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Emergency session: Senate approves reallocation of $80,000 for storm recovery
Summary
In a brief emergency session, the Senate passed House Local Bill 24-57 to reappropriate $80,000 in poker-fee revenues for recovery after super typhoon 'synd. Duo', reducing the mayoral allocation and adding two $5,000 community grants.
The presiding chair opened an emergency Senate session and members unanimously passed House Local Bill 24-57, reappropriating $60,000 from ROA local law 24-07 and $20,000 from ROA local law 24-08 — funds collected from poker fees in the first district — for urgent recovery and relief following super typhoon "synd. Duo." The motion to establish the emergency session and the bill's passage were moved and seconded by members on the floor.
During debate, the vice chair moved an amendment to reduce the allocation to the Office of the Mayor of Veroda from $80,000 to $70,000 and to add two $5,000 line items: one for Luta Cares and one for the Micronesian Climate Change Alliance, designated for urgent recovery and relief efforts. The amendment was seconded; a voice vote and subsequent roll call confirmed the amendment carried.
After the amendment, the clerk conducted a roll call vote on the bill as amended. The clerk recorded four members present and voting yes, and announced that House Local Bill 24-57 had been passed as amended. The clerk listed members present during roll call with the recorded responses: Senator Calvo (present), Magnolonia Donald (present), Senator Magnonia Paul (yes), and Representative Ogle (present). The record as read by the clerk showed all four members voting in favor.
The chair recognized legislative staff on the floor — Sergeant-at-Arms Benjamin Terahi, legal counsel Joe Bermudas, delegation clerk D. Hokug, legislative assistant Deon Macaranes and IT manager Jonathan Diaz — and opened the floor for public comment; no members of the public spoke. With no further business, the floor leader moved to adjourn and the chair declared the emergency session adjourned at 1:39 p.m.
The bill as passed reallocates poker-fee revenue to immediate recovery purposes and adds modest grants for community organizations; specifics on how the mayor's office will spend the reallocated funds beyond "urgent recovery and relief efforts" were not specified in the session record.
