Considering the dreadful quality of the typical legislation that Capital Hill dumps on the statute book, it is now clear that the fewer bills signed into law, the better for the people of the CNMI. As I’ve pointed out last year, it’s easy to sponsor a bill. What’s hard, which is why it rarely happens, is to introduce a good one.
It was the 15th, not the 16th, that passed the laws implementing austerity Fridays (for some, exemptions for others), suspending the government’s payments to the Retirement Fund and giving the governor unrestricted reprogramming powers.
There are 13 new members in the new House, which has 20 seats, while four of the nine senators are freshmen, but I have yet to see any evidence that they are reform-minded. They got elected because they made the same old promises to voters who seem to suffer from short-term memory loss in every election year. I expect to hear the same boilerplate expressions of concern from these lawmakers, and see the same old approach toward legislative work: pass it now, read it later, amend it soon, enforce it not.
The only difference is that they have three, not just two, years to finish us all, I mean their job. We also have to remember that the new leadership in both chambers is beholden to the governor. Once again, he will get what he wants, when he wants it.
For all its faults, the previous Legislature had at least four members who tried something new: they introduced significant measures, sought public input, and actually read and studied official documents, however thick they were, before making decisions.
I’m talking about former Senator Frica, former Reps. Heinz, Tina and Ed Salas.
It was Heinz who sponsored measures to make CHC an autonomous agency, privatize CUC, allow the retirement of 300 government employees, and float a $250 million bond for the Retirement Fund. He also proposed 1) reducing the size of the Legislature and transforming it into a part-time body; 2) requiring the enactment of an annual balanced budget; 3) increasing land lease terms; and 4) prohibiting the Legislature from increasing benefits until all government obligations to the Retirement Fund have been satisfied or fully funded. He insisted on public hearings for his bills and legislative initiatives. He urged his colleagues to carefully review his proposals. He consulted with experts and government officials who would be affected by his measures.
The CUC privatization bill became law. The CHC measure remains on the governor’s desk. Now that the elections are over, I expect the administration and the new Legislature to take up the bond proposal and the land lease term issue. Last November, voters ratified the legislative initiative requiring an annual balanced budget. (This was the version sponsored by Reps. Benavente, Joe DLG., Ray Yumul and Ed Salas.)
As a lawmaker, Tina’s actions and pronouncements were exactly what intelligent voters wanted to see and hear from their public officials. She was for real change. Most of the voters, alas, prefer the status quo, which is already matai.
Ed Salas shared Tina’s concerns and was as serious and thoughtful in performing his duties.
Frica’s work on the budget was outstanding. Her reports were legislative masterpieces. It was the CNMI’s first female senator who also provided the most insightful remark about a lawmaker’s job that I’ve ever heard in the 17 years I’ve been covering or writing about Capital Hill: “There is no need for new bills; what we need to do is to review our current laws — make the best of what we have; follow the law and enforce it.”
It is, to be sure, too early to give up on the 17th Legislature.
Wait. Did I just say that?
Who am I kidding?
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