House sets public hearings on four initiatives

The House of Representatives will hold a series of public hearings next month to discuss four recently introduced legislative initiatives.

The House Committee on Natural Resources will conduct public hearings on April 2, April 3, April 9, and April 10 beginning 6:30pm on two venues—the House chamber inside the legislative building on Capital Hill and at the Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe.

The legislative initiatives that would be dealt with are H.L.I. 16-3, H.L.I. 16-4, H.L.I. 16-5, and H.L.I. 16-8.

Authored by Rep. Heinz S. Hofschneider, H.L.I. 16-3 seeks to amend sections 3, 4, 5, and 6 of Article 11 of CNMI Constitution to reflect the dissolution of the Marianas Public Lands Authority and the creation of the Department of Public Lands.

It also seeks to lift constitutional restrictions on the use of revenues generated from public land leases and user fees to allow the CNMI government to reserve a portion of those revenues to fund the operation and improvement of the CNMI’s public utilities. Also, it would allow the government to use part of the interest from MPLT investments.

H.L.I. 16-4, also introduced by Hofschneider, seeks to change the leasehold terms for private lands allowed by the CNMI Constitution from 55 years to 75 years.

H.L.I. 16-5 is also another Hofschneider-authored measure that wants to amend Section 4 of Article 10 of the CNMI Constitution. This initiative proposes to authorize the CNMI government to borrow money for operating expenses during extreme situations and upon approval of the people through an initiative.

H.L.I. 16-8, meanwhile, penned by Rep. Victor B. Hocog, seeks to amend Article 12 of the Constitution by adding a new Section 7 to allow each senatorial district to amend or repeal the restrictions on alienation of land with respect to each senatorial district.

The schedule of the public hearings on the House legislative initiatives are as follows:

– April 2 H.L.I. 16-3, H.L.I. 16-4, and 16-8 House Chambers

– April 3 H.L.I. 16-3, H.L.I. 16-4, and 16-8 Multi-Purpose Center

– April 9 H.L.I. 16-5 House Chambers

– April 10 H.L.I. 16-5 Multi-Purpose Center

Members of the public are encouraged attend these public hearings to learn more about these initiatives and submit written or oral testimony. Comments may also be submitted as follow: 1. Drop-off at Rep. Ramon A. Tebuteb’s office at the Legislative Building; 2. Mail to P.O. Box 500586, Saipan, MP 96950, attention Rep. Ramon A. Tebuteb; 3, email rtebtuteb@yahoo.com; or 4. fax 664-8985. Comments are due on April 10.

The House said that public hearings on the four initiatives would be conducted on Tinian and Rota on a date to be announced soon.

Copies of the initiatives may also be downloaded from Floor Leader Joseph N. Camacho’s website at www.camachocnmi.com or you may call the Legislative Bureau librarian at 322-8840 or Rep. Ramon A. Tebuteb’s office at 664-8983.