House committee approves amendment to create special Marpi Public Cemetery fund under finance secretary

The House Committee on Ways and Means voted on a floor amendment and adopted a committee report recommending passage of House Bill 24-51, House Draft 1, which creates two revolving accounts for the Department of Lands and Natural Resources (DLNR) and specifically establishes a Marpi Public Cemetery Fund to be set up by the secretary of finance.

Committee members, DLNR officials and agency staff discussed the bill after public testimony supporting the measure. Cameron Nicholas, special adviser to the DLNR secretary, told the committee: "I express my support for House Bill 24 dash 51. It's to establish revolving accounts under the Department of Lands and Natural Resources." DLNR staff from parks, lands registration and survey, and fish and wildlife also testified in favor of establishing the accounts so the divisions can collect and retain fees to cover costs such as cemetery maintenance and land registration services.

Why it matters: The bill responds to a practical funding gap identified by DLNR. Secretary Sylvan Igu Somar said existing law assigns operational responsibility for the Marpi site to DLNR but does not authorize the agency to assess and retain interment and maintenance fees; the special account is intended to provide a dedicated revenue stream for those costs. Several members emphasized that the Marpi cemetery is a public site of cultural and civic importance that requires ongoing funding.

Key details and debate: Representative Joel Camacho praised the work on the Marpi site and asked for clarity about which public cemeteries fall under DLNR. Secretary Somar and Director Michael Cruz (DLNR parks and recreation) said the statutory designation currently names Marpi explicitly; other cemeteries cited by members do not, in their view, have the same statutory assignment to DLNR. Director Cruz described maintenance tasks the division performs and noted that fees would cover services such as sealing crypts and other upkeep. Committee discussion included:

- Representative Marissa Flores proposed and pressed for language that would prevent the new funds from being reprogrammed for other purposes. Flores said she wanted the account to "be expended solely for the administration, maintenance, supervision, security, and capital improvements of the Marpi Public Cemetery."

- The vice chairman and other members recommended drafting the bill so the secretary of finance formally establishes the account (rather than leaving an open statutory account) to ensure the account can be created and administered.

Amendment and formal actions: Representative Joel Camacho offered a floor amendment (adopted and seconded) to revise the bill so the secretary of finance "shall establish a special account called the Marpi Public Cemetery Fund account" and to add the clause that "notwithstanding any other provision of law, monies in the Marpi Public Cemetery Fund account shall be expended solely for the administration, maintenance, supervision, security, and capital improvements of the Marpi Public Cemetery established under 3 CMC § 26‑22." The motion passed with the voice vote recorded as "the ayes have it."

After amendment, Representative Jewell Komatsu moved to adopt a committee report recommending passage of House Bill 24-51, House Draft 1; the motion was seconded and the committee adopted the report by voice vote.

Next steps: With the committee report adopted, the bill in its amended House Draft 1 form was forwarded by the committee for consideration by the full House. Committee members asked DLNR and the secretary of finance to coordinate on account setup and rulemaking language and noted DLNR may later pursue a separate measure for a submerged-lands fee account.

Ending note: DLNR officials and multiple committee members stressed the limited, practical intent of the legislation: create an auditable vehicle to collect nominal fees tied to services at Marpi and to ensure those revenues are available for continuing site maintenance and capital needs.