An Act to implement the U.S. Food Stamp Program in the Norther Marianna Islands and for other purposes (P.L. 2-14)

. . 0 0 The Honorable. Pedro P. President, The Senate and Rep.) The Honorable I, Pangelinan of Representatives Second 96950 President Tenorio and I am pleased to you that have signed into law t h i s date Mouse Bill 174, H.D.2, was passed by the Second Marianas Legislature, Regular Session, 1981. House H.D.2, "An Act to the U.S. Food Stamp the Northern Islands and for other purposes." Bill Public Law No. 2-14. of the above Bill my signature is s. 3 3 ,, o. /) 0 ~ I>(} y • ~ommonwealtb of tbt Jlortbtm ;fflariana Jslanb c9ff itt of tbt ~obernor .51itan, .fllariana l1land1 96950 Tenorio r,nv r.OMM NO 3 '3 (House oi Joaquin cJ) Speaker House Northern Marianas CCimonweal th legislature Saipan, CM . ~ Speaker Pangelinan: infonn I camon~th Bill 174, Program in becxloos which is Mariana Thi.rd implerent Cert=fied copy . bearing ~w;L. • th for your file and ready reference Ha JJai, . . !u~ CAMAOIO Governor Northern This f~rded GOV. con1i,. fJO. (House of Ren.1:--.;;.,. PUBLIC NO. 2-14 SECOND NORTHERN MARIANAS COMMONWEALTH SLATURE THIRD REGULAR SESSION, 1981 AN ACT To implement the U.S. Food Stamp Program i n t he Northern Mariana Is lands and f o r o ther purposes. Date: September 25, 1980 House Act ion Referred to : Committee on Health, Education and Welfare Standing Committee Report No. 2-65 F i r s t Reading: November 21, 1980 Second Reading: 17, 1980 Senate Act ion Referred to: Committee on Programs Standing Committee Report No. 2-76 F i r s t Reading: January 21, 1981 Second Reading: January 22, 1981 .. • . / . 1/ '· • I· December . . 11\W H.B. 174, H,0,2 1 LEGI GOV. co~~M Nn. 3 3 (Uou~e ot n3p.) ~.~~~~d?~ raeb,111 J. J>angcl inan u~ Clerk . House of Representatives J{IN :1 uW11 * SECOND NORTHERN MARIANAS LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION, HOUSE BILL 174, H.D. 2 AN ACT , To implement the Food Stamp Program i n t he Northern Mariana Islands and for other purposes. 2 '4 6 10 11 13 14 , 17 18 19 20 21 I , BE IT ENACTED BY THE NORTHERN MARIANAS COMMONWEALTH LEGISLATURE: Section 1. Definitions. For the purposes of this Act (a) "State Agency" means the Commonwealth Department of and Cul'tural Affairs ; (b) "food" means any food or food products f o r human consumption except alcoholic beverages and tobacco, and shall include seeds and plants and supplies approved by United S ta t e s of Agriculture for use i n gardening and i n f ishing t o produce food f o r personal consumption of the e l i g i b l e household; (c) "food stamp coupons" means any coupon, stamp, o r type of c e r t i f i c a t e used under the Federal Food Stamp Act of 1977, as amended; and ( d ) card s me an s au t h o r i z a ti on - t pa r t i c p a t e cards As authorized by P.L. 1-28 the Section 2. Food Stamp Program. S ta te Agency shal l implement a Food Stamp Program i n the i n accordance w i t h the provisions of the Federal Food Stamp Act of 1977. The S ta te Agency shall- (a ) adop t rules and regulations necessary t o carry out the Food Stamp Program which shal l have the e f f e c t of law; (b) cooperate with Federal Government and do a l l t h i n g s necessary to continue the e l i g i b i l i t y under the Food Stamp Program; and , i I ! , I I . . .. THIRD · • 3 ~mm1.m i ty ,, I li .5 7 8 9 12 15 16 u.s. COMMON\.IEALTH 1981 "ATP II the Commonwealth's Department o- i • Commonwea 1th H.B. 174, H.D.2 1 2 3 Section 3. Unlawful Acts. Notwithstanding any other provision o f (c) take in to account i n the performance o f i t s duties and i n conjunction w i t h . - the U.S. Department o f Agriculture the ci tances and cond i t i ons o f the Commonweal t h . 6 7 9 10 11 12 , , 14 (a) any person receiving ass is tance under the Food Stamp Program who f a i l s t o report t o the Sta te Agency a change of his s t a tu s which adversely a f f ec t s his e l i g i b i l i t y o r decreases the amount of benefi t fo r which he i s eligible, ten days o f the change, i s gu i l ty of a misdemeanor; (b) any person who knowingly makes f a l s e statements f o r the purpose of influencing the action of the S ta te Agency i n connection w i t h i t s respons ib i l i t i e s under the Federal Food Stamp Act of 1977, as amended, w i t h respect t o the ce r t i f i c a t i on o f 15 16 households applying fo r par t ic ipat ion i n the Food Stamp Program and the issuance under such of food stamp coupons t o households 17 18 19 20 21 i s gui l ty of a misdemeanor; (c) any person who knowi ngly uses, t r ans fe rs acquires, a l t e r s , o r possesses food stamp coupons o r ATP cards i n any manner not authorized by the Federal Food Stamp Act of 1977, a s amended, or the Federal regulations issued pu r suan t there to , or regulations of the State Agency, and the face value of such food stamp coupons 23 24 ( d ) any person who knowingly uses, transfers, acquires, 25 a l t e r s , or possesses food stamp coupons o r ATP cards i n any manner or ATP cards i s $100 or l e s s i s gu i l t y of a misdemeanor; e e 2 I ! ! ! I , I ! I . I I , I i I ....--- .. ---- --~ ~- ~·-- - . -·-· --·-~· rcums 4. 5 --- law 8 w.ithin 13 program 22 Page . i 174, not authorized by the Federal Food Stamp Act of 1977, a s amended, or the Federal regulat ions issued pursuant there to , o r regulations of State Agency, and the face value o f such food stamp coupons o r ATP cards exceeds is g u i l t y o f a felony; 5 (e) any person who knowingly t rans fe rs , acquires, 6 or possesses blank ATP cards o f the Sta te Agency i n a manner not 7 authorized by the Sta te Agency is gu i l t y of a felony; ( f ) any person who knowingly counterfe i ts , forges, or 9 a l t e r s any food stamp coupons or any ATP-cards issued by the S ta te 10 . 12 13 14 15 '! , . . 18 , 19 , . 21 22 23 Agency i n connection w i t h i ts respons ib i l i t i e s under the Federal Stamp Act o f 1977, as amended, i s gu i l t y of a' felony; any person who knowingly a l t e r s , publishes, or p u t s in to c i rcula t ion any counterfe i t , forged, or tered stamp coupons or ATP cards is gu i l t y o f a felony; (h ) any person who threatens, intimidates, bribes or attempts to b r ibe any of the s t a f f , authorized representat ives, o r o f the Food Stamp intending thereby t o cause such persons t o v io la te one or more of the laws or regulat ions governing the program i s q u i l t y o f a felony; any person who conveys, lends, t rans fe rs or otherwise disposes o f his property i n such a way as t o maintain de facto control for the purpose o f rendering his household e l i g ib l e fo r part icipation i n the Food Stamp Program is gu i l t y of a felony; and 24 25 (j) any person knowingly a ids or abets another t o commit a under this section is quil ty of a misdemeanor, I • • I I i l 2 ;1. the 4 $100 8 . , .. 11 Food (g) 16 " 17 agents ii 20 (i) ., •I j; ' over it ' ., .. " misdemeanor H.B. H.D.2 uses, al ff'lod l - J. Program who I ! .. I I I rage 3 1. H.B. 174, 1 2 Section 4. Penalties. A person convicted o f a felony under Section and any person who knowingly a i d s o r abets another to commit a felony under t h i s section is g u i l t y o f a felony. . - a * 4 5 3 o f this Act shal l be punished by imprisonment fo r not more than f i v e years, o r a f ine not to exceed $2,000, or both. A person convicted of a 6 misdemeanor under Section 3 o f t h i s Act s h a l l be punished by imprisonment 7 8 9 Section 5. Other Uses of Food Stamp Coupons. To the extent 11 12 13 14 i' ! 15 an unauthorized use or t r ans fe r of food stamp coupons. for not more than one year, or a f i n e not t o exceed $1,000, or both. penalties provided i n this section shal l be exclusive under Commonwealth law f o r any action const i tut ing any such felony misdemeanor. The I consis tent w i t h the Federal Food Stamp Act o f 1977, a s amended, or regulations issued pursuant there to , or regulations issued pursuant t o this Act, use o f food stamp coupons t o acquire food fo r consumption i n re l ig ious , and extended family a c t i v i t i e s s h a l l nor; be deemed , I 16 Section 6. Effective Date. T h i s Act shal l take e f f e c t upon i t s 17 approval by the Go i ! ! ATT steban I. Pangelina House Clerk , 1981 I' I i o f the Northern Mariana Islands , I Page •' I· 11 I . p ,, i: I .. .. .. i' ; ~ ii ,. 11 ;, i ~ ,, I; ,. •i I ,· ;, ·1 3 10 • communal, Jvernor, Joaquin Pangelinan Soeaker of the House H.D.2 or. becoming law without such approval. Pedro PvTenori~ President of the Senate : .-!~=l-~~.....,.~~ ,, .......... .a.....,r1- 0 Co al ti .4