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House panel approves limited gambling operations
Second Social Security bill to be introduced today
The House Committee on Ways and Means is recommending passage of a two-month-old bill allowing non-profit corporations to operate supervised gambling on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota on an annual basis and only to raise funds for medical referral, scholarship, sports and cultural programs, among other things approved by the Registrar of Corporation.
Rep. Ray Basa’s (Cov-Saipan) committee recommends passage of vice speaker Felicidad Ogumoro’s (Cov-Saipan) House Bill 17-297 in its current form.
The committee said the purpose of these limited and supervised gambling operations is to raise funds for programs “which are legitimate public purpose otherwise funded through appropriation by the Legislature.”
“The Committee finds that with the continued decline in government revenues and the inability and/or the limitations to financially support sports organizations, events, medical referral, scholarship and indigent programs, it is reasonable and necessary to provide other methods instead of solely relying on the financial backing of the government,” the panel said.
Casino gambling is legal on Tinian and Rota, but not on Saipan.
The committee also said the bill will not cost the CNMI government additional funding, “but rather get new money circulating within the economy by way of larger and more responsible fundraising activities.”
It also said this will, once enacted into law, will help infuse additional funds back into businesses which will help business growth and the possibility of additional collections for the general fund.
Pension recovery bill
Acting Speaker George Camacho (Ind-Saipan) will be introducing today a second administration-drafted bill in weeks related to the NMI Retirement Fund and the transitioning into the U.S. Social Security system.
House Bill 17-315 or the CNMI Pension Reform and Recovery Act of 2012 is co-sponsored by Speaker Eli Cabrera (R-Saipan) and vice speaker Felicidad Ogumoro (Cov-Saipan).
It seeks to amend the Commonwealth Code pertaining to the Fund’s defined benefit plan and to allow for participation in the Social Security system.
Camacho pre-filed the bill yesterday, a few days after then acting governor Eloy S. Inos urged lawmakers on Thursday to promptly act on the bill giving active and inactive Fund members “options”-as some lawmakers and active members described it-including allowing withdrawal of contributions, early retirement, and transitioning into the U.S. Social Security program.
The bill could be acted on during today’s House session.
Meanwhile, the Senate held yesterday a public hearing on Tinian on the first administration-drafted bill expressing the CNMI’s desire to join the U.S. Social Security program.
Senate President Paul Manglona (Ind-Rota) said just like the public hearing they held on Rota last week, yesterday’s public hearing on Tinian drew strong reactions from the crowd on the state of the Retirement Fund. The Senate will act on this first Social Security bill on Wednesday.
