The exit poll will ask voters whether they support the U.S. Department of the Interior’s recommendation to improve the immigration status of CNMI guest workers.
The vote on House Bill 17-109 was 13 to 4 with one abstention — Rep. Ramon A. Tebuteb, R-Saipan.
Speaker Froilan C. Tenorio, Covenant-Saipan, and Rep. Edmund S. Villagomez, Covenant-Saipan, were absent.
House Minority Leader Rep. Diego T. Benavente, R-Saipan, said the bill was a waste of time since the Senate already rejected a similar measure.
He said the senators had already made it clear that the people’s sentiment regarding Interior’s recommendation was heard during the public hearings conducted over the last several months.
The Senate, moreover, will submit its own recommendation to the U.S. Congress, Benavente said.
But Rep. Teresita A. Santos, Ind.-Rota, said very few people showed up when the Senate conducted a public hearing on Rota.
Rep. Joseph M. Palacios, R-Saipan, agreed saying the participants included legislative staffers.
The public hearings did not really hear the sentiments of the majority of the people, he added.
Rep. Raymond D. Palacios, Covenant-Saipan, said he has no problem with the Senate’s preparing its own report on the status of guest workers.
The issue, however, is whether the CNMI support Interior’s recommendation, he said.
An exit poll regarding this question does not harm the Senate’s effort, he added.
Rep. Eliceo D. Cabrera, R-Saipan, said there are still many people unaware of the issue, and these are those who never showed up during the public hearings.
The November election will be the best time to ask the people, he added.
A few weeks ago, the House passed H.B. 17-104 which included an exit poll, but the Senate deleted this provision before passing the bill which also aims to prevent early voting abuse.
H.B. 17-104 now goes to the governor who supports an exit poll.
Those who voted against H.B. 17-109 were Benavente, Saipan Republican Reps. Francisco S. Dela Cruz, Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero and. Ray N. Yumul.
