Torres signs 2 Senate bills into law

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres signed two Senate bills into law on Oct. 12, 2018. (Contributed Photo)

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres signed two Senate bills into law on Oct. 12, 2018.

Senate Bill 20-100, HD1, exempts a debtor from the one reinstatement requirement and allow the Northern Marianas Housing Corp. to negotiate an affordable payment scheme to allow the debtor to save their property and family home.

NMHC and the Rural Housing Service, formerly known as Farmers Home Administration, entered into a memorandum of agreement to provide housing for low- and moderate-income residents of the Commonwealth. Although many eligible residents avail themselves of the housing loan program, some have failed to make good on the loan after having been counseled. The MOA provides for satisfactory solutions and after the appeals process has been exhausted with RHS, NMHC is notified of the delinquency. After repayment of the debt in full, RHS assigns the deed of trust in favor of NMHC. After the assignment, NMHC has the authority to exercise the foreclosure and sell the property at public auction after the payment obligation is breached. The Legislature finds it necessary to assist those who had failed their loan obligation to RHS and the loan note and deed of trust have been assigned to NMHC.

This bill allows NMHC to negotiate a payment solution to cure the default and restructure payment obligations.

 Offered by Sen. Francisco Q. Cruz, this bill becomes Public Law 20-72.

The other bill that is now law, Senate Bill 20-71, SS1, SD1, HD1, establishes a nursing school scholarship for students admitted into the nursing program at the Northern Marianas College or at any other U.S. accredited institution.

Since the implementation of the Commonwealth-Only Transitional Worker Program, the Commonwealth has struggled to fill critical nursing positions at the hospital and other public health clinics. The Commonwealth will always need qualified nurses to fill critical positions at the hospital and public health clinics. The purpose of this legislation is to establish a nursing school scholarship for 20 eligible students that aspire to obtain an associate of science in nursing degree at the Northern Marianas College or at any other U.S. accredited institution. In exchange, the scholarship recipient must return to the Commonwealth and work at the Commonwealth Health Center, Tinian Health Center or Rota Health Center for a few years. The CNMI Scholarship Office will administer the nursing school scholarship consistent with the provisions of this legislation.

Offered by Senate President Arnold I. Palacios, Sen. Justo S. Quitugua, and Sen. Sixto K. Igisomar, this bill becomes Public Law 20-73. (PR)