He said they will pass the bill today.
Except for the provision on the appropriation of the Compact-Impact fund, there was no argument between the House leadership and the minority bloc.
Most of the proposed amendments to House Bill 17-215 were accepted without lengthy discussions.
After House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Ramon S. Basa, Covenant-Saipan, moved for the adoption of the budget bill’s first substitute version which indicated “minor changes,” Rep. Ralph S. Demapan, Covenant-Saipan, offered the first floor amendment, capping to 45 the number of personnel funded under each House member’s allocation which will be reduced from $85,000 to $51,575.
This means, Demapan explained, that each House member cannot hire more than two people from their discretionary funds except through an independent job contract.
Rep. Tony P. Sablan, R-Saipan, said some the House members may not be able to hire an FTE.
By a vote of 12 to 6, Demapan’s amendment was adopted.
Rep. Froilan C. Tenorio, Covenant-Saipan, was absent while Rep. Stanley T. Torres, Ind.-Saipan, left the session hall during the vote.
Rep. Ray N. Yumul’s amendment inserted a clause that exempts the Public School System and Northern Marianas College from the certification requirement of the Department of Finance when hiring engineers, accountants, physicians and lawyers.
Yumul, R-Saipan, cited the two agencies’ autonomy.
Speaking in support of the amendment, House Minority Leader Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero said once the allocation is transferred to PSS and NMC, Finance no longer has to certify their hiring contracts.
The amendment was unanimously adopted.
Yumul’s second amendment proposed to transfer to PSS, NMC and the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library the $1.9 million in Compact-Impact funds from the U.S. Department of the Interior that is supposed to be shared by the Office of Public Defender, the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Public Health and the Department of Public Safety.
According to Yumul’s amendment, the $1.9 million should be “appropriated to PSS personnel, provided further that NMC shall receive at least $200,000 and the Joeten-Kiyu-Library at least $50,000 for personnel.”
But Cabrera and Basa said if the Compact-Impact monies will be transferred to PSS, the FY 2012 budget will be “unbalanced.”
Deleon Guerrero said the Compact-Impact funds do not appear in the budget bill’s list of revenue so why would its transfer to PSS “unbalance” the budget?
Cabrera said it does not appear in the revenue list but is already “embedded” in the administration’s budget submission.
Basa, for his part said, the Public Defender’s Office, DCCA, DPS, Public Health and Corrections are essential agencies that deserve the Compact-Impact funds.
After the session, Cabrera explained to the reporters that the allotments for these agencies already included the Compact-Impact funds. If these are taken away from those agencies, it will be a violation of Interior rules, he added.
“So we cannot change that,” he said.
During first roll call to adopt Yumul’s amendment, Cabrera, Basa and House Floor Leader George N. Camacho, Ind.-Saipan, were the only ones who voted “no.” Vice Speaker Felicidad T. Ogumoro, Covenant-Saipan, and. Torres abstained.
But before House clerk Linda Muna could announce the tally, Cabrera called for a recess and met with the House leadership in his conference room.
Returning to the session hall after almost an hour, the speaker asked the members to the vote again and this time, Yumul’s proposed amendment was defeated.
Reps. Joseph M. Palacios, R-Saipan; Sylvestre I. Iguel, Covenant-Saipan; Edmund S. Villagomez, Covenant-Saipan; and Fredrick P. Deleon Guerrero, Ind.-Saipan, voted no this time and were joined by Ogumoro and Torres.
Deleon Guerrero, Yumul, Sablan, Reps. Frank S. Dela Cruz, R-Saipan; Ray A. Tebuteb, R-Saipan; Janet U. Maratita, R-Saipan; Trenton B. Conner, R-Tinian; Teresita A. Santos, Ind.-Rota; and Raymond D. Palacios, Covenant-Saipan voted “yes.”
