Torres signs HB 20-135

On Friday, Feb. 16, 2018, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres signed into law House Bill 20-135, SD4, which amends the fiscal year 2018 budget law, Public Law 20-11, to reflect the revised budget of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. and others.

Authored by Rep. Angel A. Demapan (R-Saipan), the appropriation bill provides for the following:

·$50.5 million authorization for CUC’s power plant fuel budget;

·$155,476 for the Micronesian Legal Services Corp.;

·$200,000 for the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. Diabetes Care and Control Center

·Inclusion of hazardous work premium payment for qualified solid waste employees assigned to designated solid waste landfills, facilities, dumpsites, and transfer stations

·Provisions for the administration of the Commonwealth Worker fees by the CNMI Scholarship Office to ensure that the Northern Marianas Trades Institute shall be allocated not less than $1,000,000 of the CW fees.

This bill becomes Public Law 20-41. (PR)