Committees of the Senate, 23rd NMC Legislature:
Committee on Rules and Procedures
Section 1. Committee on Rules and Procedures.
(a). The Committee on Rules and Procedures shall consist of the President, Vice President, Floor Leader, and Senate Legislative Secretary. This committee shall be the policy-making body of the Senate and shall have the following duties:
(1) To consider and report on all proposed amendments to these rules; and
(2) To consider all matters concerning the properties, inventory, and use of physical space and premises of the Senate and recommend appropriate action to the President.
(b) The Rules and Committee shall continue in existence during any recess of the Senate, and after final adjournment until the convening of the next Legislature.
(c) In performing its duties under subsection (a) of this section, action by the Rules Committee shall require a majority vote of the entire membership of the Committee.
(d) The Rules Committee Chair shall perform the duties as defined in Rule 2, section 5 in the absence of the Senate Legislative Secretary.
Tel: (670) 664-8968
Fax: N/A
Contact the Committee Chair
via email
Members of this Committee
Executive Appointments & Government Investigations
Section 5. Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigations.
The Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigations shall consist of not more than six (6) members. It shall be the duty of this Committee to consider and report on all bills, resolutions, and other matters referred to it by the Senate pertaining to the advice and consent of the Senate on executive appointments; legislative appointments; investigations on alleged criminal acts of government corruption, and related subjects. It shall be the duty of this committee to consider and investigate any needed revision of the laws or needed legislation relating to any subject within its jurisdiction.
(a). Executive Appointments.
(1) General. No person appointed to a position requiring the advice and consent of the Senate shall be considered by the Senate if that person has been convicted of a crime carrying a maximum sentence of imprisonment of more than six months unless a full pardon has been granted or unless a period of three years has elapsed since the time of the conviction or from completion of any sentence, whichever is later.
(2) Failure to report Statement of Financial Interest. A person appointed to a position requiring the advice and consent of the Senate who refuses or fails to timely submit to the Senate a statement of financial interest shall not be considered by the Senate.
(3) Drug test result. A person appointed to a position requiring the advice and consent of the Senate shall submit an official drug test result not more than 30 days old under seal to the Senate Clerk before being considered by the Senate. Results of the drug test shall be maintained by the Clerk under seal and made available to members of the Senate and legal counsels only. Any person failing to submit a drug test result shall not be considered by the Senate unless authorized by the chair to be submitted at a later date.
(4) Judicial appointees. Any person nominated as a judge or justice to the Commonwealth Courts shall complete an Investigation Questionnaire in the form of appendix "C" to these rules.
(b) Appointments: Failure to confirm. If an appointment is not confirmed by the Senate within 90 consecutive days from the date the person was appointed, the Senate shall not act on the appointment.
(c) Failure to Fulfill Oath. Except for Judicial appointees, any board or commission member confirmed by the Senate as recommended by this committee who fails, as determined by this committee, to fulfill the oath shall be recommended for removal by resolution to the appointing authority.
Tel: 670-664-8874
Fax: N/A
Contact the Committee Chair
via email
Members of this Committee
Federal Relations
Section 8. Committee on Federal Relations.
The Committee on Federal Relations shall consist of not more than six or less than three members. It shall be the duty of this Committee to consider and report on all bills, resolutions, and other matters referred to it by the Senate pertaining to relations between the federal government, including the United Nations and the Commonwealth Government.
Tel: (670) 664-8968
Fax: N/A
Contact the Committee Chair
via email
Members of this Committee
Fiscal Affairs
Section 2. Committee on Fiscal Affairs
The Committee on Fiscal Affairs shall consist of the chairpersons of each respective Senate standing committee and at least one minority member. It shall be the duty of this committee to consider and report on all bills, resolutions, or other matters referred to it by the Senate pertaining to the finances and financial administration of the Northern Marianas or any of the municipalities thereof, such subjects to include but not be limited to tax and non-tax revenues budgets, expenditures, appropriations, loans, debts, claims funding arrangements, accounting, and audit, proposed, hotel casino, poker machines, electronic gaming, internet gaming and other gaming activities, present or past, and related subjects. Bills, resolutions, or other matters referred to the Committee on Fiscal Affairs pertaining to the subject matter of another standing committee for preliminary examination and report to the Committee on Fiscal Affairs. It shall be the duty of this committee to consider and investigate any needed revision of the laws or needed legislation relating to any subject within its jurisdiction.
Tel: (670) 664-8803
Fax: N/A
Contact the Committee Chair
via email
Members of this Committee
Health, Education and Welfare
Section 6. Committee on Health, Education and Welfare.
The Committee on Health, Education, and Welfare shall consist of not more than Six (6) members. It shall be the duty of this committee to consider any report on all bills, resolutions, and other matters referred to it by the Senate pertaining to health, education, and welfare of the people of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. It shall be the duty of this committee to consider and investigate any needed revision of the laws or needed legislation relating to any subject within its jurisdiction.
Tel: (670) 664-8803
Fax: N/A
Contact the Committee Chair
via email
Members of this Committee
Judiciary, Government and Law
Section 4. Committee on Judiciary, Government and Law.
The Committee on Judiciary, Government, Law shall consist of not more than Six (6) members. It shall be the duty of this committee to consider and report on all bills, resolutions, and other matters referred to it by the Senate pertaining to civil and criminal law, judicial administration and organization, land law, traditional rights, suffrage and elections, revision of statutes, local and governmental organization and functions, civil service, senatorial-municipal relations, and related subjects. It shall be of this committee to consider matters referred to it pertaining to relations between the federal government, including the United Nations and the Commonwealth government. It shall be the duty of this committee to consider and investigate any needed revision of the laws or needed legislation relating to any subject within its jurisdiction.
Tel: (670) 664-8858
Fax: N/A
Contact the Committee Chair
via email
Members of this Committee
Public Utilites, Transportation & Communications
Section 7. Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation and Communications.
The Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation, and Communications shall consist of not more than Six (6) members. It shall be the duty of this Committee to consider and report on all bills, resolutions, and other matters referred to it by the Senate pertaining to public utilities; public works; communications; roads; ports; transportation; and related matters. It shall be the duty of this committee to consider and investigate any needed revision of the laws or needed legislation relating to any subject within its jurisdiction.
Tel: (670) 664-8968
Fax: N/A
Contact the Committee Chair
via email
Members of this Committee
Resources, Economic Development & Programs & Gaming
Section 3. Committee on Resources, Economic Development, and Programs, and Gaming
The Committee on Resources, Economic Development and Programs shall consist of not more than Six (6) members. It shall be the duty of this committee to consider and report on all bills, resolutions, and other matters referred to it by the Senate pertaining to the economy of the Commonwealth and the resources thereof, development loans, private savings and indebtedness, commerce and trade, agriculture, cannabis, hemp, fisheries, forestry, mineral resources, land management, industries, electric power, communications, land, sea, air transportation, an related subjects. The Committee shall consider and report on all federal programs of the United States Government related to any subject within its jurisdiction for which the Commonwealth is eligible. It shall be the duty of this committee to consider and investigate any needed revision of the laws or needed legislation relating to any subject within its jurisdiction. It shall also be the duty of this Committee to consider and report on all bills, resolutions, and other matters referred to it by the gaming in the CNMI, including hotel casino, poker machines, electronic gaming, internet gaming, and all other gaming activities; the impact of the gaming industry and its adverse effects on all other gaming activities; the impact of the gaming industry and its adverse effects on families and communities; implications for regulatory mechanisms, revenue collection, community welfare, and consumer protection.
Tel: (670) 664-8812
Fax: N/A
Contact the Committee Chair
via email
Members of this Committee