Authored by Rep. Stanley T. Torres, House Bill 16-124 is titled “The Second Marianas Political and Economic Status Commission Act of 2008.”
According to the bill, it was on Dec. 22, 1990 when the United Nations Security Council terminated the Trusteeship Agreement for the Northern Marianas, which became a part of the U.S. under the 1976 Covenant.
Torres, R-Saipan, said the commission is necessary to determine if the “terms of the Covenant is in [the local people’s] best interest or whether some other political status will better enable them to fulfill their aspirations of full and meaningful self-government, as stated and commented by the late U.S. Sen. Jacob Javits of the state of New York in the deliberations of the Covenant and as amended.”
Torres’ bill has been calendared for next session.
If it becomes law, the commission will be formed with 11 voting members and two nonvoting ex-officio members.
Each of the three main islands of Saipan, Tinian and Rota shall have at least two representatives to the commission.
It will also have as member the chairman of the governor’s special representatives to the Covenant Section 902 consultations.
Four more will be appointed by the governor — one should be a Carolinian-descent, a female member of the community, and a member of the business community.
The Senate president and the House speaker will serve as nonvoting ex-officio members of the commission.
The commission will be empowered to reexamine the present political and economic status of the islands as a commonwealth of the U.S.
It can conduct studies and political education it may deem necessary concerning the issue.
The commission will make a final report on its findings which will be transmitted to the Commonwealth Election Commission for adoption in a plebiscite.
“Not earlier than four calendar months, no later than six calendar months, after this transmittal, the Commonwealth Election Commission Board shall cause a special plebiscite on the recommendation or recommendations of the commission to be conducted, and shall certify the results of the plebiscite to the presiding officers of the Legislature,” H.B. 16-124 stated.
