The committee chaired by Rep. Edmund S. Villagomez, Covenant-Saipan, met at 2:30 p.m., yesterday to review Senate Bill 17-37, a copy of which had a lot of inconsistencies that confused the speaker and other House members.
Cabrera, R-Saipan, said the bill that will allow hotels to increase the number of smoking rooms from 20 to 30 percent may be included on the session calendar but the House cannot act on it until 24 hours have passed in compliance with the Open Government Act.
The speaker said he wants it passed as soon as possible. So he may call for another session on Friday to finally act on the bill which will supposedly complement H.B. 17-141, or the Japan air service incentive bill. Both measures aim to “save” the tourism industry.
House Minority Leader Diego T. Benavente, R-Saipan, during last week’s session told the House leadership that increasing the number of smoking rooms was a “very simple” amendment to the current law.
He said there was no need to hold more than three sessions just to act on it.
Benavente noted that the bill was considered a priority and health advocates were also anxious to see how lawmakers would amend the anti-smoking law.
“It’s not that simple,” Cabrera said, adding that some of the language of the bill had to be clarified.
Page one of S.B. 17-37, for example, indicated that it was Senate Substitute 1 and now Senate Draft 2. But the following pages indicated that it was Senate Draft 1.
The original Senate bill will allow smoking in public places like professional offices, banks, Laundromats, restaurants and bars. Cabrera said the senators have agreed to remove this provision, but it appears to be still included in the Senate bill.
Cabrera said the House cannot just act on a bill “written that way.”
If they have to act on an important measure, he added, “let’s do it properly.”
