House Bill 17-20 now heads to the governor’s desk for action.
The House passed the Senate’s amended version which changed the phrase “to provide” with “to offer.”
“Notwithstanding any law or provision to the contrary, current personnel of the Division of Immigration shall be offered a lateral transfer within other agencies or departments of the commonwealth government to positions for which they are qualified,” according to the amended version of H.B. 17-20 which Rep. Antonio P. Sablan, R-Saipan, sponsored.
“Employees shall retain their current salary levels and benefits. The governor, through the Office of Personnel Management, shall administer this transfer.”
The bill seeks to help 14 former local immigration personnel get employed in the public sector after their division was dismantled following the federalization of the islands’ immigration system on Nov. 28, 2009.
Except for the 14, the majority of the former Immigration personnel have successfully transferred to the Division of Customs, the Department of Corrections, the U.S. Passport Office and the Attorney General’s Office.
Majority of them are civil service employees whose jobs are supposed to be protected.
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