THE Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation on Tuesday passed Senate Local Bill 21-9, which proposes to extend to 90 days from 30 days the deadline for confirming nominees to the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance board.
Sen. Sixto Igisomar, right, smiles while Senate Floor Leader Justo Quitugua gathers his session materials following a session of the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation on Tuesday.
Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano
All the 19 delegation members present voted to pass Sen. Sixto Igisomar’s S.L.B. 21-9. It was the only item on the bill calendar as the delegation has set its final session for next week.
Rep. Janet U. Maratita was excused during the session on Tuesday while Rep. Joseph Flores was not in the chamber during the roll-call vote
The bill, which now goes to the governor, will also strike out the provision in the law that allows for an automatic confirmation of the board appointee if the delegation fails to act within 30 days after the appointment date.
S.L.B. 21-9 states that 30 days is an inadequate time for the delegation to review the appointments. The automatic confirmation with a limited time “removes the confirming authority’s opportunity to review and question the appointees’ qualifications, opinions, and goals once the appointee is confirmed,” the bill added.
The measure states, “(I)f the appointment is not confirmed within 90 consecutive calendar days from the date the person is appointed, the appointment is deemed rejected and shall automatically terminate, the position shall become vacant and the person nominated shall not be re-nominated.”
The measure also included the nominee’s résumé among the documents that must be submitted to the delegation.
Currently, an appointee is required to submit a notice of appointment, police clearance, financial statement and receipt or other proof that the nominee has been tested for controlled substances.
