TITLE 1: GOVERNMENT DIVISION 11: POLITICAL STATUS
§ 11104. Adoption of the Commission’s Final Report. (a) Upon the receipt by the Legislature of the Commission’s Final Report on its findings and recommendations on such political status and option(s), the Legislature shall have ninety working days to review such findings and recommendations in Joint Meetings of the House and the Senate, called by its presiding officers and may meet with the Commission for clarification of its findings and recommendations on such political status option(s). The Legislature, if they find it necessary, may make such changes or amendments that are appropriate to meet the purpose and intent of the chapter. Thereafter, the Legislature, in a Joint Legislative Session, by a Joint Resolution, certify that it has approved or rejected the Commission’s Final Report on its findings and recommendation on such political status option(s), and as amended by the Legislature - if any.* If the Commission’s Final Report is approved by the Legislature, the Legislative clerks of the House and the Senate shall certify the approval and shall transmit a copy of such Final Report immediately to the Commonwealth Election Commission showing the recommended political status option(s) that will be placed on the ballot pursuant to this chapter. (1) The Commonwealth Election Commission shall present the certified political status option(s) to qualified voters in the Northern Mariana Islands for their approval or disapproval in a plebiscite scheduled pursuant to this section and shall certify the results of the plebiscite to the presiding officers of the Legislature. (2) If more than one recommended political status option is on the ballot, and if no one political status option receives a majority of the votes cast in the plebiscite, a run-off election for such plebiscite shall be held forty-five calendar days from the date upon which the result of the first plebiscite was certified to the Legislature between the two status options which received the highest number of votes. If the forty-five calendar days falls within a working day (Monday through Friday), then the plebiscite shall be held on a Saturday of that same week. * So in original. Source: PL 19-63 § 4(104) (Aug. 26, 2016), modified. Commission Comment: The Commission numbered this section pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(a). The Commission changed “90” to “ninety” and struck “a” before “Joint Meetings” in (a), and changed “qualify” to “qualified” in (a)(1) pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(g). The Commission substituted “this chapter” for “this Act” in (a) pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(d). The Commission changed the capitalization of “section” in (a)(1) for the purpose of conformity pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(f).