The House of Representatives passed Friday a bill that will require that both a vehicle\u2019s vehicle liability insurance and vehicle\u2019s registration would expire at the same time.<\/p>\n
Sixteen representatives voted \u201cyes\u201d to pass House Bill 22-3, while Rep. Celina R. Babauta (D-Saipan) abstained. Reps. Christina E. Sablan (D-Saipan) and Richard T. Tudela (D-Saipan) were absent but excused from the session. <\/p>\n
The bill now goes to the Senate.<\/p>\n
Before voting, Babauta, who chairs the House Judiciary and Governmental Operations Committee, said if nobody wants to do their motor vehicle liability insurance and vehicle registration at the same time, there\u2019s going to be no revenue coming in. Babauta said the bill\u2019s author, Rep. Joseph Flores (Ind-Saipan), has repeatedly stated that this is a revenue generating bill, but she hopes that next time that he can back it up with cost-benefit analysis for the committee to consider.<\/p>\n
Flores reiterated that it will be a generating-revenue bill. He said if the applicant has two or more vehicles, the applicant has the option to allow for the registration of the vehicles to expire on the same month as the vehicle intended for registration\/re-registration at a fee of $25 per vehicle.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s when the generating [revenue] comes in,\u201d said Flores. <\/p>\n
He also pointed out that he introduced the bill last February and that it was \u201chandcuffed\u201d before the JGO for more than 90 days, in response to Babauta\u2019s claim that her committee never had the opportunity to hear the concerns of insurance companies and that insurance companies were never even informed by the committee about this bill.<\/p>\n
Flores pointed out that putting the month together for registration and expiration of a motor vehicle liability insurance won\u2019t incur additional charges.<\/p>\n
Flores also introduced the same bill before the 21st Legislature. <\/p>\n
In many cases, the expiration of the vehicle registration is dissimilar to the expiration of the motor vehicle liability insurance.<\/p>\n
Flores believes that by mirroring the two expirations of such necessary requirements in operating a vehicle, all motorists will be protected and covered from any unforeseeable circumstances that may cause serious financial and\/or physical strains.<\/p>\n
He said many motorists in the CNMI have two or more vehicles.<\/p>\n
The lawmaker said the bill seeks to provide options to the motorists and allow for them to choose whether they are in favor of paying a one-time fee and changing the renewal registration dates on their other vehicles.<\/p>\n
Before the voting, Northern Marianas Insurance Association president Gol Corpuz spoke at the session in favor of the bill. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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