Except for House Minority Leader Oscar M. Babauta, Covenant-Saipan, all 17 members of the House present during the session voted in favor of House Bill 16-212.
Reps. David Apatang, R-Saipan, Heinz S. Hofschneider, R-Saipan, and Edwin P. Aldan, Covenant-Tinan, were absent.
Under H.B. 16-212, which Rep. Ray N. Yumul, R-Saipan, sponsored, additional employees may only be hired to fill vacant positions upon certification that the hiring is necessary and enough funds to pay for their salaries are available.
“No person shall be employed to fill a vacant position when a continuing resolution is in effect, unless the governor, presiding officers of the Legislature, or chief justice, as the case may be, certifies to the governor and legislature as appropriate, that the filling of the vacant position is essential to the delivery pf public services and that continuing appropriations are available for the full personnel costs,” reads H.B. 16-212 which now heads to the Senate.
“Furthermore, no person shall be employed to fill a vacant position when a continuing resolution is in effect unless and until, after receiving the aforementioned certifications, the Legislature approves the requested hiring by the passage of a joint resolution,” it added.
House members said there is uncertainty in CNMI Constitution and the Commonwealth Code on personnel matters and the legislation should address this issue.
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial noted in his the FY 2009 budget bill veto message to the Legislature that the approval of lawmakers on personnel matters is unconstitutional.
House leadership said the administration hired hundreds of new employees yet claims that it doesn’t have funds to pay for their salaries.
