ON SHOOTING RESORT BILL Senate rules out override on veto

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio’s veto on legislation easing the tough gun control law to establish so-called “shooting resorts” in the CNMI will not be overridden, according to Senate President Paul A. Manglona.

“It is as good as dead and we now have to continue to look for other investment opportunities for the Commonwealth,” he told yesterday in a radio interview with KSAI.

But he said they may pass similar measure to allow this type of resorts to operate on Rota and Tinian since the Senate overwhelmingly approved the bill last year.

The governor thumbed down HB 12-212 on Monday, saying he could not compromise public safety over potential economic benefit of the shooting resorts on the islands.

He cited strong opposition raised by several quarters in the island community which expressed fear it could lead to proliferation of deadly weapons and ammunition that would damage CNMI’s image as safe destination for tourists.

While he respected Mr. Tenorio’s reasons for nixing the measure, Mr. Manglona acknowledged the difficulty in drawing enough votes to override the veto.

Each chamber has to get two-thirds vote to enact it into law despite the veto. The Senate is likely to drum up enough support, but the House may find it harder since it passed only with a slim margin.

Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes, on the other hand, stressed their move would depend on how the House takes its next step since the bill originated from there.

“If the House is successful in overriding this veto, then there is a sufficient vote in the Senate to act likewise,” he said in the same interview. “But we need to be cautious on how to act on this since we would like to know why the governor acted the way he did.”

He, however, expressed concern over potential impact of the veto to Korean investors who may want to invest in other projects, such as the proposed bridge to link Saipan and Tinian.

“Despite my amendments which proposed for the removal of the hand gun provision, based on the public hearing, there was an overwhelming support for the establishment of these shooting resorts,” said the Saipan senator.

Mr. Reyes chairs the Committee on Resources, Economic Development and Programs that held a series of public hearings on the bill, which opened the debate between pro- and anti-guns advocates.

Filed by House Floor Leader Oscar M. Babauta, HB 12-212 sought to relax the Weapons Control Act to permit patrons and guests of the proposed shooting resorts to carry within their premises handguns, shotguns and rifles as well as ammunition with caliber 22, 32, 38, 45, 9 mm, 12 gauge, 410 gauge and 5.56 mm.

Prospective investors, mostly Korean tying up with their local representatives, lobbied hard to draw support of the Legislature, bringing even some of the senators to South Korea to see for themselves how the business operates.

They also enticed them with promises of $25 million minimum capital to develop similar resorts here as well as international shooting competitions, provided the government gave them the license to bring in those guns to the islands.

At least two investors, Union Rich Saipan and CNMI International Shooting Resorts, pledged to pump money into the local economy if the bill was signed into law.