TITLE 10: LOCAL LAWS DIVISION 2: SECOND SENATORIAL DISTRICT (TINIAN, ETC.)
§ 2312. Acting Mayor. Whenever the Mayor of Tinian is to be physically absent from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the presiding officer or chairperson of the Municipal Council shall be Acting Mayor. If the presiding officer or chairperson is also absent, then the vice-chairperson of the Municipal Council shall be Acting Mayor. In the event that both the chairperson and vice chairperson of the Municipal Council are absent, then the remaining council member shall be the Acting Mayor. In the event that all members of the Municipal Council are absent, then the Mayor shall designate whom shall be the Acting Mayor to carry out the duties of the Office of Mayor until the Mayor or any member of the Municipal Council physically returns. Source: TLL 8-1, § 4; repealed and reenacted by TLL 15-15, § 2(2312); amended by TLL 21-8, § 2 (Oct. 18, 2019), modified. Commission Comment: In addition to severability and savings clause sections, TLL 21-8 included the following Findings and Purpose section: Section 1. Findings and Purpose. The Tinian and Aguiguan Legislative Delegation (Delegation) finds that current law provides that when the Tinian and Aguiguan Mayor is absent from the municipality the Chairperson of Tinian and Aguiguan Municipal serves at the Acting Mayor. Similarly, when the Chairperson of the Tinian and Aguiguan Municipal Council (Council) is absent from the municipality the Council Vice Chairperson serves as Acting Chairperson. The Delegation finds that because of modern technology such as highspeed internet and reliable and consistent inter-island transportation the Mayor can oversee the operations of the municipality from anywhere in the Commonwealth and can return to the municipality on short notice. The Council Chairperson can likewise do the same if physically present in the Commonwealth. The purpose of this Act is to designate the Acting Mayor or Acting Council Chairperson when the Mayor or Council Chairperson is absent from the Commonwealth. In codifying TLL 21-8, the Commission omitted drafting marks pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(g).