Only 2 of 39 bills introduced became laws right away, none for revenue generation

Only the fiscal year 2011 budget measure and one that changes the composition of the Marianas Visitors Authority board became laws during the same quarter they were introduced, while only at least seven of the 39 bills introduced in the third quarter of calendar year 2011 could be considered revenue-generating ones and none has so far been signed into law.

Moreover, 11 of 29 lawmakers had either one or two absences from July to September, the quarter when a budget bill had to be deliberated on and passed.

Of the 10 bills that became public laws in the quarter under review, seven originated in the House-including Rep. Ray Basa’s (Cov-Saipan) FY 2011 budget bill-and three came from the Senate, including Senate floor leader Pete Reyes’ (R-Saipan) controversial Retirement Fund beneficiary derivative act that some want to amend within weeks of its enactment.

Basa’s budget bill was signed into law on the same quarter it was introduced; so was House Speaker Eli Cabrera’s (R-Saipan) bill that changed the composition of the MVA board.

In the House, eight of 20 members were absent once or twice during eight sessions held between July and September.

Those with two absences each were Rep. Froilan Tenorio (Cov-Saipan), Rep. Edmund Villagomez (Cov-Saipan), and Rep. Sylvester Iguel (Cov-Saipan).

Villagomez said he had to escort his father to Guam for medical reason around the time of July 18, and he was in Hawaii for a Council of State Government-West meeting during the period of Aug. 9.

Those with one absence each were Floor Leader George Camacho (Ind-Saipan), Rep. Teresita Santos (Ind-Rota), Rep. Trenton Conner (R-Tinian), Rep. Ray Tebuteb (R-Saipan), and Rep. Janet Maratita (Ind-Saipan).

The three House members with two absences each-Tenorio, Villagomez, and Iguel-joined six others without any bill introduced during the same period: Conner, Rep. Frank dela Cruz (R-Saipan), Rep. Fred Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan), vice speaker Felicidad Ogumoro (Cov-Saipan), Rep. Ray Palacios (Cov-Saipan), and Tebuteb.

Dela Cruz said yesterday that “right now, it’s a bit pointless to introduce any type of legislation under the current leadership,” citing bills that are languishing in the leadership’s committees.

He cited his elected attorney general initiative which he said remains in committee.

“For me it’s almost a waste of time to be introducing bills. Basically I feel the elected AG legislation is being ignored by this leadership,” he told Saipan Tribune.

The House speaker introduced the most number of bills in the third quarter with six, followed by Rep. Stanley Torres (Ind-Saipan) with five, and Rep. Joe Palacios (R-Saipan) with three.

Torres, who used to top the list, said yesterday he will make sure he will beat Cabrera in the number of bills introduced in the succeeding quarters.

Those who introduced two bills each were Camacho, House minority leader Joseph Deleon Guerrero (R-Saipan), Rep. Ralph Demapan (Cov-Saipan), Santos, and Rep. Ray Yumul (R-Saipan).

Others with one bill introduced during the quarter included Basa, former representative Diego Benavente (R-Saipan) before stepping down in July, Rep. Tony Sablan (R-Saipan), and Maratita.

The seven House bills that became law last quarter had the following as main authors: Torres, Santos, Joe Palacios, Ray Palacios, Cabrera, Basa and Iguel. Most of these bills that were signed in July-September were introduced in the previous quarters.

The three Senate bills that became law in July to September had the following main authors: Reyes, Senate Vice President Jude Hofschneider (R-Tinian), and Sen. Jovita Taimanao (Ind-Rota).

In the Senate, the senator with the most number of absences-two-was Sen. Henry San Nicolas (Cov-Saipan). Hofschneider and Sen. Ralph Torres (R-Saipan) had one absence each.

Reyes topped senators when it came to number of bills introduced during the period under review with three, while Ayuyu and Taimanao each had two bills introduced.

Sen. Frank Cruz (R-Tinian), Hofschneider, Senate President Paul Manglona (Ind-Rota), and Torres each had one bill introduced.

Sen. Juan Ayuyu (Ind-Rota) and San Nicolas didn’t introduce any bill in July to September.