TITLE 10: LOCAL LAWS DIVISION 3: THIRD SENATORIAL DISTRICT (SAIPAN, ETC,)
§ 3151. Establishment and Ratification. The Office of the Mayor of Saipan is hereby authorized by this Act to develop and implement the Saipan street naming and addressing master map using the standards described in 10 CMC § 3154 of this Act. This Act further affirms the Saipan street name master map that was approved by the Saipan local delegation in December 1998, and as amended after its approval and adoption. The December 1998 street name master map provided for thirty-two different themes, which where the basis for the development of street names in the zone encompassing each theme. This Act reaffirms the thirty-two themes and shall remain the basis for developing names of streets in future changes in street names. Source: SLL 11-3, § 3, modified; repealed and reenacted by SLL 21-14, § 4(A) (June 17, 2020). Commission Comment: SLL 11-3 which created this article took effect January 22, 1998. SLL 11-3 contained short title, findings and purpose, severability, and savings clauses as follows: Section 1. Short Title. This Act may be referred to as the “Saipan Street Naming and Street Address Numbering Act of 1998.” Section 2. Findings and Purpose. More than ten years ago, Saipan Local Law 5-6 was signed by then Governor Pedro P. Tenorio. The purpose of the law was clear—to name and number the streets and buildings of Saipan. Though the Street Directory Commission was abolished by Executive Order 94-3, its duties and mandate under the law were not abolished but were instead transferred to the Office of the Mayor of Saipan. Despite the existing law, to date the task of naming and numbering streets has yet to be completed. The situation is reaching crisis proportion and, especially in these tough economic times, the Legislature finds that the CNMI needs organization of this sort to encourage economic efficiency. The Office of the Mayor has been working on the task, but final adoption of its recommendations and implementation are now necessary. … Section 9. Severability. If any provision of this Act or the application of any such provision to any person or circumstance should be held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this Act or the application of its provisions to persons or circumstances other than those to which it is held invalid shall not be affected thereby. Section 10. Savings Clause. This Act and any repealer contained herein shall not be construed as affecting any existing right acquired under contract or acquired under statutes repealed or under any rule, regulation or order adopted under the statutes. Repealers contained in this Act shall not affect any proceeding instituted under or pursuant to prior law. The enactment of this Act shall not have the effect of terminating, or
TITLE 10: LOCAL LAWS DIVISION 3: THIRD SENATORIAL DISTRICT (SAIPAN, ETC,) any way modifying, any liability, civil or criminal, which shall already be in existence at the date this Act becomes effective. In addition to severability and savings clause provisions, SLL 21-14 included the following Title and Findings and Purpose sections: Section 1. Title. This Act shall be known as the “Saipan Street and Addressing Act of 2019.” Section 2. Findings and Purpose. The Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation finds that Saipan Local Law No. 5-6, enacted on February 11, 1988, provided, among other things, for the establishment of the Saipan Street Directory Commission. Almost ten years after S.L.L. No. 5-6 was enacted, Saipan Local Law No. 11-3 took effect and modified certain sections of S.L.L. No. 5-6. The Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation further finds that the Saipan street name master map was approved and adopted in December 1998. Since its adoption to to-date, the Saipan street master map has not been updated to reflect street name changes that were enacted (by legislations) following its adoption. In addition, the delegation finds that the remaining component of the Saipan street name master map, the street addressing master map, which S.L.L. No. 11-3 required to be implemented after the adoption of the street name master map, was not developed nor implemented. Twenty-one years after the adoption of the Saipan street name master map, the development of the street addressing master map has been completed. The street addressing master map is now ready for implementation. Implementation of the street addressing master map and update of the street name master map shall be the responsibility of the Office of the Mayor of Saipan. The delegation further finds that S.L.L. No. 5-6, as amended, tasked the Department of Public Works to maintain, repair, and replace damaged and lost street name signs, update and maintain the master map current, among other things, but after twenty years since the adoption of the street name master map, the task remains to be performed. The delegation finds that significant amount of public funds has been expended to develop the Saipan street name and addressing master map, and that it is prudent to designate the Office of the Mayor of Saipan to be sole agency to be responsible for maintaining and implementing the master map. This Act shall repeal 10 CMC §§ 3111 – 3120, in response to issues of potential violation of Article VI, § 8 of the NMI Constitution regarding the establishment of a new agency of local government. Article VI, § 8 require the affirmative vote of two-thirds of persons qualified to vote in the senatorial district to be served by the new agency of local government. Concerns have been raised that the establishment of the Saipan Street Directory Commission in S.L.L. No. 5-6, codified at 10 CMC §§ 3111 – 3120, might have violated article VI, § 8 of the NMI Constitution. Repealing 10 CMC §§ 3111 – 3120 in their entirety would
TITLE 10: LOCAL LAWS DIVISION 3: THIRD SENATORIAL DISTRICT (SAIPAN, ETC,) remove any question that the establishment of the Saipan Street Directory Commission was unconstitutional. This Act repeals S.L.L. No. 5-6 in its entirety and sets forth modifications and repealers to 11-3, and at the same time, adds new provisions for the efficient and convenient implementation of the Saipan street name and addressing master map.