Senate passes its version of $144.84-million budget bill

The Senate passed during a special session Thursday night its version of the $144.84-million budget bill for the CNMI government’s operations in fiscal year 2022.

Except for Sen. Paul A. Manglona (Ind-Rota) who was absent, all senators voted “yes” to pass the budget bill during a special session.

It’s very rare situation when the Senate acts on a budget bill within two weeks after the House of Representatives transmits the bill. The budget bill will now go back to the House for action.

With $175 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds, senators appropriated $278,384,323 in combined general local funds and ARPA funds.

For the general fund, minus the money for debt servicing, this leaves the government $98,897,301 that’s available for appropriation in fiscal year 2022. Including the $4,487,022 budget for the Department of Public Lands, the grand total revenue available for appropriation is $103,384,323.

Senate floor leader Vinnie Vinson Flores Sablan (R-Saipan) said Friday that the Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee chaired by Sen. Victor B. Hocog (R-Rota) did leave several of the substantial inclusions in the House budget bill’s version, but made some adjustments to some of the numbers.

Under the Senate’s version of House Bill 22-74, House Draft 3, it says the Legislature concurs with Gov. Ralph DLG Torres’ planned use for the ARPA funds, as provided in Volume 4 of the governor’s budget submission in April 2021 and amended in July 2021, and the ARPA Section 602 to fund salary adjustments for government employees in fiscal year 2022.

This provision renders moot Rep. Donald M. Manglona’s (Ind-Rota) House Bill 22-33 that seeks to give the Legislature appropriation powers over the CNMI’s share of ARPA money. The Senate has not acted on that bill.

The Senate version includes three attachments—Schedule A general local funds, Schedule B ARPA funds, and Schedule C combined general local funds and ARPA funds.

What the Senate did was take Volume 4 of the governor’s submission of the ARPA funds, and embedded it into the departments and agencies and municipalities and the different branches of government.

For the Judiciary Branch, the Senate version appropriates $5,943,744 from the general fund and $2,107,135 from ARPA funds, for a combined total of $8,050,879.

For the Legislature, the Senate appropriated $6,805,005 from general funds and $2,605,594 from ARPA funds, for a combined total of $9,410,599.

For the Executive Branch, the Senate appropriated $26,630,005 from general fund and $82,627,145 from ARPA funds, for a total of $109,257,150.

Rota is appropriated $6,510,757 from the general funds and $3,890,103 from ARPA funds, for a total of $10,400,860.

Tinian and Aguiguan is appropriated $6,462,288 from the general fund and, $4,204,319 from ARPA funds, for a total of $10,666,607.

The Saipan Mayor, Northern Islands Mayor, and Saipan Municipal Council are appropriated $2,084,003 from the general fund and $1,727,581 from ARPA funds, for a total of 3,811,584.

For board and commissions, $1,066,780 is appropriated from general funds and $1,386,667 from ARPA funds, for a total of $2,453,447.

For independent programs, $10,654,522 is appropriated from general funds and $47,193,143 from ARPA funds, for a total of $57,847,665.

For other programs: (Transfers out to agencies), $32,740,197 is appropriated from general funds and $28,807,815 from ARPA funds, for a total of $61,548,012.

Among the highlights of the Senate’s version is that the 1% Public Auditor’s Fee shall not be withheld for the Legislature, Public School System, the Northern Marianas College, and the Northern Marianas Technical Institute.

The other highlights include the following:

*The governor, via executive order, emergency order, or otherwise, shall not delegate the capacity or power to reprogram or any other manner exercise any authority or control over the funds to any person or entity unless authorized by law.

*Of the funds appropriated under a Business Unit, the Finance secretary shall reserve $39,052 for the double-dipping period liability that may be owed to William S. Torres, when he served as a member of the House during the 12th and 13th Legislature.

*Of the $347,893 appropriated to the Veteran’s Affairs Office, $48,466 shall be used to fund the Veteran’s Affairs coordinator on Tinian.

*For Tinian and Aguiguan, the appropriations to the municipal council shall be under the expenditure authority of the municipal council chairperson.

*In addition to other funds, $378,444 appropriated to the Public School System shall be used exclusively for the purchase of instructional materials and shall not be reprogrammed for any other purpose.

*The Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. shall administer the CNMI Medical Referral Program or its successor, including both interisland and off-island referrals.

*The director of the Office of Personnel Management will establish personnel positions required by the Commonwealth Medicaid Agency for Medicaid Enterprise Systems approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.