Arnold Palacios
GOVERNOR Arnold I. Palacios on Tuesday signed House Local Bill 23-62, appropriating $2.5 million in poker fee collections for various agencies, activities and services, including the Health Network Program.
The bill, which is now Saipan Local Law 23-21, was authored by Rep. Blas Jonathan Attao and co-sponsored by Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez and Reps. John Paul P. Sablan, Vincent S. Aldan, Diego Vincent F. Camacho, Marissa Flores, Malcolm J. Omar, Denita Yangetmai and Ralph Yumul.
The governor signed the local bill shortly after the Saipan delegation unanimously passed it on Tuesday.
The new local law appropriates $2.5 million as follows:
– $1.65 million for the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance
– $300,000 for the HNP
– 100,000 for the Saipan Mayor’s Office
– $50,000 for the Northern Islands Mayor’s Office
– $30,000 for the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council
– $60,000 for Cultural Heritage Month
– $75,000 for the Saipan Zoning Office
– $15,000 for the FSM Independence Day celebration
– $10,000 for the Northern Mariana Islands Basketball Federation
– $10,000 for the Marianas Racing Association
– $5,000 for the 38th Anniversary of the 13 Fishermen Monument
– $50,000 payment to Hawaiian Rock for arrears
– $50,000 for the Center for Living Independently
– $50,000 for the Marianas Alliance of Non-Governmental Organizations
– $25,000 for the Office of Management and Budget
– $20,000 for the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services
CHCC Chief Executive Officer Esther L. Muna said on behalf of CHCC, she wants to express “our sincerest gratitude to the Saipan delegation and Governor Palacios for their support in providing more funds to the program. We undoubtedly want to help those needing off-island medical care, and we just need to continue working together to ensure that assistance is always available.”
In a statement on Tuesday, CHCC said the favorable action by the Saipan delegation is part of the reasons it announced the continuation of HNP subsistence benefits, as “these funds will enable the program to continue providing critical assistance to its beneficiaries.”
In a separate but related issue, CHCC last month said it had yet to receive $8.6 million in Medicaid funding from the central government. The amount is for the healthcare services that CHCC provided to Medicaid patients from June 1, 2023 to Sept. 30, 2023.
