By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Variety News Staff

GOVERNOR Felix P. Camacho yesterday signed 21 bills into law, but did not act on five bills which, as a result, automatically lapsed into veto.
The election reform legislation and the proposed changes to the qualifications for education superintendent to allow foreign equivalent universities are among the bills that lapsed without the governor’s signature.
The bills were transmitted to the governor’s office before the 28th Legislature adjourned on Dec. 29.
The bills signed by the governor included the measure to establish a college savings program for Guam residents, expand the Government of Guam Retirement Fund’s autonomy, and allow the Guam Public School System to rehire retired employees for certain positions under classified status.
The governor did not sign Bill 338, the election reform measure, saying it “does not address any of the structural problems that may exist in the election process.”
Bill 338 proposed the abolition of the Guam Election Commission, and the creation of a Bureau of Elections as a replacement. It also required the re-promulgation of election rules and regulations.
Camacho said Bill 338 “just creates more bureaucratic red tape and dangerously places the appointments, hiring and duties of the election commission under the purview of politically appointed individuals.”
He said GEC’s current structure, which includes an independent board, ensures its autonomy that buffers outside political influences.
“Bill 338 would create a political position with the director of the Department of Administration—a political appointee—selecting the new administrator of elections. The DOA director also would have a significant role in conducting elections,” a press release from the governor’s office stated.
“The bill also removes the hiring authority of election commission personnel from the Commission and places it with the politically-appointed DOA director,” the press release added. 
The governor did not act on the election reform bill, taking into consideration the legal opinion issued by GEC legal counsel Cesar Cabot and board chairman Frederick Horecky, who instead recommended the revision of the current laws to address any loopholes in the system.
Also lapsing without signature is Bill 337, which would standardize the purchase of government motor vehicles.
The governor’s office said that based on review of Bill 337’s legislative committee report, nobody showed up to testify for or against the measure and that only five senators appeared for the hearing which did not include the bill’s author and main sponsors.
“After reviewing this measure, the governor’s legislative review committee determined through feedback from the public and the General Services Agency that this measure would actually add more cost to the taxpayers of Guam,” the governor’s office said.
“The measure would also prohibit some agencies from purchasing vehicles to meet their needs, such as farmer outreach programs, wildlife monitoring and even avian influenza surveys,” it added.
Other bills that the governor did not sign included Bill 390, which proposes the prohibition of the use of government vehicles for judges and justices; Bill 392, which requires seatbelts for outside passenger compartments; and Bill 348, which would expand the qualification for education superintendent to degree holders from foreign universities.