SENATE Vice President Donald M. Manglona on Tuesday thanked Gov. Arnold I. Palacios for signing Public Law 22-32 or the Hate Crimes Act, which requires enhanced sentencing of defendants for crimes motivated by hate.
Authored by Manglona, P.L. 22-32 defines hate crime as crime committed by a person who “intentionally selects the person against whom the offense is committed or intended to be committed in whole or in part because of a belief or perception regarding the race, color, national origin, age, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, religion, religious practice, disability, or sexual orientation of a person regardless of whether the belief or perception is correct.”
In his remarks during a Senate session Tuesday, Manglona also thanked former Gov. Ralph DLG Torres for signing P.L. 22-26 which allows the importation and registration in the CNMI of right-hand drive vehicles 25 years old or older.
Torres signed P.L. 22-26 on Jan. 6, three days before his term of office ended.
Manglona said several constituents have told him that “a lot of those vehicles are seen on Guam,” and so they believe “it’s time that we also have them here in the CNMI.”
Manglona said right-hand drive vehicles “would provide for a much cheaper alternative for farmers and ranchers, as well as any resident who wants to conserve or save on transportation cost.”
“And so this is much needed legislation and I am glad that it is now law,” he added.
Senate Vice President Donald Manglona, left, speaks with Sen. Dennis Mendiola during a break from a Senate session on Tuesday.
