# Northern Mariana Islands HB 24-1: To amend provisions in Title 6, Chapter 3, Sexual Offenses, Article 1. General Provisions, relating to sexual abuse/assault of minors. Northern Mariana Islands HB 24-1, To amend provisions in Title 6, Chapter 3, Sexual Offenses, Article 1. General Provisions, relating to sexual abuse/assault of minors., is a 24th Northern Mariana Islands Legislature (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Joseph Arriola Flores (Independent); status enacted, last action 2025-08-05 (P.L. 24-08) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MP-HB24-1-24 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Northern Mariana Islands HB 24-1 - State: Northern Mariana Islands - Session: 24th Northern Mariana Islands Legislature (2025-2026) - Title: To amend provisions in Title 6, Chapter 3, Sexual Offenses, Article 1. General Provisions, relating to sexual abuse/assault of minors. - Status: enacted - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-02-14 - Last action: 2025-08-05, P.L. 24-08 - Sponsor: Joseph Arriola Flores (Independent) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (8 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 7 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Clearer consent protections in sexual offense cases: benefit, low. Consent means words or actions that show willingness for a specific act of sexual penetration or contact. A person does not have to resist to establish a lack of consent. Consent can be withdrawn before or during the act. The law also updates definitions of incapacity, mental inability, authority,… - Courts can consider more abuse evidence: benefit, low. In cases under the sexual-offenses article, courts can consider an offender's other acts of the same nature. Those acts can involve the same person or someone else, even without a charge or conviction under the article. In domestic-violence cases, courts can also consider the offender's other domes… - New protections against sexual spying and recordings: benefit, low. Knowingly viewing or recording someone without their knowledge for sexual stimulation is illegal when they reasonably expect privacy while undressed, partly dressed, having sex, using the toilet, or when viewing otherwise hidden genitals, buttocks, or a female breast; the penalty is up to 5 years i… - School staff cannot have sex with students: benefit, low. School employees and contractors cannot engage in sexual acts with students at an institution where they work or are contracted. The rule covers educational institutions serving grades 6 through 12. Sexual acts are defined in 6 CMC § 1317(6). A violation carries 2 to 5 years in prison, a fine up to… - Stronger protections against sexual contact with minors: benefit, low. Sexual contact involving someone under 15 is second-degree sexual abuse of a minor, including helping or encouraging the act. The law also covers these offender and victim ages: offender 18, victim 15 or younger; offender 19, victim 16 or younger; offender 20, victim 17 or younger; offender 21 or o… - Stronger protections against sexual penetration of minors: benefit, low. Sexual penetration involving someone under 15 is first-degree sexual abuse of a minor, including helping or encouraging the act. The law also covers these offender and victim ages: offender 18, victim under 15; offender 19, victim under 16; offender 20, victim under 17; offender 21 or older, victim… - Age defenses allowed but barred under 16: mixed, low. Defendants in minor-abuse and school-student sexual-act cases can raise a defense based on a reasonable belief about the victim's age. They must have reasonably believed the victim was at least the age specified for that offense. This defense is unavailable when the victim was under 16 at the time.… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Joseph Arriola Flores (Independent), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-07-14 | Senate | Roll call on HB 24-1 | pass | 8 | 0 | | | 2025-05-15 | House | House Final Reading — Passed (HS1) | pass | | | | ## Actions (7) - 2025-08-05: P.L. 24-08 (House) - 2025-07-14: Senate Final Reading — Passed (Senate) - 2025-07-14: Senate Report Action — Approved (Senate) - 2025-05-15: House Final Reading — Passed (HS1) (House) - 2025-05-15: House First Reading — Passed (HS1) (House) - 2025-05-15: House Report Action — Approved (House) - 2025-02-14: Introduced (House) ## Bill text - 24-18, 2025-02-14: [PDF](https://www.cnmileg.net/documents/files/23rd%20update/24-18%20re%20HB%2024-1%20HS1%20Sexual%20abuse%20assault%20of%20minors%20adopted.pdf) - HB 24-1, 2025-02-14: [PDF](https://www.cnmileg.net/documents/house/hse_bills/24/HB24-1.pdf) - P.L. 24-08, 2025-02-14: [PDF](https://www.cnmileg.net/documents/files/24TH%20UPDATE/PL24-08.pdf) - SCR 24-4 (HS1), 2025-02-14: [PDF](https://www.cnmileg.net/documents/files/23rd%20update/SCR24-004%20JGO%20(HB%2024-1%20SAM%20Bill).pdf) - [HS1], 2025-02-14: [PDF](https://www.cnmileg.net/documents/files/23rd%20update/TransSenHB%2024-1%20HS1.pdf) ## Related bills - HB 24-108: To provide a Budget Plan of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for Fiscal Year 2027 and make appropriations for the operations and activities of… (enacted) - HLB 24-62: To appropriate $500,000.00 from revenues collected for the Third Senatorial District pursuant to Public Law 20-59; and for other purposes. (enacted) - SB 24-48: Establish a Division of Customs and Biosecurity within the DOF (enacted) - HB 24-84: To authorize the expenditure of $2,105,563.00 identified by the Governor as a surplus from Fiscal Year 2025 revenues that shall be appropriated by the Legislat… (enacted) - HB 24-74: To appropriate funds derived from trust interest income from the Marianas Public Land Trust towards payment of household allotments of Nutrition Assistance Pro… (enacted) - HB 24-63: To amend Title 4 sections 1991 to 1995 relating to the 3% construction tax on gross revenues derived from certain non-residential construction projects and to… (enacted) ## Sources - [24-18 (PDF)](https://www.cnmileg.net/documents/files/23rd%20update/24-18%20re%20HB%2024-1%20HS1%20Sexual%20abuse%20assault%20of%20minors%20adopted.pdf) - [HB 24-1 (PDF)](https://www.cnmileg.net/documents/house/hse_bills/24/HB24-1.pdf) - [P.L. 24-08 (PDF)](https://www.cnmileg.net/documents/files/24TH%20UPDATE/PL24-08.pdf) - [SCR 24-4 (HS1) (PDF)](https://www.cnmileg.net/documents/files/23rd%20update/SCR24-004%20JGO%20(HB%2024-1%20SAM%20Bill).pdf) - [HS1 (PDF)](https://www.cnmileg.net/documents/files/23rd%20update/TransSenHB%2024-1%20HS1.pdf) ## Related - [HB 24-108: To provide a Budget Plan of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands fo…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MP-HB24-108-24) - [HLB 24-62: To appropriate $500,000.00 from revenues collected for the Third Senatorial Dis…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MP-HLB24-62-24) - [SB 24-48: Establish a Division of Customs and Biosecurity within the DOF](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MP-SB24-48-24) - [HB 24-84: To authorize the expenditure of $2,105,563.00 identified by the Governor as a s…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MP-HB24-84-24) - [HB 24-74: To appropriate funds derived from trust interest income from the Marianas Publi…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MP-HB24-74-24) - [HB 24-63: To amend Title 4 sections 1991 to 1995 relating to the 3% construction tax on g…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MP-HB24-63-24) - [Northern Mariana Islands bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/northern-mariana-islands/bills) - [Northern Mariana Islands state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/northern-mariana-islands) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MP-HB24-1-24 (as of 2026-10-12).