Part-time legislature proposed

Newcomer congressman Claudio Norita took a “historic” step yesterday by introducing a legislative initiative to make the CNMI Legislature a part-time legislature, saying it would result in $3.2 million savings for the government.

This move shall essentially strip the lawmakers of their salary and significantly reduce their operational funds from $155,000 to $50,000.

Norita, a former police major, introduced House Legislative Initiative 14-8, which aims to amend Article II of the Constitution to restructure the compensation of members and to reduce the operating budget of both houses of the Legislature.

“I have had the opportunity to observe the operations of the Legislature from outside and inside. And I’ve found that the Legislature can continue operating as an effective branch of government on a reduced budget,” said Norita, citing that more than 20 states in the mainland U.S. have part-time legislature.

Under the proposal, the salary of the legislators will be a fixed amount: $120 if a member attends a session and $60 per committee meeting.

For Rota and Tinian members, airfare per session is $100 and per diem per session is $175.

At present, lawmakers receive $39,300 as annual salary and $155,000 in operational funds. This is on top of additional funds given to committee chairs, vice speaker, and House speaker. Off-island members also currently receive $5,000 in additional allowance every month.

An estimated total cost under a part-time legislature is $2 million—$3.2 million less than the present expenditure of some $5.2 million.

Norita’s initiative also proposes that the use of vehicles by members shall be paid out of the individual member’s allocated budget.

“By reducing the legislative budget, additional revenues would be available to fund the essential public services directly protecting the health, welfare, safety, and providing for the education of our children,” Norita said.

The budget reduction, he said, would not impede the Legislature from carrying out its primary function of enacting laws.

The Legislative Bureau budget would remain at $2 million “and should be sufficient to provide administrative and legislative drafting and research support to members.”

Norita said the initiative, if passed by both houses, would be placed in a referendum in next year’s general elections.

Norita said he is confident that his colleagues in the House would support the proposal but he said he is uncertain about the Senate members.

“I challenge my colleagues to be sincere about service to the community. That’s all it is,” he said.

At the same time, the House rejected yesterday a resolution introduced by Rota Rep. Crispin Ogo, which aims to provide $2,500 in subsistence allowance for Saipan lawmakers.

During a vote, the measure only received votes from Ogo, Rep. Janet Maratita, and Rep. Norman S. Palacios.

Minority bloc Rep. Heinz Hofschneider noted that Ogo’s proposal, although beneficial to Saipan lawmakers, “is totally contrary” to the intent of Norita’s proposal.