SENATE AGENDA

Two garment measures were passed by the Senate as well as two dozen other bills that ranged from retirement benefits to the proposed $60 million bond float that will finance infrastructure projects of the government, during a two-hour session yesterday.

Senate Bill 11-125, offered by Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes, seeks to empower the Division of Customs to deny issuance of certificate for country of origin on finished garment products from factories found in violation of both local and federal laws.

This certification is required by the U.S. Customs before apparel merchandise manufactured in the Northern Marianas can be shipped to the mainland.

According to Reyes, the measure will encourage garment factories to comply with existing laws on local minimum wage and nonresident workers, and federal regulations like OSHA and other labor laws.

They will also be required to follow the Code of Conduct adopted by the Saipan Garment Manufacturers Association before the CNMI Customs can issue a certification for shipment of their products.

“The customs is empowered not to certify the certificate of origin which means that if they don’t certify that, then the finished product can’t be exported to the U.S.,” Reyes told reporters after the session.

“This is a step forward again to ensure compliance by the garment industry, safeguarding the interest of the Commonwealth to make sure no violation is done,” he added.

Senators yesterday also voted 9-0 on House Bill 11-409 clarifying the intention of Public Law 11-76 that set the cap on the number of guest workers employed in the garment sector.

Reyes criticized government lawyers for misinterpreting provisions of the law after the Department of Labor and Immigration denied application for work permits of a garment firm that merged with another company.

Legislators believe it was not the intention of that law to deny companies to hire guest workers if they decide to merge operations with another garment owner, but some DOLI officials interpreted the business decision as losing its quota of manpower stipulated under PL 11-76.

“Our legislators can go a long way if they only read the journal on PL 11-76 which was debated intensely in this chamber,” Reyes said at the hearing, adding their discussion could be used to back up or justify legal opinions.

Since the bill, passed last month by the House, was amended to clarify the meaning of business merging, it heads back to the lower chamber for approval on the amendment. SB 11-125 will also await House action before Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio can consider it for signing into law.

Meanwhile, Senate Vice President Thomas P. Villagomez questioned the exemptions from the hiring ban granted by the governor to several companies, saying the government must check whether these firms meet the requirements, such as the $5 million minimum investment.

“I’d like to see justification or financial statement from these companies requesting to be exempted,” he told the session.

The following bills were voted 9-0 by the Senate:

SB 11-13 – mandating training and education for government-certified tour guides (for governor’s consideration);

SB 11-124 – requiring two years service in government board for vested retirement benefits (for House action);

SB 11-130 – requiring license for dog and cat owners (House);

SB 11-132 – allowing filing with CNMI courts facsimile copies of documents (House);

SB 11-133 – establishing on office of permitting on Tinian and Rota for all residential developments (House);

SB 11-137 – amending the Commonwealth Code to require consideration of prior support orders as evidence of fitness to adopt (House);

SB 11-139 – establishing penalties for violation of alien labor law (House);

SB 11-145 – providing 10-day grace period for renewal of driver’s license (House);

SB 11-146 – making the cap on the amount of scholarship cap applicable only after the effective date of the law (House);

SB 11-147 – providing licensing of foreign doctors in efforts to promote establishment of retirement communities on the island (House);

SB 11-148 – requiring government to extend medical benefits to its nonresident employees (House);

SB 11-149 – regulating prepaid calling services (House);

SB 11-150 – requiring a 15-day time period for guest workers to secure employment before facing deportation (House);

HB 11-167 – establishing the Division of Parks and Recreation (governor’s);

HB 11-219 – exempting employees of the government hired before April 16, 1998 from the requirement that they have 10 years of contributing membership before receiving retirement benefits (for House approval on Senate amendment);

HB 11-235 – establishing a fee for probation services (governor’s);

HB 11-247 – limiting the employment of nonresidents in nonresident operated business (for governor’s consideration);

HB 11-279 – re appropriating fund balances for the A&E construction of the Hemodialysis building and other equipment (governor’s);

HB 11-313 – defining functions of the DOLI Secretary (governor’s);

HB 11-334 – requiring that all members of the Board of Nurse Examiners be registered nurses (governor’s);

HB 11-401 – allowing new homesteaders ample time to comply with all conditions prior to being granted the deed of conveyance (governor’s)

HB 11-431 – amending PL 11-75 with respect to the display of cigarettes in retail stores (for governor’s);

HB 11-432 – consolidating vested retirement benefits (for House approval on Senate amendment);

HB 11-435 – authorizing CDA to issue bonds of up to $60 million and to enter into interim bridge financing to fund CIP plan (for House approval on Senate amendment).