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‘Return power to administer personnel policies to CSC’
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Posted on Jun 20 2011
Senate Vice President Jude U. Hofschneider (R-Tinian) wants the governor’s power to administer personnel policies moved back to the Civil Service Commission to restore a non-partisan and independent civil service system that Article 20 of the CNMI Constitution requires.
Hofschneider’s Senate Bill 17-62 seeks to repeal Section 3 of Public Law 13-1 and repeal the Civil Service Act. It simply seeks to return the Office of Personnel Management to the control of the Civil Service Commission for administrative efficiency.
“The bill will put the civil service where it belongs,” the senator said in a brief interview.
The bill is expected to be acted on by the Senate during its rescheduled session, to be held on Thursday on Tinian.
In its findings, the bill says the exemptions from the Civil Service System “are being abused and civil service employees are being hired as excepted service employees, circumventing position requirements and salary limits.”
It also says that the Civil Service Act has not been amended to reflect the changes required by Amendment 41 to the NMI Constitution.
The Civil Service Commission will be composed of seven members to be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate.
Under Hofschneider’s bill, the six members shall serve a term of six years, staggered in such manner that the term of one member expires each year, and one member shall serve a term of four years expiring concurrently with the term of the governor.
It also ensures that the removal of a member from the commission will be subject to judicial review.
