The House Committee on Natural Resources wants the CNMI Constitution to show that the Department of Public Lands is authorized to install water, power, and sewage in homesteads.<\/p>\n
During a meeting at the House speaker\u2019s conference room on Capital Hill, the committee amended Rep. Alice Igitol\u2019s (R-Saipan) House Legislative Initiative 20-01 to include the installation of water, power, and sewage as necessary developments on a homestead lot. <\/p>\n
H.L.I. 20-01 primarily seeks to distribute every year the interest accrued from the Marianas Public Land Trust Fund to those of Northern Marianas descent.<\/p>\n
Rep. Edwin Aldan (R-Tinian), who championed the insertion of the utilities amendment, said he was prompted to do so because, according to a previous court ruling, \u201chomestead improvements\u201d did not include the installation of power, water, and sewage.<\/p>\n
According to law, DPL collects revenue from the lease of public lands. Minus the amount it needs for administrative expenses, what\u2019s left would be remitted to MPLT for investment. A disagreement between the two agencies brought them to court, where it was ruled that homestead improvements do not encompass power, water, and sewage.<\/p>\n
According to Igitol, the amendment was based on comments during their public hearing last Tuesday, where only 13 people attended.<\/p>\n
\u201c[We are] amending H.L.I. 20-01 to allow MPLT to have their own regulations over the NMD benefits,\u201d said Igitol, adding that the new provision was a separate amendment from Aldan\u2019s.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will clear everything by Wednesday,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
According to Igitol, the committee is scheduled to confer on the matter once more on Wednesday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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