SNILD, Rota Legislative Delegation pass several local bills

The Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation, and the Rota Legislative Delegation passed last week local bills to fund offices and projects, and establish an allowance program for hemodialysis patients, and prohibit certain activities at a park and other areas, during their sessions on Saipan and Rota, respectively.

On Saipan, the delegation passed House Local Bill 22-3, Draft 1 that appropriates up to $695,177 of the Earned Bond Interest Income collected for the third Senatorial District that has been identified by the Commonwealth Development Authority as available for appropriations.

Authored by Rep. Ivan A. Blanco (R-Saipan), Local Bill 22-3 appropriates $535,177 for various road improvements on Industrial Drive; $125,000 to complete the Kalamendo Waterline Project; $27,000 to complete the Dotse Pl. Waterline Project; and $8,000 for water system improvements on Navy Hill Drive.

Blanco said the expenditure authority of the funds shall be the Department of Public Works secretary and the executive director of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.

The SNILD also passed Vice Speaker Blas Jonathan Attao’s (R-Saipan) House Local Bill 22-7, which appropriates $1,446,000 in revenues collected pursuant to Saipan Local Law 11-2 as amended (poker fee) for the following:

*$1.2 million to the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance, provided, however, that $250,000 of the amount shall be reserved for SHEFA personnel and operations. The expenditure authority shall be the SHEFA board chairperson in concurrence with the SHEFA board.

*$246,000 shall be allocated as follows: 1. $200,000 for the Saipan Mayor’s Office, with expenditure authority shall be the mayor or his designee (a) $100,000 for field operations; (b) $100,000 for the Saipan street naming project; 2. $46,000 for the Northern Islands Mayor’s Office personnel and operations. The expenditure authority shall be the mayor of the Northern Islands or his designee.

The SNILD at the same time passed Attao’s H.L.B. 22-10 that reappropriates $9,452 in lapsed funds for the operations/personnel of the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council.

The SNILD passed Rep. Roy Ada’s (R-Saipan) House Local Bill H.L.B. 22-9 that reappropriates $2,484 for the installation of two speed bumps on Adobu Drive in Koblerville; and $3,253 for the installation of street lights at the Koblerville basketball court and youth center.

Meanwhile, the Rota Legislative Delegation also passed with amendments all local bills that appeared on the calendar at the session held at the mayor’s conference room on Rota.

Sen. Teresita A. Santos and Rep. Donald Manglona, both independents, are co-chairpersons of the Rota Legislative Delegation.

House Local Bill 22-1, authored by Manglona, appropriates $60,000 from the Rota Municipal Scholarship Foundation Reserve Account as follows: $40,000 for the Rota Municipal Scholarship Foundation; and $20,000 to the Rota Municipal Scholarship Foundation for the student housing assistance. The expenditure authority shall be the chairman of the Rota Municipal Scholarship Foundation Board.

House Local Bill 22-2, authored by Manglona, appropriates $60,000 from the poker licensing fee account for medical subsistence allowance for the Rota hemodialysis and terminally-ill patients. The Finance secretary shall have the expenditure authority.

House Local Bill 22-6, authored by Manglona, appropriates $21,272 specifically allocated to the First Senatorial District (Rota) under Public Law 18-30, as amended, for interisland medical referral stipend for patients and their escorts.

Senate Local Bill 22-1, authored by Santos, establishes the Medical Subsistence Allowance Program for the Rota hemodialysis and terminally-ill patients.

Senate Local Bill 22-2, authored by Santos, amends the prohibitions of certain activities within the Sabana Heights, Talakhaya and 1 Chenchon Park established under Rota Local Law 9-01.

All approved local bills now go to the governor.