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New law appropriates $350K to NMHC
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres enacted Tuesday House Bill 21-93, HD1, that appropriates $350,000 to the Northern Marianas Housing Corp. to address unmet needs pertaining to housing, infrastructure, and economic development.
The housing corporation is required to reimburse the entire amount to the Finance secretary, who should then deposit the entire amount back into the government’s employer contribution to the Group Health and Life Insurance by at least the first month of the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2020, which is this July.
The new law amends P.L. 21-8 to make appropriations for the operations and activities of the CNMI government, its agencies, instrumentalities, and independent programs, and to provide budget authority for government corporations for fiscal year 2020.
The new law also ensures appropriate funding to cover the defined contribution and group health insurance expenses of the employees of the Legislature and Judiciary.
Torres had initially vetoed the provision on the defined contribution and group health insurance expenses for Legislature and Judiciary employees when he signed the fiscal year 2020 budget law, urging the two branches to account for the expenses within their own respective budgets.
Authored by Rep. Ivan A. Blanco (R-Saipan), H.B. 21-93 is now Public Law 21-16.
