Title 6, Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Impoundment. (a) The following shall be subject to impoundment whereby the Commonwealth shall take temporary physical custody and no property ownership rights shall be transferred: (1) All vehicles driven or operated by motorists who during the operation of said vehicles, violate…

Disturbing the Peace. (a) A person commits the offense of disturbing the peace if he or she unlawfully and willfully does any act which unreasonably annoys or disturbs another person so that the other person is deprived of his or her right to peace and quiet, or which provokes a …

Riot. (a) A person commits the offense of rioting if he or she assembles with two or more other persons and together with the latter, by force, violence, loud noise, shouting or threats, places others in fear or danger. (b) A person convicted of rioting may be punished by impriso…

Bigamy. (a) A person commits the offense of bigamy if that person unlawfully and willfully marries any person while legally married to any other living person, provided that no person may be convicted of bigamy whose wife or husband has been absent for a period of five years and …

Nuisance. (a) A person commits the offense of maintaining a nuisance if by an act or neglect of a legal duty he or she maintains or allows to exist a thing or a place in a condition which is a hazard or otherwise prejudicial to the health, comfort, safety, property, or to rights …

Duty to Report Wounds or Deaths. (a) Every person who gains knowledge of a rape, aggravated assault, or death or injury resulting from a knife wound, bullet wound, powder burn, or other cause sustained in a suspicious or unusual manner or under conditions suggesting poisoning or …

Fireworks Control. (a) Definitions. For the purposes of this section, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following definitions shall apply: (1) “Combustible substance” means any substance so arranged as to bum in more than one second. (2) “Explosive substance” or…

Excavation for or Removal of Human Remains. (a) It is unlawful for any person to excavate, dig or look for the remains of a human body without a permit as provided by this section. (b) Any person who desires to dig, excavate or search for human remains shall first obtain a permit…

Use of Potassium Cyanide. (a) It is unlawful for any person to use or possess potassium cyanide in the Commonwealth. This prohibition does not apply to any person employed by the Commonwealth government who is using potassium cyanide in connection with his or her official duties.…

Use or Possession of Tobacco by Persons Under the Age of TwentyOne (21) (a) It is unlawful for any person to give, or permit to be given, or in any way furnish to an individual under the age of 21, any tobacco product. It shall not be a defense to a prosecution for a violation of…

Sale by a Dealer of Motor Vehicle Not Conforming to Federal Safety Standards. The sale or offer for sale by a dealer of a motor vehicle which is not covered by a certification issued under 49 U.S.C. § 30115, as amended, and regulations promulgated thereunder, is prohibited. For p…

Terroristic Threatening. (a) A person commits the crime of terroristic threatening if the person knowingly makes a false report that a circumstance dangerous to human life exists or is about to exist and (1) places a person in fear of physical injury to any person; (2) causes eva…

Loitering Outside a Business Establishment on a Public Thoroughfare or Tourist Site is Prohibited. (a) A person commits loitering if the person is found on a public thoroughfare or tourist site engaged in the following conduct: (1) Attempting to stop or detain a person by shoutin…

Unauthorized Practice of Law. (a) Except as otherwise permitted by law or rule, no person or association of persons, except active members of the NMI Bar Association, admitted and licensed to practice as attorneys-at-law, shall: (1) Appear as attorney, representative or counselor…

Criminal Electronic Impersonation. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person who knowingly and without consent credibly impersonates another person or assumes a false identity, through or on an Internet website or by other electronic means or communications, for …

Unlawful Tattooing of Minors. (a) A person commits the offense of unlawful tattooing of a minor if the person performs or offers to perform a tattooing upon a minor without receiving the consent of the minor’s parent or legal guardian; and (b) For purposes of this section, the fo…

Theft of Pet. (a) A person commits the offense of theft of a pet if the person, with the intent to deprive or defraud the owner thereof, takes, leads away, confines, secretes, or converts any pet. (b) A person convicted under this section may be punished by imprisonment of not mo…

Disorderly Conduct & Public Intoxication Prohibited. A person who commits any of the following acts is guilty of disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor: (a) A person who solicits anyone to engage in or who engages in lewd or dissolute conduct in any public place or in any place open t…

Legislative Intent. It is the intent of the legislature that the Commonwealth be completely selfregulating in all areas having to do with gambling and gambling devices, and that most forms of gambling should be prohibited by local law. Source: PL 3-70, § 1. Commission Comment: PL…

Legislative Findings. The legislature finds that certain forms of betting and gambling require a higher degree of skill or knowledge to win, and are more readily accepted by the people of the Commonwealth. These forms include poker machines, bingo, raffles, bato, and cockfighting…

Exemption from Federal Law. Pursuant to the authority vested by 15 U.S.C. § 1172, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is exempted from the provisions of 15 U.S.C. § 1172. Source: PL 3-70, § 3. Commission Comment: The cited statute, 15 U.S.C. § 1172, provides that it …

Definitions. For purposes of this article: (a) “Gambling device” means: (1) Any so-called “slot machine” or any other machine, electronic or mechanical device which awards prizes to the operator based upon the chance matching or alignment of symbols or insignia, and: (A) Which, w…

Gambling Activities Prohibited. It is unlawful for any person covered by this article as a business to deal, play, or carry on, open, or cause to be opened, or conduct, either as owner or employee, any gambling device, game of craps, keno, faro, monte, roulette, lansquenet, punch…

Exemptions: General Exemptions. (a) This article does not apply to: (1) Music machines, weighing machines, and machines which vend cigarettes, candy, ice cream, food, confections, gum, or other merchandise, in which there is deposited an exact consideration and from which in ever…

Exemptions: Nonprofit Organizations. [Expired; text left for reference purposes.] The Director of Finance and the Attorney General shall annually certify any nonprofit corporations or other organizations that desire to wholly own, operate, and engage in gambling activities solely…

Refunds of License Fees or Taxes. Upon receipt of an application for refund within 30 days from August 29, 1983, and upon the certification by the Department of Commerce and Labor and the Division of Revenue and Taxation that full payment has been received for any license fees or…

Criminal Penalties. Any person who knowingly and willfully violates any provision of this article or 4 CMC § 1503(a)(2) or (a)(5) (relating to the license fees for amusement machines) is guilty of a misdemeanor, and may be punished by a fine not more than $2,000, or by imprisonme…

Wearing Mask, Hood, or Other Device on Licensed Property. (a) No person shall enter upon or into any casino gaming establishment in the Commonwealth regardless of location, while wearing any mask, hood, false whiskers, personal disguise (whether complete or partial) or other devi…

Gambling Exemption Authorized. Any corporation or association of persons chartered by the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for any lawful purpose other than pecuniary profit pursuant to Title 4, Division 4 [4 CMC § 4101 et seq.] may apply for an exemption to article 2…

Exemption Procedure. The Registrar of Corporations shall grant exemptions to article 2 of this chapter [6 CMC § 3151 et seq.] on a specific occasion basis upon a showing of compliance with the following: (a) The applicant shall be a duly chartered corporation or association for p…

Extent of Exemption. Exemptions from the provisions of the preceding article 2 of this chapter [6 CMC § 3151 et seq.] which are granted pursuant to this article shall be for specific occasions and events and shall be permitted not more frequently than one occasion per calendar qu…

Compensation Restriction. No person, corporation or association may receive more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the gross receipts, whichever is smaller, as compensation, excluding verifiable costs, for conducting a gambling event pursuant to this article. Source: PL 4-7, § 4, modi…

Penalties. An applicant’s failure to provide a financial summary pursuant to 6 CMC § 3162(f) is a misdemeanor punishable by not more than a $5,000 fine. A failure to provide the financial summary shall permanently disqualify the applicant from further exemption. Source: PL 4-7, §…

Rules and Regulations. The Attorney General shall within 30 days of July 25, 1984, promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to fully implement the provisions of this article. The Attorney General may by regulation also impose a reasonable fee to cover the adminis…

Definitions. The following words and phrases, whenever used in this article, shall be construed as defined in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: (a) “Attached bar” means a bar area of a restaurant. (b) “Bar” means an establishment that is devoted to the …

Prohibition of Smoking in Government Facilities. Except as otherwise provided for in this article, smoking is prohibited in all enclosed areas and outdoor areas within 25 feet of any doorway entrance or exit to a government facility that is owned, leased or operated by the govern…

Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places. Except as otherwise provided in this article, smoking is hereby prohibited in all enclosed areas of public places within the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, including but not limited to the following: (a) Galleries, libraries…

Prohibition of Smoking in Places of Employment. (a) To the extent otherwise permitted pursuant to this article, smoking shall be prohibited in all enclosed facilities within places of employment, or within 25 feet of any person who is not smoking if the place or site of work is a…

Prohibition of Smoking on Property of the Public School System. (a) It shall be unlawful at all times for any person or an employee of any public school or college to smoke on school or college property. Any person or employee who knowingly violates this section shall be subject …

Prohibition of Smoking in Vehicles When Minors are Present. It is unlawful for a person to smoke a pipe, cigar, e-cigarette, or cigarette in a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, whether said vehicle is in motion or at rest, in which there is a person under the age of 18 pr…

Reasonable Distance. Smoking is prohibited within a reasonable distance of 25 feet outside an enclosed area where smoking is prohibited, so as to insure that tobacco smoke does not enter the area through entrances, windows, ventilation systems, or other means. In no case shall th…

Where Smoking Not Regulated. Notwithstanding any provision of this article to the contrary, the following areas shall be exempt from the provisions of 6 CMC §§ 3173 and 3174: (a) Bars, including open air bars, but not attached bars, at the earlier of (1) an established time when …

Declaration of Establishment as Non-Smoking. Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, an owner, operator, manager, or other person in control of an establishment, facility, or outdoor area may declare that entire establishment, facility, or outdoor area as a nonsmokin…

Posting of Signs. (a) “No Smoking” signs or the international “No Smoking” symbol (consisting of a pictorial representation of a burning cigarette enclosed in a red circle with a red bar across it) shall be clearly and conspicuously posted in every public place and place of emplo…

Non-retaliation. No person or employer shall discharge, refuse to hire, or in any manner retaliate against an employee, applicant for employment, or customer because that employee, applicant, or customer exercises any rights afforded by this article or reports or attempts to pros…

Enforcement. (a) This article shall be enforced by the Department of Public Health or an authorized designee. (b) Notice of the provisions of this article shall be given to all applicants for a business license in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. (c) Any citizen …