TITLE 2: NATURAL RESOURCES
DIVISION 4: LAND RESOURCES
§ 4354. Eligibility Criteria. Applicants for the Homestead Compensation Program shall meet the following eligibility criteria: (a) An applicant shall be of Northern Marianas descent as defined in N.M.I. Const. art. 12, § 4; (b) An applicant shall be at least 18 years old; (c) An applicant or his or her spouse may own, have an interest in, or be a recipient of a village homestead lot but shall not own or have any interest in any agricultural homestead or have been a recipient of an agricultural homestead. The board of directors of the DPL may waive this requirement if in its opinion the application of this provision with respect to an applicant would deprive an applicant of fair compensation for a prior transfer of interest in or encroachment upon the applicant’s land; and (d) An applicant or his or her predecessor in interest shall have been inadequately compensated for a transfer of interest in or encroachment upon land caused by prior governmental action after January 1, 1946, but prior to January 9, 1978. Source: PL 3-103, § 5; (c) global amendment by PL 15-2, § 4. Commission Comment: With respect to the references to “MPLC,” see Executive Order 94-3 (effective August 23, 1994), reorganizing the executive branch, changing agency names and official titles, and effecting other changes, set forth in the Commission comment to 1 CMC § 2001; see also the comment to 2 CMC § 4142. PL 15-2, which was enacted on February 22, 2006, abolished the Marianas Public Lands Authority and created a Department of Public Lands in its place. PL 15-2 contained short title, legislative findings and declaration of policy, repealer, global amendment, transition, severability, and savings clauses. See 1 CMC § 2801 for detailed information regarding PL 15-2.