Saipan Republicans House Floor Leader Joseph N. Camacho, Reps. Diego T. Benavente and Ray N. Yumul, sponsored House Bill 16-92, now Public Law 16-27.
Villagomez said the new law will not only enhance the government’s tax revenue but vendors will benefit as well.
“I commend the Legislature for passing this measure as it not only encourages revenue for the CNMI government, but also for the vendors in the CNMI airports while servicing our outbound travelers who wish to consume alcoholic beverages as they wait to depart the CNMI,” said Villagomez in his letter to lawmakers.
He said the Department of Commerce should educate vendors not to serve more alcohol to intoxicated passengers whose judgment is impaired as “federal regulations allow airline carriers to deny passengers who appear intoxicated to board an airplane.”
The new law defines the sterile passenger holding areas as the point beyond the screening checkpoints, the holding rooms and the boarding gates.
Vendors can serve alcohol outside these zones 24 hours a day, even when it is an election day in the CNMI.
