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House OKs fiscal report mandate for govt agencies
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Posted on Nov 06 2019
The House of Representatives has unanimously backed a bill that would mandate government agencies that would be affected by future legislations to submit financial impact statements to the Legislature.
The House passed Rep. Ivan A. Blanco’s (R-Saipan) House Bill 21-34, HD1 at the Oct. 28, 2019, session. The bill would require autonomous and non-autonomous government agencies to submit fiscal impact statements and a fiscal revenue impact statements for related legislations to the Legislature when affected.
Blanco noted in an interview with Saipan Tribune that the goal is to help lawmakers have timely, accurate, and meaningful information before making decisions through legislation and prevent lawmakers from “shooting in the dark.”
“…We need accurate data from the agencies themselves. The [Office of the Attorney General] had issued its input that the fiscal [and] revenue information can be done at the Legislature. Unfortunately, the data we receive may not reflect the true effects. I feel it’s best when it comes from the agencies themselves, so that, for example, when it comes to the budget process, we are on the same page,” he told Saipan Tribune.
Blanco noted in an example that the House recently passed legislation that would impose entrance fees for tourists visiting Marpi.
“…We passed legislation to charge fees for tourists visiting Marpi. However, [the Department of Lands and Natural Resources] or [the Marianas Visitors Authority] had not shared how many tourists visit those sights, how much revenue can be realized, and finally, whether and how to distribute such revenues,” he noted.
“If the revenue is minuscule, is it necessary to further slice the pie into smaller pieces?” That was one of the questions that Blanco said needed to be answered.
“…A statute will compel [agencies to] provide fiscal and revenue information, upon request, especially for those legislations that affect their agencies. The bill only applies when [a legislative] committee invokes this bill in its request to an agency,” he added.
The legislation now heads to the Senate for review and action.
