Title 1, Government

Burial in Veterans Cemetery. (a) Any eligible person or veteran of the United States Armed Forces shall be buried without charge in the CNMI Veterans Cemetery. (b) The executive officer shall establish a fee schedule, which may be adjusted from time to time, for the interment or …

CNMI Veterans Cemetery Revolving Fund. (a) There is hereby established a special account called the CNMI Veterans Cemetery Revolving Fund (BU 1963) separate from the General Fund. Any fees, donations or contributions to the Veterans Cemetery in connection with the use of the ceme…

Maintenance. The Office of Military Liaison and Veterans Affairs shall maintain the grounds and facilities of the Veterans Cemetery. Source: PL 17-61 § 2(20140) (Nov. 8, 2011); amended by PL 20-49 § 2 (Mar. 28, 2018), modified. Commission Comment: The Commission changed “veteran’…

Rules and Regulations. (a) The Office of Military Liaison and Veteran Affairs shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this article; provided that the rules and regulations shall conform to the operational standards and measures of the Natio…

Rota Veterans Cemetery. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the Department of Public Lands shall designate one hectare of feasible public land on the island of Rota to be preserved and designated as the future site of the Rota Veterans Cemetery. Source: PL 17-60…

Tinian Veterans Cemetery. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the Department of Public Lands shall designate two hectares of feasible public land on the island of Tinian as the future site of the Tinian Veterans Cemetery. Source: PL 17-84 § 3 (September 27, 2012…

Voluntary Veterans’ Preference in Employment. There shall be a permissive preference in private employment for certain veterans as set forth herein. (a) In every private, nonpublic employment in this state, honorably discharged soldiers, sailors, and marines who are veterans of a…

Definitions. For the purpose of this chapter, the terms: (a) “All Hazard Incident or Event” means a hazard incident or event that needs an organized response by a public, private, and/or government entity to protect life, public health and safety, values to be protected, and to m…

Organization. There shall be in the Office of the Governor, an office the “CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management.” (a) The CNMI Special Assistant Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) shall be shall be the executive head of the CNMI Homeland Security and Eme…

Duties and Responsibilities. (a) The CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management shall seek appropriate input and coordination from federal agencies within the United States Department of Homeland Security; such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Coast Guard, U.…

Declaring a State of Major Disaster or a State Significant Emergency. The Governor upon the occurrence of a major disaster or a state significant emergency shall declare a state of major disaster or a state significant emergency. Prior to making this declaration, the Governor sha…

Advisory Commission and Task Force. (a) In the CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management, there shall be a CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management Advisory Committee to be chaired by the Special Assistant for Homeland Security and Emergency Management and shall comp…

Funding and Compensation. (a) The compensation for the Special Assistant of Homeland Security and Emergency Management shall not exceed a base salary of $60,000.00 per annum. The compensation for the Deputy Special Assistant of Homeland Security and Emergency Management shall not…

Rules and Regulations. The Special Assistant of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and other affected agencies are authorized to promulgate and implement such rules and regulations as are reasonable and necessary to implement and effectuate the provisions of this Article.…

Commonwealth Emergency Management Assistance Compact Act of 2019. The Legislature, hereby authorizes the Governor of the Commonwealth Northern Mariana Islands, to enter into a compact on behalf of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands with any other state or territorie…

Placement to the Office of the Governor. The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation is hereby transferred from the Department of Public Health and placed under the Office of the Governor. In accordance with the conditions and requirements of 34 C.F.R. § 361.13, the Office of Vocatio…

Appointment. The Director of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation shall be appointed by the Governor and serve at the pleasure of the Governor. Source: PL 14-81, § 6.

State Rehabilitation Council. As mandated by section 105(a)(1) of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998, a State Rehabilitation Council has been established to advise and evaluate the performance of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation among other duties. The State Rehabil…

Funding. The Director of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation shall include in an annual budget request to the Governor and the Legislature for the matching requirements of the federal program funds. Source: PL 14-81, § 5.

Establishment of the Office of Transit Authority. (a) There is established within the Office of the Governor, a Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority. (b) The Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority shall be administered by a Special Assistant for Public Transportation who sh…

Duties and Responsibilities. The Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority's duties and responsibilities are as follows: (a) Formulate goals and objectives for the establishment of a public transportation system for the Commonwealth. (b) Develop and establish a public transportati…

Appropriation. The Legislature shall appropriate funds necessary to meet the twenty percent matching fund requirement, if any, at such time that the Commonwealth is required to match federal funds. Source: PL 17-43 § 2 (May 27, 2011).

Office of Planning and Development: Establishment. (a) There is established within the Office of the Governor a Commonwealth Office of Planning and Development. (b) The Commonwealth Office of Planning and Development shall be administered by a Director for Planning and Developmen…

Office of Planning and Development; Staff Organization. The staff of the Office of Planning and Development shall be organized into such divisions, sections, or units as are sufficient to appraise, coordinate, and assist in the preparation of long-range planning programs for the …

Office of Planning and Development; Responsibilities and Authority. The responsibilities and authority of the Office of Planning and Development shall be: (a) Prepare Plan. To cause to be prepared, through the services of a consortium of both public and private experts possessing…

Office of Planning and Development; Powers. In the execution of its responsibilities under this article, the Office is authorized to perform the following functions: (a) Grants. To apply for and accept grants, loans, contributions, appropriations, and assistance from the federal …

Advisory Council for Planning and Development. (a) In the Commonwealth Office of Planning and Development, there shall be a Commonwealth Planning and Development Advisory Council to be chaired by the Council member voted on by a majority vote of the members of the Council and sha…

Content of the Commonwealth Comprehensive Sustainable Development Plan. The Comprehensive Sustainable Development Plan for the CNMI shall contain specific elements as follows: (a) Land Use. A land use element together with the appropriate zoning recommendations supporting distrib…

Support and Coordination for Comprehensive Planning. All agencies, departments, boards, commissions, and other instrumentalities of the government of the CNMI shall review their present statutory authority, administrative regulations, and current planning policies and procedures …

Plan Review: Public Hearings. The Plan or any of its elements prepared by the various public agencies or any private entity shall be submitted to the Council for review. Within 45 days following receipt of any such element or elements by the Council, the Council shall hold one or…

Plan Submission. Within 30 days after the hearing of the Plan or any of its elements, the Council shall submit to the Governor and the mayor of each senatorial district its recommendation thereon including a summary of testimony at the hearing(s). Source: PL 20-20 § 3 (Oct. 6, 20…

Cooperation of Other Departments and Agencies. Every department and agency of the government of the CNMI is hereby directed to render such assistance to the Office of Planning and Development and the Council as the Council may require. Source: PL 20-20 § 3 (Oct. 6, 2017).

Plan Adoption. The Plan or any of its elements received by the Governor from the Council shall be approved, disapproved, or referred to the Council for further recommendation prior to approval. The Governor shall have 60 calendar days to act on the Plan or any of its elements sub…

Plan Implementation and Financing. The Comprehensive Sustainable Development Plan shall contain a schedule of programs and projects to be implemented annually. Funding for such programs and projects shall be identified in the Plan by the project’s or program’s principal or admini…

Annual Budget. The Director shall prepare and submit the Office’s first annual fiscal year budget to the Legislature within 90 calendar days of the enactment of this article, and thereafter shall submit its annual budgets prior to the end of each fiscal year. Such budget shall co…

Master Plan Proposals. The Council shall proceed to develop proposals consisting of a scope of work and cost estimates for all elements of the Plan. The Council shall incorporate in its annual budget submission to the Legislature the amount of financial resources needed to facili…

Coordination of Effort. Any existing committee, commission, task force or body mandated to engage in planning for the CNMI or for particular areas or jurisdictions within the CNMI, shall seek to ensure that such planning efforts are provided the appropriate financial, human, tech…

CIP Office: Placement to the Office of Planning and Development. The Office of Capital Improvement Plans is hereby placed under the Office of Planning and Development under the Office of the Governor and shall be the designated state agency for capital improvement plan purposes. …

Establishment of the Commonwealth Medicaid Agency. A Commonwealth Medicaid Agency is hereby established in the Commonwealth government in the Office of the Governor. Source: PL 21-28, § 2 (May 22, 2020). Commission Comment: In addition to severability and savings clause provision…

Establishment of the Commonwealth Medicaid Agency. The Commonwealth Medicaid Agency shall have the following duties and responsibilities. (a) Administer the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programs of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands under Title XIX and T…

Commonwealth wide Operation. The Medicaid State Plan administration and operation is on a Commonwealth wide basis. Source: PL 21-28, § 2 (May 22, 2020). Commission Comment: The Commission numbered this section pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(a).

Health Care Providers and Services. (a) It is the policy of the Commonwealth government that when the medical facilities in the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation are not able to provide adequate diagnostic evaluation or care of a patient’s illness, the government is obligated t…

Coverage and Eligibility and Method of Processing Applications and Determining Eligibility. The Commonwealth Medicaid Agency shall process applications and makes determinations of Medicaid eligibility as follows: (a) Each applicant will be required to submit an application for me…

Coverage and Conditions of Eligibility. (a) Medicaid is available to the following individuals: (1) All Supplemental Security Income cash assisted recipients; (2) Low-income individuals who meet the current Supplemental Security Income resource and income Levels and any applicabl…

Residence. Medicaid is furnished to eligible individuals who reside and intend to remain in the Commonwealth. Source: PL 21-28, § 2 (May 22, 2020). Commission Comment: The Commission numbered this section pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(a).

Amount, Duration, and Scope of Services. The following services may be provided to those determined to be eligible for Medicaid in accordance with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved Medicaid State Plan Amendment(s) and subject to available funding. The follow…