This is to announce that on Friday, November 13, the Commonwealth Election Commission has unanimously determined that all four initiatives on the 2009 ballot, including the popular initiative to apply the Open Government Act, have been ratified. 

 

The Open Government Act amendment takes effect within 30 days of the date of the election; the three legislative initiatives to amend the Constitution took effect immediately upon ratification.  With respect to the government shutdown that would be mandated after Oct. 1 in the absence of a balanced budget, pursuant to House Legislative Initiative 16-11 –  it is the opinion of the CEC's legal counsel that this particular provision would apply to the next fiscal year.    

Our deepest thanks to the Commonwealth Election Commission, the Office of the Attorney General, and especially Assistant Attorney General Meaghan Hassel-Shearer, for being willing to reconsider their initial position on the initiatives, and for dilligently reviewing and researching the CNMI Constitution, election law, and case law, to determine how the votes on the initiatives should be counted.  

 

And, of course, tremendous thanks and congratulations go to the thousands of concerned citizens on the islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota whose collective signatures and tireless efforts to educate the community helped place the Open Government Act initiative on the ballot this year and ensured its successful passage with more than two-thirds of the votes cast.  More than 7,300 citizens voted yes to a more open legislature.         

 

For more information and for the full texts of the initiatives, please visit http://www.tinasablan.com/forum/2009/11/03/apply-the-open-government-act-to-the-legislature-and-other-initiatives-on-the-ballot-this-year/ .  Also, I am attaching my letter to the CEC, submitted for their meeting on Friday, November 13. 

 

 

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In other news, the House will be conducting a session tomorrow, November 15, 2009 @ 9:30am in the House Chamber.  The draft agenda is attached. 

 

Thanks very much,

 

Tina Sablan