By Gemma Q. Casas
Variety News Staff

TWO minority lawmakers prefiled yesterday a bill requiring legislative approval of special budget messages by the governor.
House Minority Leader Arnold I. Palacios, R-Saipan, and Rep. Stanley T. Torres, Ind.-Saipan, offered House Bill 15-239 to ensure “efficient checks and balances,” particularly on government spending.
The two noted that the Superior Court’s order in Torres v. Fitial stated that there is no existing provision within the Planning and Budgeting Act concerning the separation of powers doctrine.
Their bill will allow the Legislature to review, audit and approve revised quarterly allotments of the government’s budget.
It will also require the governor to submit to the Legislature within 15 calendar days a special budget message in case of a $200,000 or 3 percent or more increase in revenues.
The same time limit will be required in case there is a projected revenue shortfall amounting to $200,000 or more.
According to the bill, any budget message “shall include a detailed explanation of the changes in revenues, including the specific amounts affected and the reasons for such changes.”