BOE chair gives comments on bills that affect PSS

Board of Education chair Herman T. Guerrero attended last Tuesday’s session of the House of Representatives to raise concerns over three pending bills that might have a direct or slight impact on the Public School System.

House Bills 19-23, 19-71, and 19-103 were on the bill calendar but the body did not act on it during their fourth session held at the House chamber on Capital Hill.

HB 19-23 was introduced by House Speaker Rafael S. Demapan (R-Saipan) and aims to raise the CNMI’s minimum wage to the federal level of $7.25 an hour in increments. The measure is almost the same as HB 19-187 authored by Rep. Angel A. Demapan (R-Saipan).

The Senate last October passed HB 19-23 with amendments, incorporating Rep. Angel Demapan’s (R-Saipan) intention in 19-187, which pushes the minimum wage straight to the federal level of $7.25.

According to Guerrero, HB 19-23 would affect some of the programs offered by the PSS like the free meals served to students from low-income families. “I wonder if it would have a significant impact on PSS in terms of personnel but it would [affect] programs that we provide.”

He added that the U.S. government provides the funding where they also set the amount that they give to PSS. If the bill passes, an increase in minimum wage means the food providers that have contracts with PSS would also raise their prices to augment the cost of their employees’ salaries based on the new hourly rate.

“The question now is who should pay the extra? Are the students, the parents, school or is the government willing to cough up additional funding for it,” said Guerrero.

HB 19-71, meanwhile, would require CNMI public elementary schools—elementary, middle, and high schools—to prepare and submit their budget proposal for each fiscal year where it would be incorporated with those that the BOE chair and education commissioner would provide the Legislature.

Guerrero said the BOE and PSS do not support HB 19-71 since they separately submit the budget proposals. “But if [the Legislature] would to put it on resolution format, that would be much better as a way to remind us.”

“At the same time I directed the education commissioner that for next year we would include also the school submission separately from what the PSS would eventually submit,” he added.

HB 19-03, if it becomes a law, would waive all contractual obligations of all CNMI students that received grants from the Educational Assistance Program and the Special Scholarship under Public Law 7-32. Guerrero said the government should go after individuals who no longer have an interest in coming back to the CNMI.

However, he added that there are still some who went back to the CNMI after they graduated from college.

“At least some have shown an interest in also paying back their obligations to the government. Either they are working in the government or in the private sector.”

“It is an indication of their desire to continue their residency here rather than somebody else that received grants and never comes back. I understand that they get better job opportunities somewhere else but if they do so, that’s their personal choice.”