TITLE 10: LOCAL LAWS
DIVISION 3: THIRD SENATORIAL DISTRICT (SAIPAN, ETC.)
§ 3921. Definitions. In this article, unless the context otherwise provided or the context clearly requires a different construction or application, the following definitions shall apply: (a) “Board” means the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance Board established under 10 CMC § 3922 of this article. (b) “Delegation” means the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation as provided under 1 CMC § 1404(a). (c) “Financial assistance” includes but is not limited to grants, loans,
merit-based scholarships and other programs of student financial assistance provided by regulation or statute. The SHEFA financial assistance as defined under 10 CMC § 3921(c) shall also be available for students who have not obtained a high school diploma or its equivalent and are enrolled in a trades-type institution such as the Northern Marianas Trades Institute; provided further, that it shall also be available for students who have obtained their high school diploma or its equivalent and are enrolled in other post-secondary educational programs that offer training and certification for nurses or other related medical occupations.. (d) “Fund” means Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance Fund established under 10 CMC § 3925 of this article. (e) “Resident” means a person who is a United States citizen or a United
States permanent resident, who has resided in the municipality of Saipan for at least a year before applying for financial assistance administered by the board and who is attending or has been accepted for enrollment at an institution of higher education or simultaneously enrolled in a high school or a high school equivalency program and a trades-type institution such as the Northern Marianas Trade Institute or other post-secondary vocational programs that offer training and certification for nurses or other related medical occupations in the CNMI, or outside the CNMI. The residency requirement may be met by proof of a parent residing on Saipan for the requisite period. Source: Saipan LL13-21, § 2, modified; subsection (c) and (e) amended by Saipan LL 16-8 § 2 and § 3, respectively; subsections (c) and (e) amended by Saipan LL 16-11 § 2 and § 3, respectively modified. Commission Comment: Saipan Local Law 16-11 (effective February 12, 2010) was not codified until 2012, which followed the publication of the Commonwealth Code (2010), because of a transmission error. The Commission corrected this section to include the SLL 16-11 amendments in 2012. During the codification process, the Commission corrected a manifest error pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(g) by including the amendments of SLL 16-8 § 3 in subsection (e) even though SLL 16-11 failed to incorporate the SLL 16-8 changes to subsection (e). The Commission made this correction for two reasons. First, Section 3 of SLL 16-11 contains underlined notations indicating the phrase to add to subsection (e) without any strike through or
TITLE 10: LOCAL LAWS
DIVISION 3: THIRD SENATORIAL DISTRICT (SAIPAN, ETC.) other notations to indicate that the Legislature intended to remove the following phrase in subsection (e) as added by SLL 16- 8: “or simultaneously enrolled in a high school or a high school equivalency program.” Second, the clear language of the Purpose and Findings section in SLL 16-11 demonstrates that the Legislature did not intend to remove the amendments of SLL 16-8 but rather that high school or high school equivalency programs should remain eligible for scholarships. Section 1 of SLL 16-11 provides: Section 1. Purpose and Findings. The Third Senatorial District Delegation finds that scholarships, specifically, SHEFA and CNMI Scholarships, have been traditionally available to those who have obtained their high school diplomas or a high school diploma equivalent. Recently Saipan Local Law 16-8 increased the scope of financial aid recipients to include those without a high school diploma or its equivalent who have enrolled in a trade-type institution. The Delegation is aware that in addition to traditional trades, many in our community would also like to pursue careers in other fields, particularly nursing where there is hope that qualified nurses can find rewarding work and competitive wages in the Commonwealth's hospital and clinics. The purpose of this Act is to clearly and expressly permit financial assistance to those who have chosen to pursue a career in nursing or other related medical occupations.