Public Law No. 19-54

60v. g. o.~ COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS Ralph DLG. Torres Victor B. Hocog Governor Lieutenant Governor 20 JUL 2016 Honorable Francisco M. Borja Senate President, The Senate Nineteenth Northern Marianas ..~O-tT~'~ Commonwealth Legislature , ~ Saipan, MP 96950 ~/ CJ<V tJfefl"tD Honorable Rafael S. Demapan !{E nt' n 1 \ Speaker, House of Representatives \ 0 DATE!~ "" i Nineteenth Northern Marianas ~iME: /0 : ~ "'/ Co.mmonwealth Legislature ~ ~ • ./ Salpan, MP 96950 ..t>1? ~\.~/" ~S'DE.\-;/ Dear Mr. President and Mr. Speaker: - .' ----~. This is to inform you that I have signed into law Senate Bill No. 19-70, HD1, entitled, "To amend 6 CMC § 2301(a) to penalize the importation of banned pesticides; and for other purposes.", which was passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Nineteenth Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature. This bill becomes Public Law No. 19-54. Copies bearing my signature are forwarded for your reference. I want to make it clear that Public Law No. 19-54 should not be construed as repealing PL 19­ 44 because it proposes to create a new subsection (9). cc: Governor; Pr secretary; Attorney General's Office; Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Resources; Public Auditor; Special Assistant for Administration; Special Assistant for Programs and Legislative Review ~i;;rt~ox I~oo; Saipan. MP 96950 T,l"Phon" (670) 237-2200 F acsimil" (670) 664-221 lI2311 1:.:2 ),~ pV-A , Public Law No. 19-54 THE SENATE NINETEENTH NORTHERN MltRIltNItS COMMONWEALTH LE.6ISLItTlJRf: SENATE BILL NO. 19-70, HDI AN ACT To amend 6 CMC § 2301(a) to penalize the importation of banned pesticides; and for other purposes. SENATEACTION Offered by Senator(s): Justo S. Quitugua Date: November 30, 2015 Referred to: None Standing Committee Report No.: None Final Reading: June 21, 2016 HOUSE ACTION Referred to: Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations Standing Committee Report No.: 19-94 adopted on March 29, 2016 First and Final Reading: March 29, 2016 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Public Law No. 19-54 THE SENATE NINETEENTH NORTHERN MARIANAS COMMONWEALTH LEGISLATURE SECOND REGULAR SESSION, 2015 S. B. NO. 19-70, HDI AN ACT To amend 6 CMC § 2301 (a) to penalize the importation of banned pesticides; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE NINETEENTH NORTHERN MARIANAS COMMONWEALTH LEGISLATURE: Section 1. Findings and Purpose. The Legislature finds that although the importation of banned pesticides is prohibited in the Commonwealth, the importation of banned pesticides is not subject to the penalty imposed on the importation of contraband. Banned pesticides contain chemicals that are carcinogenic and toxic for human consumption and should be not be used in the Commonwealth. The Legislature further finds that the importation of banned pesticides should be covered by the laws penalizing the importation of contraband in order to protect and safeguard the health and safety of the people of the Commonwealth. Section 2. Amendment. 6 CMC § 2301(a) is hereby amended by adding a new subsection (9) to read as follows: "§ 2301. Importation of Contraband. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly enter the Commonwealth with the intent to import, or attempt to cause another to bring or import into the Commonwealth, or conceal for the purpose of importation, any of the following items: (1)-(8) [Unchanged.]. (9) banned pesticides as defined by regulations adopted by the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality." 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Public Law No. 19-54 SENATE BILL NO. 19-70, HDI Section 3. Severability. If any provision of this Act or the application of any such provision to any person or circumstance should be held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this Act or the application of its provisions to persons or circumstances other than those to which it is held invalid shall not be affected thereby. Section 4. Savings Clause. This Act and any repealer contained herein shall not be construed as affecting any existing right acquired tmder contract or acquired tmder statutes repealed or tmder any rule, regulation or order adopted tmder the statutes. Repealers contained in this Act shall not affect any proceeding instituted tmder or pursuant to prior law. The enactment of this Act shall not have the effect of terminating, or in any way modifying, any liability civil or criminal, which shall already be in existence at the date this Act becomes effective. Section 5. Effective Date. This Act shall take effect upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval. CERTIFIED BY: TERESITA A. SANTOS SENATE LEGISLATIVE SECRETARY ';I=~--' 2016-"'-W1J ~ Page 2