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House gives retirement bill a second pass
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Posted on Jun 20 2008
The House of Representatives has passed a new version of a vetoed bill on disability retirement.
The House members approved on Wednesday a bill streamlining the application process for claiming disability retirement.
Under the bill, a member of the NMI Retirement Fund will need certification from two physicians, including one specialist, that he or she is totally and permanently disabled due to physical or mental incapacitation.
Currently, certification is required from two physicians and a vocational rehabilitation counselor. Proponents of the bill have said these requirements are too difficult to meet. They have argued that counselors at the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation lack medical and psychiatric expertise or credentials to issue disability certifications. And this situation has created a hardship for OVR, for the retirees, and for the Retirement Fund.
The Senate must approve the bill before it can be sent to the governor for his signature.
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial had vetoed a previously passed version of the bill, which required certification from one physician only. The governor said the lenient process proposed by the legislation would expose the Retirement Fund to abuses.
