Sen. Henry H. San Nicolas, Covenant-Tinian, was absent.
S.B. 16-16, which has been transmitted to the governor’s office, will amend the Public Lands Act of 2006 to include a new section establishing a deputy secretary for the Department of Public Lands in the first and second senatorial districts.
S.B. 16-36 will amend Public Law 15-61 to allow the Retirement Fund to pay pension that is proportionate to employer’s contribution.
According to the bill, “This amendment is temporary until such time as the CNMI government can become current on the deficient employer contribution and remit pursuant to applicable laws all actuarially determined employer contributions.”
Prior to the passage of the retirement fund bill, Retirement Fund trustees met with Sens. Maria T. Pangelinan, D-Saipan, Joseph M. Mendiola, Covenant-Tinian, Paul A. Manglona, R-Rota, Luis P. Crisostimo, D-Saipan, Jude U. Hofschneider, R-Tinian, and Hocog.
The trustees discussed the across-the-board retirement freeze on employees whose agencies are delinquent in their contributions.
The board said the Retirement Fund is losing $60 million a year due to non-remittance of regular contributions by the central government.
S.B. 16-36 was co-authored by Manglona.
