Article II — Legislative Branch
17 sections · 0 paragraphs in this article.
N. Mar. I. Const. art. II, sec. 1 Legislative Power
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The legislative power of the Commonwealth shall extend to all rightful subjects of legislation and shall be vested in a Northern Marianas Commonwealth legislature composed of a senate and a house of representatives.
N. Mar. I. Const. art. II, sec. 2 Composition of the Senate
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(a) The senate shall consist of nine members with three members elected at large from each of three senatorial districts. The first senatorial district shall consist of Rota, the second senatorial district shall consist of Tinian and Aguiguan, and the third senatorial district sh…
N. Mar. I. Const. art. II, sec. 3 Composition of the House of Representatives
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(a) The house of representatives shall consist of fourteen members with twelve members elected from Saipan and the islands north of it, one member elected from Rota and one member elected from Tinian and Aguiguan. The number of representatives may be increased by law to not more …
N. Mar. I. Const. art. II, sec. 4 Reapportionment and Redistricting
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(a) At least every ten years and within one hundred twenty days following publication of the results of a decennial census, the legislature shall reapportion the seats in the house of representatives or revise the districts for electing representatives as required by changes in C…
N. Mar. I. Const. art. II, sec. 5 Enactment of Legislation
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(a) Appropriation and revenue bills may be introduced only in the house of representatives. Other bills may be introduced in either house of the legislature. (b) A bill shall be confined to one subject except bills for appropriations or bills for the codification, revision or rea…
N. Mar. I. Const. art. II, sec. 6 Local Laws
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Laws that relate exclusively to local matters within one senatorial district may be enacted by the legislature or by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members representing that district. The legislature shall define the local matters that may be the subject of laws enacte…
N. Mar. I. Const. art. II, sec. 7 Action on Legislation by the Governor
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(a) Every bill enacted shall be signed by the presiding officer of the house in which the bill originated and transmitted to the governor. If the governor signs the bill, it shall become law. If the governor vetoes the bill, it shall be returned to the presiding officer of each h…
N. Mar. I. Const. art. II, sec. 8 Impeachment
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The legislature may impeach those executive and judicial officers of the Commonwealth subject to impeachment under this Constitution. The house of representatives may initiate impeachment proceedings by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of its members and the senate may convict …
N. Mar. I. Const. art. II, sec. 9 Vacancy
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A vacancy in the legislature shall be filled by special election if one- half or more of the term remains. If less than one-half of the term remains, the governor shall fill the vacancy by appointing the unsuccessful candidate for the office in the last election who received the …
N. Mar. I. Const. art. II, sec. 10 Compensation
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The members of the legislature shall receive an annual salary of eight thousand dollars and reasonable allowances for expenses provided by law. The salary of members may be changed no more than once every four years and only upon the recommendation of an advisory commission estab…
N. Mar. I. Const. art. II, sec. 11 Other Government Employment
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A member of the legislature may not serve in any other Commonwealth government position including other elective office or an independent board, agency, authority or commission established by this Constitution or by Commonwealth law. A person, having been a member of the legislat…
N. Mar. I. Const. art. II, sec. 12 Immunity
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A member of the legislature may not be questioned in any other place for any written or oral statement in the legislature and a member of the legislature may not be subject to arrest while going to or coming from a meeting of the legislature except for commission of treason, a fe…
N. Mar. I. Const. art. II, sec. 13 Sessions
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The legislature shall meet for organizational purposes on the second Monday of January in the year following the regular general election at which members of the legislature are elected and shall be a continuous body for the two years between these organizational meetings. Each h…
N. Mar. I. Const. art. II, sec. 14 Organization and Procedures
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(a) Each house of the legislature shall be the final judge of the election and qualifications of its members and the legislature may vest in the courts the jurisdiction to determine contested elections of members. Each house may compel the attendance of absent members, discipline…
N. Mar. I. Const. art. II, sec. 15 Conduct of Members
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A member of the legislature who has a financial or personal interest in a bill before the legislature shall disclose that interest and may not debate on or vote on the bill.
N. Mar. I. Const. art. II, sec. 16 Budget Ceiling
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There shall be a ceiling on the budget of the legislature. (a) Appropriations, or obligations and expenditures, for the operations and activities of the legislature and legislative bureau, other than the salaries of members of the legislature, any payments required by law to be m…
N. Mar. I. Const. art. II, sec. 17 Legislative Bureau
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There is hereby established a legislative bureau in the Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature. (a) The bureau shall be headed by a director to be appointed by the joint leadership of the legislature consisting of the presiding officers, vice presiding officers, floor leaders…