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Public commenters press delegation to fund legal aid, senior ID cards, environment, sports and America 250 programming in Local Bill 24-50
Summary
During public comment the delegation heard multiple funding appeals tied to House Local Bill 24-50 and related local measures: a $45,364 emergency request to Micronesian Legal Services to avoid staff reductions; $20,000 for the CNMI America 250 Commission; support for senior ID-card printer funding; MINA's Adopt-A-Bin plea; and requests from Little League and cultural groups. DPW provided detailed road/ drainage cost estimates and asked the delegation to seek federal assistance.
Public testimony at the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation's March 13 session focused on funding requests in House Local Bill 24-50 and other local measures, and on urgent community needs ranging from legal services to road repairs.
Micronesian Legal Services (MLSC) told the delegation it faces steep federal funding cuts and asked for a one-time emergency appropriation of $45,364 to keep staffing at current levels and avoid layoffs that would reduce intake and legal assistance. "This request is intended to help ensure that our general services staffing can remain at five rather than being reduced to four," Christopher Heave, the Marianas office's new directing attorney, said in testimony; long-time MLSC director Jane Mack explained the office's civil legal work includes housing, domestic-violence protections, guardianships and other services relied on by low-income residents.
Several civic and cultural organizations also asked for support from Bill 24-50. Leo Pangelinan, chair of the CNMI America 250 Commission, described three core projects tied to the Covenant's 50th anniversary and requested a $20,000 appropriation for public programming and education. "Supporting this appropriation is a small but meaningful investment in civic understanding," Victoria Benavente, the commission's program manager, told the delegation.
Environmental and community groups appealed for continued operating support: Roberta Guerrero, executive director of the Mariana Islands Nature Alliance (MINA), urged funding to sustain the Adopt-A-Bin program and expand recycling infrastructure in Garapan, noting the program collected more than 7,000 lb of plastics and metals in 2025. Cultural groups including Chamorro Cultural Village Incorporated requested financing to complete a 40-foot voyaging canoe (about 80% complete) and to support international festival participation.
Local sports and seniors programs were represented. McQueen Masaharu supported a Palau Amateur Softball Association request to upgrade the Dandan Ballfield press box and dugouts. Officials from the Office on Aging and MANAMCO pressed for funds to purchase an ID-card printer to produce durable senior-discount cards that ease access to benefits.
Department of Public Works Secretary Ray Yumol gave a technical briefing on infrastructure needs after unusually heavy rainfall, listing specific federal highway routes requiring restriping and raised markers and estimating aggregate costs in the multi-hundred-thousand- to multi-million-dollar range (his working estimate: roughly $2.2 million to restripe and re-mark critical routes and school-zone crossings). He asked the delegation to help secure federal assistance and to request support from the CNMI delegate to Congress.
No formal votes on the public requests were recorded in the transcript; the delegation recessed after public testimony. Members may take up the appropriations and related budget choices in subsequent sessions.
