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Political status bill gains momentum
A proposed bill to examine the political status of the CNMI in relation to the United States is moving forward, after the committee reviewing it decided to endorse the proposed bill to the House.
House Bill 19-02 is the latest iteration of an earlier bill, which calls for an examination of the CNMI’s political union with the United States.
Rep. Felicidad Ogumoro (R-Saipan) last month introduced H.B. 19-02. She also supported an earlier version of the bill, which was vetoed by Gov. Eloy S. Inos last year.
Rep. Angel Demapan (R-Saipan), who heads the House Committee on Federal and Foreign Affairs, said a panel meeting acted on HB 19-02.
According to Demapan, after deliberation on the bill, the committee determined “that HB 19-02 addresses the governor’s veto of the previous version passed by the 18th Legislature.”
He said his committee also recognized that the bill proposes a process for a political status commission to do its research and recommendation, as well as a plebiscite to present the commission’s recommended options to the voters.
The lawmaker, however, said while a plebiscite “would express the desire of the people of the Commonwealth,” any change in the Commonwealth’s political relationship cannot take effect without the mutual consent of both the CNMI and the United States.
Demapan stressed that the intent of the proposed bill is to research different political structures and gauge the sentiment of the people.”
“This would be a great opportunity for the people to be heard,” Demapan said.
In July 2014, Inos vetoed Ogumoro’s similar bill over constitutional issues and expressed doubts that the proposed commission can “unilaterally” alter the relationship between the U.S. and the CNMI.
