By Gemma Q. Casas
Variety News Staff

GOVERNOR Benigno R. Fitial has vetoed a bill seeking to convert government employees’ accumulated annual leave in excess of 360 hours to sick leave, saying that enacting “this legislation would be an irresponsible decision.”
Fitial said House Bill 15-186, authored by Vice Speaker Justo S. Quitugua, D-Saipan, and 17 other House members, would mean further unfunded liabilities.
“I regret having to disapprove this legislation, but in light of our economic situation and the fallacies included in the measure, I urge the Legislature to revisit and study further the most effective way to address excessive annual leave accruals and the lump sum payments thereof,” he said.
The governor said “there are inconsistencies in the legislation that will lead to ineffective implementation and perhaps continued abuse.”
“First of all, this legislation creates different conditions for excepted service employees and civil service employees. Second, it allows each branch of the government and the autonomous agencies to promulgate regulations to implement this measure, which creates more confusion and inconsistencies,” said the governor in his April 11 veto message to the Legislature.
“It would be more reasonable for one agency, such as the Civil Service Commission, to promulgate regulations, since it is constitutionally designated to promulgate personnel policies for the CNMI government,” he added.
H.B. 15-186 was passed by the House on Jan. 25 and by the Senate on Feb. 22.
The lawmakers who introduced H.B. 15-186 believe that it would help alleviate the cash-strapped government’s unfunded liability by prohibiting employees from receiving lump-sum payments for their unused vacation leave in excess of 360 hours.
Under H.B. 15-186, accrued annual leave beyond 360 hours can be converted into sick leave.