$115.4M budget for FY’24 pre-filed

Rep. Ralph N. Yumul (Ind-Saipan) pre-filed Monday a bill that proposes a $115.4-million budget for the CNMI government for fiscal year 2024, as Gov. Arnold I. Palacios had submitted.

Under Yumul’s House Bill 23-66, or the Appropriations and Budget Authority Act of 2024, the governor shall have up to 50% reprogramming authority for the departments, agencies, and offices of the Executive Branch.

That reprogramming authority, however, shall not extend to the funds appropriated to the Legislature or Judiciary as well as funds appropriated by the legislative delegations.

In response to Saipan Tribune’s inquiry yesterday, Yumul, who chairs the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, said the main points are that they took out $2,426,394 from vacant positions and distributed $731,392 to the Health Network Program (formerly the CNMI Medical Referral Program), an additional $1 million to the Northern Marianas College, and $695,002 to fund some staff of the Mayor of Tinian.

“We understand many departments and agencies asked for additional funding. But we feel this was our priorities as far as distribution of little funds we had,” Yumul said.

He said the full House will act on his budget bill during a regular session tomorrow, Thursday.

The Senate’s Fiscal Affairs Committee has yet to finalize its version of the budget.

Yumul said a standalone bill that is projected to generate revenues will be introduced after the budget.

Pursuant to a House concurrent resolution, the total identified gross budgetary resources for fiscal year 2024 is $172.56 million. After adjustment—deducting debt service obligations, earmarked funds, and other obligations such as the annual payments due the Settlement Fund in the amount of $34 million—a total of $115.4 million is available for appropriation.

Including Department of Public Lands’ appropriated $4.96 million, the grand total is $120.36 million.

Under the legislation, all fees assessed and collected that directly relate to marriage licenses are increased by 100%.

The leadership account of each house in the Legislature shall be $100,000.

The Judiciary is appropriated $6.4 million; the Legislature, $6.9 million; the Office of the Governor, $801,690; Office of the Lt. Gov. $561,449; and other offices of the governor and lieutenant governor, $11.4 million.

The appropriations are the following:

Department of Commerce, $1.5 million;

Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, $1.8 million;

Department of Corrections, $4.4 million;

Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, $5.0 million;

Department of Finance, $7.5 million;

Department of Labor, $865,485;

Department of Lands and Natural Resources, $2.1 million;

Department of Public Safety, $6.6 million;

Department of Public Works, $2.8 million;

Rota, $7.7 million;

Tinian, $4.7 million;

Saipan and Northern Islands, $1.3 million;

Boards and commissions, $1.6 million;

Independent programs, $7 million;

Other programs (transfers to agencies), $33.7 million

Ralph Yumul