Title 1, Government

Unlawful Threats to Election Personnel. Any person who directly or indirectly threatens or intimidates the Commission, its designees, its representatives or its election workers so as to attempt or cause those persons not to perform their duties and responsibilities lawfully and …

Unlawful Registration. A person who signs an affidavit of registration knowing that he does not qualify to vote or who knowingly registers with intent to vote more than once or who registers in an election district in which he does not reside shall, upon conviction, be fined not …

Unlawful Campaign Activities. (a) No person may use the name of the government department or agency to campaign for or express support for a candidate running for public office; nor shall the buying or selling of fundraising materials in support of candidates for public office ta…

Unlawful Sale or Purchase of Alcohol on Election Day. (a) No person may sell, purchase or dispense any alcoholic beverages or liquor while the polls are open on the day of an election. Any person who knowingly and willfully violates this section shall upon conviction be fined not…

Criminal Offenses. (a) No officer or employee of the Commonwealth shall willfully and knowingly make or authorize any expenditure from or create or authorize any obligation or allotment under any appropriation or fund in excess of the amount available therein. (b) No officer or e…

Penalties for Violations. Every person who willfully and knowingly violates any provision of 1 CMC § 7701 is guilty of a crime, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not more than $2,000 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both. Source: PL 3-68, § 702.

Appointment of Special Prosecutor. If the office of the Attorney General receives reports of an alleged violation of 1 CMC § 7701 by either the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney General, or an employee in their respective offices, and the evidence is sufficient to form …

Regulations. An officer or employee of the Commonwealth having administrative control of any appropriation or allocation of resources, subject to the approval of the office of the Special Assistant for Planning and Budgeting, shall prescribe, by regulation, a system of administra…

Public Purpose Requirement. A public official authorized under 1 CMC § 7401 to expend, obligate, encumber, or otherwise commit public funds or properties shall take all steps reasonable under the circumstances to insure the funds and properties are committed for a public purpose …

Administrative Penalties. In addition to any penalty or liability under other law, any officer or employee of the Commonwealth who shall violate the provisions of this section or part shall be subject to appropriate administrative discipline, including, when circumstances warrant…

Duty to Report Violations of this Part. In the case of a violation of this section or part by an officer or employee of the Commonwealth, the head of the branch or department concerned shall immediately report to the Governor, to the office of the Attorney General, and to the pre…

Expiration of Appropriations. (a) Except as provided in this section and in 1 CMC §§ 7204(d), 7301(c) and 7302, no funds appropriated pursuant to annual appropriation acts, or by special appropriations acts shall be obligated or expended after the end of the fiscal year for which…

Construction of Appropriation Acts. No public law shall be construed to make an appropriation out of the Commonwealth General Fund, Treasury, or to authorize the execution of a contract involving the payment of money in excess of appropriations made by law, or to authorize any bo…

Audit. (a) An audit or audits may be conducted by the federal comptroller, the Public Auditor, or by independent auditors upon the concurrence of the Public Auditor. The audit may be done in the area of fiscal accountability, to verify the adequacy of internal controls and the ac…

Metered Services. (a) In making payments for commodities or services, the quantity of which is determined by metered readings, such as gas, electricity, water, and the like, and for telephone services, where the period of receipt covered by the charge begins in one fiscal year of…

Interagency Transfers. (a) Any agency may provide materials, supplies, equipment, work or services to any other agency by mutual agreement. Services so rendered may be on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis, as the heads of such agencies may agree. Materials, supplies, and eq…

Government Employment: Registration with Federal Selective Service System Required. Every male, who is at least 18 years old but has not yet attained the age of 26 years, seeking employment with the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, any branch, agency, instrumentality…

Short Title. This chapter may be known and cited as the Public Employees Strike Act of 1991. Source: PL 7-43, § 1. Commission Comment: PL 7-43 took effect November 1, 1991.

Purpose. The intent and purpose of this chapter is to recognize that there exists a public policy in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands against strikes by public employees as a means of settling their labor disputes; that the uninterrupted and dedicated service of t…

Application. This chapter shall apply to all departments, instrumentalities, agencies, corporations and authorities of the Commonwealth government whether established by statute or the Commonwealth Constitution. For the purposes of this chapter, “Commonwealth government” includes…

Definitions. As used in this chapter: (a) “Department” means the Department of Commerce and Labor; (b) “Director” means the Director of the Department of Commerce and Labor; (c) “Officer” means the Public Employment Disputes Officer; (d) “Panel” means the Interest Arbitration Pan…

Prohibition. The right of public employees to engage in any strike, work slowdown or stoppage, or walk out is not granted. Source: PL 7-43, § 7.

Division of Dispute Resolution; Public Employment Disputes Officer. There is hereby established within the Department of Commerce and Labor a Division of Dispute Resolution. The director shall appoint a Public Employment Disputes Officer to administer the provisions of this chapt…

Declaration of Labor Dispute. The officer shall establish a procedure for filing a declaration of labor dispute. Such a declaration may be filed by either party; provided, however, that if the dispute is with respect to reclassification, promotion, wages or wage-related matters, …

Mediation. Upon receipt of a declaration of labor dispute, the officer shall select a mediator who may meet either jointly or separately with the parties and who shall take whatever steps necessary to persuade the parties to resolve their differences and effect an agreement. The …

Interest Arbitration Panel. (a) If after a reasonable time an agreement has not been negotiated pursuant to 1 CMC § 9708, upon the recommendation of the assigned mediator the officer shall declare an impasse and create an interest arbitration panel to resolve the dispute. The iss…

Fact-Finder. (a) If either party, by written notice to the other party and the officer, requests that matters in dispute be submitted to a fact-finder for recommendations, initiation of fact-finding proceedings shall commence. (b) The officer shall provide the parties with a list…

Enforcement. If the representative of either or both the public employees and the public employer refuse to submit to the procedures set forth in 1 CMC §§ 9707, 9708 or 9709, the parties or the officer may invoke the jurisdiction of the Superior Court. The court shall have jurisd…

Penalties for Disobeying Court Order. (a) Where an organization, group or individual willfully disobeys a lawful order by the Superior Court pursuant to 1 CMC § 9711 or willfully offers resistance to such an order, whether by strike or otherwise, the punishment for each day that …

Department of Public Works. There is in the Commonwealth government a Department of Public Works to be headed by a Director of Public Works. Source: PL 1-8, tit. 1, ch. 15, § 1. Commission Comment: Executive Order 94-3, the “Second Reorganization Plan of 1994” (effective August 2…

Department of Public Works: Director: Appointment. The Director of Public Works shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. Source: PL 1-8, tit. 1, ch. 15, § 2. Commission Comment: With respect to the reference to the “Director of Public Works,” …

Department of Public Works: Duties. The Department of Public Works shall have the following duties and responsibilities: (a) To construct and maintain all public works and roads, unless otherwise provided by law; (b) To construct, maintain, and operate public signs, traffic signa…

Department of Public Works: Rules and Regulations. The Department of Public Works shall adopt rules and regulations regarding those matters over which the department has jurisdiction including establishing reasonable fees for functions authorized under 1 CMC § 2403(b). Source: PL…

Department of Public Works: Staff. The Department of Public Works may employ staff as required to assist it in performing its duties, subject to budgetary appropriation. Source: PL 1-8, tit. 1, ch. 15, § 5, modified. Commission Comment: With respect to the reference to the “Depar…

Department of Public Works: Rights of Way. (a) The Department of Public Works is hereby exclusively authorized to promulgate rules and regulations pertaining to rights of way in all senatorial districts. The Department of Public Works shall also establish and enforce a fee schedu…

Law Revision Commission: Establishment. There is in the judicial branch of the Commonwealth government a Commonwealth Law Revision Commission having the authority and responsibility to perform the duties and functions set forth in this chapter. As used in this chapter, “commissio…

Law Revision Commission: Composition. (a) The commission shall be composed of the following members: (1) The Chief Justice of the Commonwealth Supreme Court, or either an Associate Justice or Superior Court Judge designated by the Chief Justice, who shall preside as chair of the …

Law Revision Commission: Duties and Functions. (a) The commission may formulate and submit proposed legislation to the legislature. (b) Subject to budget appropriation, the commission shall be responsible for codifying Commonwealth laws of a permanent nature and publishing, in a …

Law Revision Commission: Proposed Legislation. (a) In formulating proposed legislation, the commission shall, to the extent feasible, examine: (1) Local customary law; (2) The common law of other American jurisdictions; and (3) Recommendations of the American Law Institute, the N…

Executive Director: Appointment; Duties. (a) The chair of the commission shall, with commission approval, appoint an executive director qualified by training and experience to perform the duties set forth in this section. The executive director shall be exempt from the civil serv…

Revision of Codes. In revising the Commonwealth Code or in producing and revising a Commonwealth Administrative Code, the executive director may, with the approval of the commission: (a) Number and renumber chapters, sections and parts of sections; (b) Rearrange sections so that …

Revision of Judicial Decisions. In publishing decisions rendered by Commonwealth courts, the executive director may revise decisions in compliance with errata orders issued by such courts. Source: PL 8-22, § 3 (§ 3807).

Budget. The commission’s budget shall be considered part of the budget of the judiciary of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, with expenditure authority vested in the chair of the commission. Source: PL 8-22, § 3 (§ 3808).

Revolving Fund. (a) There is hereby created the Law Revision Commission Revolving Fund, which shall be accounted for separately from the General Fund. (b) All monies received either as payment for commission publications or as legislative appropriations for printing or photocopyi…

Assistance in Research; Access to Information. All Commonwealth agencies and their personnel shall give the commission and its staff full information and reasonable assistance in any matters of research requiring recourse to them, or to data within their knowledge or control. Thi…

Administration of the Government Life and Health Insurance Programs. (a) The administration of the government Group Health and Life Insurance Programs is hereby transferred from the Northern Mariana Islands Retirement Fund to the Department of Finance. (b) The Secretary of Financ…