Title 1, Government

Early Voting: Ballot Box. (a) During the period of early voting, the keys to the ballot box used at each early voting polling place will be kept at the Office of the Public Auditor in Saipan. (b) During the period of early voting, DPS must be stationed at the polling place at all…

Early Voting: Issuance of Ballots; Voting Booths. (a) If a request is made to vote early by a registered voter in person, the Commission shall issue a ballot for early voting to the voter. The ballot must be voted on the premises of the Commission, except as otherwise provided in…

Early Voting: Permanent Polling Places for Early Voting. (a) The Commission may establish permanent polling places for early voting by personal appearance at locations throughout the Commonwealth. Any person entitled to vote early by personal appearance may do so at any polling p…

Early Voting: Period for Early Voting; Hours. (a) The period for early voting by personal appearance begins the 7th day preceding an election and extends through the last day before election day; provided that the period for early voting for the Northern Islands begins on the 46t…

Temporary Branch Polling Places. (a) In addition to permanent polling places for early voting, the Commission may establish temporary branch polling places for early voting. (b) Voting at a temporary branch polling place may be conducted on any one or more days and during any hou…

Schedule of Locations and Times for Early Voting. (a) The Commission shall publish during the week before the period for early voting and at least once each week during the period for early voting in a newspaper of general circulation in the Commonwealth a schedule stating: (1) t…

Northern Marianas Descent Registry (NMDR). There is hereby established within the Office of the Commonwealth Election Commission a Northern Marianas Descent Registry (NMDR) for the purpose of maintaining official listings and records of persons of Northern Marianas descent, and o…

Official Northern Marianas Descent Identification Card (ONMDIC). CEC shall design the Official Northern Marianas Descent Identification Card (ONMDIC), which shall be approved by the Governor, the Presiding Officers of the Legislature, and the Mayors of the respective Senatorial D…

Registration. Upon this chapter becoming law and in accordance with this chapter, the Commonwealth Election Commission shall begin the registration of persons of Northern Marianas descent in all the villages on Saipan, the islands north of Saipan, Tinian and Aguiguan, and Rota. T…

Rules & Regulations. CEC may promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to carry out the purpose and intent of this chapter. Source: PL 17-40 § 5 (April 21, 2011), modified. Commission Comment: The Commission replaced “this Act” with “this chapter” pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(d)…

Preparation of Proposed Annual Budget. (a) (1) No later than six months before the beginning of each fiscal year, the Governor shall prepare and submit to the legislature a balanced budget for review as required by N.M.I. Const. art. III, § 9(a) and the provisions of this part. I…

Content of Proposed Annual Budget. The proposed annual budget for each fiscal year shall contain: (a) A detailed, current estimate of the total anticipated financial resources of the Commonwealth for the fiscal year which includes: (1) All revenues and Covenant funds to be receiv…

Budget Requirements. (a) The Governor’s proposed annual budget for each fiscal year shall be a balanced budget. (b) The financial reporting and accounting system of the Commonwealth shall be in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles as set forth in the publicati…

Approval of Annual Budget. (a) The legislature shall act on the proposed annual budget, after establishing the limits of expenditure pursuant to 1 CMC § 7201(d) by enacting annual appropriation acts, which shall include, but not be limited to, all appropriations for operations of…

Budget Timetable; Penalties. (a) The following timetable shall be observed with respect to submission of the Governor’s proposed annual budget and consideration of the budget prior to the beginning of each fiscal year by the legislature: On or Before Action Required April 1 Gover…

Budget Preparation. (a) Each government corporation as defined by 1 CMC § 7103(n), autonomous agency, and regulatory agency shall prepare annually a businesstype budget program which shall be submitted to the Governor or his designee under such rules and regulations as the office…

Court Orders. (a) Except for funds appropriated for settlements and awards, no court may require the disbursement of funds from the Commonwealth Treasury or order the reprogramming of funds in order to provide for such disbursement. Any final judgment of a court shall be paid onl…

Communications to Federal Government. The Governor shall transmit promptly to the presiding officer of each house of the legislature and the Washington Representative a summary or copy of any official submission to any branch or agency of the federal government regarding budgetar…

Review of Expenditures. No later than three months after the end of a fiscal year, the Governor shall submit to the legislature an itemized comparison of amounts appropriated and amounts obligated and expended during the previous fiscal year, and revenues identified and revenues …

Centralization of Auditing Services. The office of the Public Auditor shall conduct or supervise all audits required for or sought by a Commonwealth agency. Source: PL 3-91, § 206.

Audit Standards. (a) The audit standards shall be consistent with the provisions of this part and with generally accepted auditing standards. The audit standards shall incorporate the Standards for Audit of Government Operations, Programs, Activities, and Functions published from…

Audit Procedures and Requirements. (a) At the conclusion of the audit, the Public Auditor or a designee shall discuss the audit with the officials whose agency, grant, contract, or activity is subject to audit and submit to them a list of proposed findings which may be included i…

Office of Personnel Management. There is in the Civil Service Commission an Office of Personnel Management, to be headed by a Director of Personnel appointed by the Commission. The Office of Personnel Management shall implement the personnel plans and policies of the Commission a…

Director of Personnel. The Director of Personnel shall direct and supervise all the administrative and technical activities of the Office of Personnel Management. The Director of Personnel may be removed by the Civil Service Commission only for cause. Source: PL 1-9, § 3; repeale…

Director of Personnel: Qualifications. The Director of Personnel shall have a minimum of five years work experience in personnel administration, and shall subscribe to the principles of the merit system. Source: PL 1-9, § 3, modified; repealed and reenacted by PL 17-80 § 3 (8123)…

Director of Personnel: Duties. The Director of Personnel has the following powers and duties: (a) To serve as the principal adviser to the Governor and his staff on all matters concerning personnel administration; (b) To administer the system of personnel administration for the e…

Personnel Management Functions. Boards, commissions, public corporations, the Legislative and Judicial Branches (for their administrative staffs), and other autonomous agencies subject to the jurisdiction of the Civil Service Commission, may, to the extent of budgetary resources,…

Housing for Officials: Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to provide government housing for the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands. Source: PL 2-4, § 1. …

Housing for Officials: Authorization. The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are authorized to obtain government houses for their private and residential purpo…

Housing for Officials: Consultation and Approval. The Personnel Officer shall consult with the offices of the officials named under 1 CMC §§ 8221 and 8222 and obtain their approval as to which government houses serve their purposes. The Personnel Office shall then designate those…

Housing Allowance. (a) A housing allowance shall not be paid to any government employee or official, or spouse of a government official who holds title to real property or has a lease in real property longer than 10 years, or who, pursuant to a contract, is purchasing a home or a…

Housing Allowance Policy for Recruitment Outside of the CNMI. (a) Regulations in effect on August 1, 2005 on housing allowance or housing benefit for employees who are recruited from outside the Commonwealth shall remain in effect for a period of not more than two years after the…

Election of Membership Class. All class II members shall have the option of transferring to class I membership. (a) Exercise of the option to transfer membership shall be made on forms to be provided by the board. (b) Exercise of the option may be made anytime after May 7, 1989. …

Fund Membership: Ineligible Persons. The following employees are not eligible for membership: (a) Persons whose services are compensated on a fee basis. (b) Independent contractors. (c) Persons whose employment is for a specific project. The board shall determine who are employee…

Statement of Financial Interests. (a) For purposes of this chapter, the following persons shall be referred to as “reporting individuals”: (1) Each elected Commonwealth official; (2) Each appointed Commonwealth official and judicial officer; and (3) Each Commonwealth public emplo…

Content of Statement. Statements of financial interests shall contain the following information: (a) The name, address, and type of any professional, business or other organization (other than the Commonwealth government) in which the reporting individual was an officer, director…

Form of Statement of Financial Interests. The statement of financial interests required to be filed with the Public Auditor shall be completed by typewriting or hand printing, and shall be verified, dated, and signed by the reporting individual personally. It shall be submitted o…

Filing of Statement. (a) Not later than February 1 of each year, the Director of Finance shall certify to the Public Auditor a list (current as of the prior January 1) of the names and mailing addresses of the persons described in 1 CMC § 8511 who are required to file a statement…

Failure to File Statement by Deadline. (a) If any person who is required to file a statement of financial interests by May 1 of any year fails to file such a statement, the Public Auditor shall, by May 15, notify such person by certified mail of his failure to file by the specifi…

Blind Trusts. (a) A public official may transfer all or a portion of the official’s personal assets to a blind trust for the duration of service in public office. The original assets placed in the blind trust shall be listed by the official in the statement of financial interests…

Penalty for Willful Violation of Disclosure Requirements. (a) A person required to file a report of financial interests who refuses or knowingly fails to disclose required information within the time required, or who provides false or misleading information, knowing it to be fals…

Failure to Report by Department, Division, or Deputy Department Heads. A person hired or appointed as the head, deputy head or director of a department in the executive branch who refuses or fails to file a report of financial interests required under this chapter when due may no…

Failure to Report by a Commission or Board Chairman or Member. A person hired or appointed as a commissioner, chairman or member of a Commonwealth commission or board who fails to file a statement of financial interests when due may not hold office, and the person’s name shall no…

Report of Financial Interest of Legislators. Each legislator shall file a statement of financial interests. A legislator who refuses or fails to file the report when due forfeits and shall not be paid salary, per diem, or travel expenses after the due date until compliance, and i…

Report of Financial Interests of Governor and Lieutenant Governor. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor shall each file a statement of financial interests required by this chapter. If the Governor or Lieutenant Governor fails to file the statement when due, salary, per diem, and …

Civil Penalty; Late Filing of Required Statement. A person who fails to file a properly completed and verified statement within the time required by 1 CMC § 8515 is subject to a civil penalty of not more than $10 a day for each day the delinquency continues as the Public Auditor …