Marissa Flores
AMID the looming Senate rejection of Gov. Arnold I. Palacios’ Executive Order 2025-2, which seeks to abolish the Commonwealth Casino Commission, House Floor Leader Marissa R. Flores on Thursday pre-filed House Bill 24-37, a measure proposing to transfer casino regulatory authority to the Commonwealth Lottery Commission.
The bill — which serves as the legislative counterpart to the governor’s executive order — will be introduced during the House special session scheduled for Monday, July 14, 2025. That same day, the Senate is expected to convene and consider the Senate Committee on Gaming’s recommendation to reject the executive order.
House Bill 24-37 seeks to provide for an orderly transition of duties and regulatory authority from the CCC to “a more durable long-term framework” by authorizing the Commonwealth Lottery Commission to serve as the interim regulator and establishing a Division of Gaming within the Department of Finance.
According to the bill, these reforms “are grounded in law, preserve agency accountability, and ensure that the Commonwealth’s regulatory architecture complies with constitutional requirements.”
The bill also seeks to repeal and suspend provisions of Public Law 18-56, which legalized casino gaming on Saipan and created the CCC.
If enacted, the bill would take effect immediately. The CCC “shall not exercise any regulatory, licensing, investigatory, or enforcement powers unless reactivated by Executive Order issued by the Governor or by a future act of the Legislature.”
The bill further requires that any executive order reactivating the CCC be submitted to the Legislature within five calendar days and that the order shall take effect unless modified or disapproved by legislative resolution within 60 days of submission.
House Bill 24-37 would also terminate all current members of the CCC upon the effective date of the act “unless otherwise provided for in Executive Order No. 2025-2.” All regulatory functions, files, investigations, and authorities formerly exercised by the CCC would be transferred to the Commonwealth Lottery Commission.
