law change OK’d
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Posted on Apr 08 2014
Lt. Gov. Jude U. Hofschneider, when he was acting governor on Thursday, signed into local law a bill appropriating $112,000 in poker license fees for patients’ subsistence allowance, medical referral, scholarship and other activities. That was barely a day after the four-member Tinian and Aguiguan Legislative Delegation passed the amended local bill.
Hofschneider signed Rep. Trenton Conner’s (Ind-Tinian) House Local Bill 18-48, Draft 1 into Tinian Local Law 18-7.
Under the new local law, $45,000 in poker license fees collected on Tinian will go toward the monthly subsistence allowance of patients on dialysis, those with cancer, multiple sclerosis, debilitating epilepsy seizure disorder and dermatomytositis, as well as post-cerebral vascular accident patients.
The Tinian Municipal Scholarship gets $35,000, while the Tinian and Aguiguan Legislative Delegation gets $15,000. Tinian Little League gets $10,000, while $5,000 goes to expenses related to the Attorney General’s Cup. The remaining $2,000 goes to the Tinian Health Center’s medical referral program.
Saipan zoning law amendment
Gov. Eloy S. Inos, meanwhile, signed into local law on Friday a bill amending the Saipan Zoning Law of 2013 to rezone from “village commercial” to “tourist resort” 12 lots adjacent to a new hotel that Saipan Surfrider LLC will develop at the site of the former Pacific Gardenia Hotel and the former Silver Hotel in Chalan Kanoa.
Rep. Ray Tebuteb’s (Ind-Saipan) House Local Bill 18-43 is now Saipan Local Law 18-15.
Saipan Surfrider LLC plans to develop a 60-room Surfrider Resort Spa and Beach in the area.
Veto
On the same day, the governor also vetoed Conner’s House Local Bill 18-42, which establishes a Tinian medical assistance review board for screening and verification of medically assisted patients.
Inos said he voted the bill because it conflicts with Commonwealth law.
“While I recognize the need to screen medical patients at Tinian Health Center for financial assistance, these procedures must be undertaken pursuant to the direction and oversight of the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.,” the governor said in his veto message.
