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Votes at a glance (committee action)

- HJR 24‑01 (visa waiver — Philippines): Adopted in committee as amended. Motion by Senator Paul Magnolia; second by Senator Cruz. Chair ordered staff to prepare amended text for full Legislature.

- HJR 24‑03 (require contractors on federally funded work to register with CNMI Department of Finance; DFARS request and covenant reference): Adopted in committee. Motion offered by the floor leader; committee passed the resolution and staff will prepare the version for full board disposition.

- HJR 24‑08 (request to identify and remove unexploded World War II ordinance in the Northern Mariana Islands): Adopted in committee by voice vote after a motion from the floor; staff to prepare transmittal for full board.

- HJR 24‑09 (request concerning executive order 14324/ federal remittance issues): Adopted in committee by voice vote; motion offered and seconded; staff to prepare final text for transmittal.

- House Bill 24‑54 (increase paid military leave for Commonwealth government employees to 30 working days per calendar year): Passed committee. The bill extends paid military and emergency service leave to 30 working days per calendar year for eligible permanent employees across branches and autonomous agencies; committee passed the bill in original form and will forward it for further action.

Other committee actions

- House Bill 24‑32 (Transient Accommodation Act) was discussed in depth but not voted. The committee requested legal counsel and staff to prepare clarifying amendments addressing platform collection authority, technical collection mechanisms, penalty structure and double‑taxation concerns. The chair requested updated language within roughly 15 days.

- A bill to waive penalties and interest on unpaid taxes (House Bill, described in committee as a measure to promote recovery and provide taxpayer relief) was discussed; the committee asked the Division of Revenue and Taxation to provide up‑to‑date delinquency detail and asked staff to draft an information request so the committee can decide whether to move the measure forward.

How votes were recorded

Most measures were adopted by voice vote in committee. Where movers and seconders were named in the transcript the report lists them; the committee did not record roll‑call tallies in the public transcript for these items.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","251007 24th NMCL FA [1:30pm]","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee recorded several committee votes Oct. 7, advancing multiple House Joint Resolutions and a personnel bill while holding the transient‑accommodation bill for redrafting.","taxTitle","Senate, Northern Mariana Legislative Sessions, Northern Mariana Islands","taxId",20282,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_32":75,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":76,"_40":77,"_42":78,"_44":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":71,"_73":71},6426560,"Committee backs resolution urging inclusion of the Philippines in Guam–CNMI visa‑waiver program",1414,6588000,8002000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5906418-15d320c3c2ee419e5145df598c9f217c&start=6588&end=8002","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5906418-15d320c3c2ee419e5145df598c9f217c/thumbnail_6588000.jpg","/articles/6426560/Committee-backs-resolution-urging-inclusion-of-the-Philippines-in-GuamCNMI-visawaiver-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6426560-7912cb666b3b5d7ae0761d50c59e0b3e/orig.mp4?Expires=1769567694&Signature=IxP6ghzdnoO345jmNPBdzAVusSoeB4PDYlZAGTuH7Yid5wpjgZaXryKuitrvxAkRNWHlIdV18jjc5K1CaICZLaGzoGoY64LfEHaddSzmzghNGIoXjDoXo6edjtgs7w4LZe-L4uvlCiIj6TNCBaTMj1b4xoU~DyhoUyYz3pndltnAZfeva75wGtbuaQV2-jLw2~2eFkIJgysoQJzhO42gbf7qnsLJmMhInx~M089DYI5GK9rbOCSpaS8xMG-G1K1RKtSd7v3gqnPwfMJ0q79DMxgLcT3vozyZyi2attgCm4SyTkfo39FkA1dbWk~aCf45vbYRNTwMu3QFcPJJRvQwAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee voted Oct. 7 to adopt House Joint Resolution 24‑01 urging federal action to include the Republic of the Philippines in the Guam‑CNMI nonimmigrant visa waiver program.

The Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA) and the Saipan Chamber of Commerce told the committee they support the resolution as a means to open a new nearby market and strengthen air service links. \"There have been recent interest from some of the airlines out of The Philippines,\" MVA Managing Director Jameka Tyrone said, and she described the Philippines as a growing outbound market that could support inbound flights and provide travel options for residents.

Saipan Chamber President Joe Guerrero and representatives of hotel operators also spoke in favor. Dennis Veil, speaking for Hanmi, told the committee the chamber and industry leaders “strongly support” the resolution and said adding the Philippines to the waiver could expand air connectivity and tourism demand.

Committee action

Senator Paul Magnolia moved to adopt HJR 24‑01 as amended; the motion was seconded by Senator Cruz. The committee approved the motion by voice vote; the chair ordered staff to prepare the updated version for action by the full Legislature.

Why it matters

Committee members and witnesses said the Philippines represents a large, growing middle‑class market and that easier entry—if approved at the federal level—would reduce barriers to travel such as embassy visa appointments and could make short‑notice travel more viable. Witnesses also noted the new Manila airport plans and growing outbound travel from the Philippines as potential tailwinds for a CNMI market.

Follow up

The committee asked staff to circulate the amended resolution and to coordinate with federal delegates and the Department of Homeland Security as part of the advocacy process. No federal action is guaranteed; passage of the local resolution is a formal request to federal authorities and to the Philippine government to consider measures that would support new air service and tourism flows.

","The Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee voted Oct. 7 to adopt House Joint Resolution 24‑01 urging federal action to include the Republic of the Philippines in the Guam‑CNMI nonimmigrant visa waiver program.",{"_32":87,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":88,"_40":89,"_42":90,"_44":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":71,"_73":71},6426567,"Senate fiscal committee presses for fixes to bill taxing short‑term rentals",3407,6096000,9503000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5906418-15d320c3c2ee419e5145df598c9f217c&start=6096&end=9503","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5906418-15d320c3c2ee419e5145df598c9f217c/thumbnail_6096000.jpg","/articles/6426567/Senate-fiscal-committee-presses-for-fixes-to-bill-taxing-shortterm-rentals","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6426567-645a2ec44bdbe4cebce35ac29a07eecf/orig.mp4?Expires=1769567694&Signature=Rt1r1fFvAHQXnrC7WT5zE4Yz6A3G3rQmwTQl1Xw5no54Rmaa1VawKOfBzAdjlZp63YfaRv3-gOWSXTw59R7QjcBb--xqLkznYRHobX85dxnFtwOSZZUU2yggRuH2VU3QaCpeSqc~H2zh9eWvb5ZPV~TM5NUV6brvR~WSRjsbSBqSt5YxANaZte8YUD0xdN6nvjZOZcey47lDO3GIr6cPUHcf7HeMnmeXfoyMXRh5gMHaxGs0sWfeP1h2UnELy3cXKG0W6EW~TvUuUfh2~FJvrRDJ34VhTM~SA3ag4aSJAblGuZ6hqoMnv4FdJMmMmFfozpeLVoo~yrjQwt80tatHMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chairman Hofschneider opened discussion Oct. 7 in the Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee on House Bill 24‑32, the Transient Accommodation Act, which would establish a tax on transient accommodations and regulate short‑term rentals across the Commonwealth.

The bill would “modernize and strengthen our tax policy on hotel accommodation tax,” Director Daniel Alvarez of the Division of Revenue and Taxation said, but he warned that “DRT lacks the capacity in regards to the global hosting platforms” and that the department does not yet have the systems to accept collections from large online platforms. He urged time to refine the bill and build infrastructure so collection and reporting are practical.

The Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA) and the Saipan Chamber of Commerce urged passage to capture revenue they say currently escapes the tax system. Jameka Tyrone, managing director of the Marianas Visitors Authority, said the measure “modernizes the outdated hotel occupancy tax and ensures that all accommodations used by visitors…are captured in our tax system.” She said capturing revenue will help marketing, restore flight service and support visitor‑site maintenance.

Saipan Chamber President Joe Guerrero said similar bills have been drafted previously and told senators he found roughly 183 homes listed on one platform for a one‑week search; he estimated historic unpaid hotel taxes from short‑term rentals at roughly $6 million to $8 million in peak years (he described those figures as estimates). Guerrero and other business leaders urged passage and support for enforcement resources so hosting platforms can remit taxes.

Committee members and witnesses raised several recurring concerns:

- Enforcement and IT capacity: Director Alvarez said DRT is developing basic online services for local taxpayers but lacks the technical capability to receive remittances from global platforms. He asked for time and funding to develop the necessary systems. MVA and others urged the committee to support funding for DRT if required.

- Hosting platforms and legal authority: Alvarez said the bill as drafted appears to require hosting platforms to collect and remit taxes but does not clearly explain how CNMI would assert authority over global corporations not based in the Commonwealth. Several senators urged clearer drafting and model language used in other U.S. jurisdictions.

- Penalties and compliance: Senator Manny Castro expressed concern that proposed fines—cited in testimony as $500 per day for some violations—are excessive compared with other jurisdictions and could create compliance problems. The committee discussed alternative penalty structures (flat fees, percentage‑based penalties) and the need to avoid per‑day penalties that become punitive.

- Data gaps and visitor forms: Committee members questioned the quality of arrival data. Tyrone and MVA staff said customs and immigration forms capture limited “bubble” fields; the typed hotel/address field is not machine‑readable under the current scanner workflow. MVA said it will pursue scanner/software upgrades and explore drop‑down menus so customs can capture accommodation addresses and platforms.

- Safety, zoning and licensing: Senator Cruz pressed for interagency collaboration so that units converted to rentals meet fire, zoning and safety standards. Several senators said the committee should coordinate DRT, Parks & Rec, Fire and local zoning offices so licensing includes safety inspections where appropriate.

- Potential double taxation: Witnesses noted a drafting issue that could create an instance of double taxation between a new transient‑accommodation tax and business gross‑receipts tax. Director Alvarez said the bill appears to impose the tax on the operator and that a provision may be needed to exclude the transient tax from gross‑receipts calculations to avoid double taxation.

Committee direction and next steps

No final vote on the bill was taken. Chairman Hofschneider asked legislative staff and legal counsel to draft clarifying amendments and to work with DRT and MVA on technical fixes, and he asked for follow‑up proposals within roughly 15 days so the committee can consider tightened language and implementation needs. Members also asked MVA to provide more detailed arrival and accommodation data when possible.

The discussion made clear the committee broadly supports the bill’s intent to capture short‑term rental revenue and level the playing field, but members said they will not move the measure forward until language, collection mechanics, enforcement and IT requirements are clarified.

","Chairman Hofschneider opened discussion Oct. 7 in the Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee on House Bill 24‑32, the Transient Accommodation Act, which would establish a tax on transient accommodations and regulate short‑term rentals across the Commonwealth.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee roundup: four joint resolutions and one bill pass Fiscal Affairs committee; transient‑rental bill returned for fixes

Committee backs resolution urging inclusion of the Philippines in Guam–CNMI visa‑waiver program

Senate fiscal committee presses for fixes to bill taxing short‑term rentals