In a letter to House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Affairs Chairwoman Rosemond B. Santos, R-Saipan, Blanco-Maratita said the board’s committee on legislative and intergovernmental affairs is still reviewing the legislation.
“Before any comments can be sent out on behalf of [the Public School System], these comments must be sanctioned by the board,” Blanco-Maratita said. “As you know, the board is not a full-time board and as such is not able to convene prior to the comments’ deadline.”
Santos’s committee was expecting the board’s response on Dec. 12.
Blanco-Maratita said the board will meet at the end of the month and may have a formal response to the bill at that time.
“We ask that you grant the board additional time to comment on this important piece of legislation so that we can provide meaningful input prior to passage of the bill conducting further research as to its impact on the education of all our students,” Blanco-Maratita said.
Introduced by House Floor Leader Joseph N. Camacho, R-Saipan, H.B. 16-178 states that the CNMI needs a comprehensive juvenile justice system that will be based on the following principles: accountability, community protection and competency development.
The juvenile justice system, the bill added, should “encompass the following aspects — day treatment, education, community programs and probation services.”
