By Emmanuel T. Erediano
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
GOVERNOR David M. Apatang is now reviewing the compromise version of spending measures passed by the Senate on Friday, which appropriate funds from various sources for relief from Super Typhoon Sinlaku and recovery efforts for the CNMI’s struggling tourism industry.
In its Friday session, the Senate unanimously adopted the reports of the bicameral conference committee recommending passage of House Bill 24-89, House Bill 24-91, and House Bill 24-96.
H.B. 24-89 and H.B. 24-91 allocate $300,000 in dividends collected by the Commonwealth Economic Development Authority from the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. to fund Super Typhoon Sinlaku relief operations on Tinian and Rota, while H.B. 24-96 allocates $960,235.74 in tobacco settlement funds to assist the Marianas Visitors Authority with tourism recovery efforts.
The bicameral committee’s final versions of the spending measures resulted from a compromise between Senate and House conferees, resolving differences over the intent of the legislation.
House conferees agreed to the Senate’s version of H.B. 24-89 and H.B. 24-91, redirecting the $300,000 in CEDA funds for Super Typhoon Sinlaku relief on Tinian and Rota. Senate conferees, meanwhile, accepted the House version of H.B. 24-96, which allocates the full $960,235.74 to the Marianas Visitors Authority.
Also on Friday, the Senate approved H.B. 24-74, which has been in the Legislature since last year. The bill originally appropriated $1 million in public land interest income from the Marianas Public Land Trust for Nutrition Assistance Program recipients in the CNMI for November 2025, in anticipation of a possible federal government shutdown.
When the U.S. government reopened before November, the Senate amended H.B. 24-74 to redirect the funds as follows:
• $250,000 for the Public School System
• $100,000 for the Office of the Mayor of Saipan
• $325,000 for the Municipality of Tinian and Aguiguan operations and public programs
• $325,000 for the Municipality of Rota operations and public programs
The House rejected the Senate version, leading to the formation of a bicameral conference committee.
In March 2026, the conference committee produced a final version of the bill allocating the funds as follows:
• $250,000 for PSS
• $750,000 for MVA
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
