House bill seeks to establish right of survivorship

The House of Representatives passed Friday a bill that proposes to establish a right of survivorship for certain causes of action in civil lawsuits.

With all 18 House members present voting “yes” at the House special session, House Bill 23-61 now goes to the Senate for action.

Reps. Edwin K. Propst (D-Saipan) and Marissa Renee Flores (Ind-Saipan) were absent, but excused.

Before the voting, Rep. John Paul Sablan (Ind-Saipan, who is the main author of the bill, said many jurisdictions and states all over the country recognize the right of survivorship for causes of action in civil lawsuits brought by injured family members who subsequently died before the causes of action have been resolved.

Sablan said that’s really the intent of the legislation to create a statute that gives the right for survivorship to continue their loved one’s lawsuit in any course of action.