11 -----. '>=----- RALPH OLG. TORRES '...'; VICTOR B. HOCOG Governor A.",,,,, 4- Lieutenant Governor COMMONWEALTIJ of I.he NOR'll IERN MARIANA ISlANDS OFfiCE OF THE GOVERNOR o 5 OCT 2018 The Honorable Rafael S. Demapan Speaker, House of Representatives Twentieth Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature Saipan, MP 96950 The Honorable Arnold 1. Palacios Senate President, Tbe Senate Twentieth Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature Saipan, MP 96950 Dear Mr. Speaker and Mr. President: This is to inform you that I have signed into law House Bill No. 20-133, HDI entitled, "To rename Building P of the Northern Marianas College in As Terlaje Hill, Saipan, as the "Agnes Manglona McPhetres Administrative Building" in recognition of her untiring and outstanding contributions to the development of higher education in the Commonwealth; and for other purposes.", which was passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Twentieth Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature. This bill becomes Public Law No. 20-70. Copies bearing my signature are forwarded for your reference. Sincerel, S cc: Lt. Governor; Press Secretary; Attorney General's Office; Northern Marianas College; CNMI Public School System; Special Assistant for Administration; Special Assistant for Programs and Legislative Review CNMI Office of the Governor 1 Juan A. Sablan Memorial Building 1 Capitol Hill, Saipan Caller Box 10007 1 Saipan. MP 96950 1 Telephone: (670) 237-2200 1 Facsimile: (670) 664-2211 1 www.gov.mp 11 Ralph DLG. Torres 1 CN MI Office of the Governor
House of l.r.!presentatives 20 th NORTHERN MARIANAS COMMONWEALTH LEGISLATURE P.o. BOX 500586 SAIPAN, MP 96950 October 1, 2018 The Honorable Ralph DLG. Torres Governor Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Capitol Hill Saipan, MP 96950 Dear Governor Torres: I have the honor of transmitting herewith for your action H. B. No. 20-133, HD1, entitled: "To rename Building P of the Northern Marianas College in As Terlaje Hill, Saipan, as the "Agnes Manglona McPhetres Administrative Building" in recognition of her untiring and outstanding contributions to the development of higher education in the Commonwealth; and for other purposes.", which was passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Twentieth Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature. Sincerely yours, o una ~k Attachment
Twe1ttieth eb:iseature ojtfie CQmmatlif.tJea[tli of tfie :Nartliem g.jariam IskllU[S IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Second Regular Session October 11,2017 REPRESENTATIVE RAFAEL S. DEMAI'AN of Saipan, Precinct 2lfor himself,) in an open and public meeting with an opportunity for the public to comment, introduced the following Bill: II. H. NO. 20-1:1:1, IIIH AN.A.CT TO IUlNiUlIl InJIU)lNfJ I' 011 TlIIl NOUTllIlUN )IIUllliNliS (;OU.llml IN AS 'l'lliu.ji.jll 1111.1" SAJIIAN, AS 'l'ilil "A(;NllS MAN(;f,ONA )U;I'In:TlUlS AmIlNISTUA'l'IVll InJnmN(;" IN IUl(;()(;NI'l'ION 011 111m UN'I'IIUN(; lin)) otjts'un))in(; (;ON'I'IUlnJ'I'IONS '1'0 'l'ilil ))llvlluwmlln'i' 011 IImlllm llj)m;lition IN TlIIl (;OM)IONWEAI:I'II; lin)) )l()il OTIIEIl 1'(JIU'OSllS. The Bill was referred to the House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations, which submitted Standing Committee Report No. 20-127; adopted 5/22/18. THE BILL WAS PASSED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON FIRST AND FINAL READING, MAY 22, 2018; with amendments in the form of H. B. No. 20-133, HD 1 and transmitted to the THE SENATE. The Bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Education and Youth Affairs. THE BILL WAS PASSED BY THE SENATE ON FIRST AND FINAL READING, SEPTEMBER 27, 2018; without amendments and was returned to THE HOUSEOF REPRESENTATIVES. THE BILL WAS FINALLY PASSED ON MAy 22, 2018.
Twentietfi Legisfature of tfie Commonwea[tn ojtfie :Nortfiern Madana Isfanas IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FIRST DAY, THIRD SPECIAL SESSION MAY 22,2018 H. B. No. 20-133, HDI AN ACT TO IUlNA)1I1 InJIU)(N(J I' 011 '1'1111 NOU'I'1II1UN )II\IUI\NAS (;OI,u(m IN I\S TllIUA.JlI 111('(', SAII'I\N, I\S UIE "A(JNllS )II\N(iu)NI\ )U;I'IIiITUllS IU»)IINISTUI\Tln: HIJIWIN(i" IN IUl(;O(iNITION 011 Ililil IJNTIlUNf> I\Nn otj'('s'('i\nninf> (;()NTlUlnJTIONS TO '1'1111 ()IlVlll,0I')1I1NT 011 IImllllll IlInJCATION IN UUl (;mnion\\,eal'l'ii; I\Nn Ii0U O'l'IUlU l'ijilposlls. Be it enacted by the Twentieth Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature: Section 1. Findings and Purpose. The Legislature finds that Agnes Manglona 2 McPhetres, a woman with a great deal of tenacity, learned early in life that in order for her 3 community to harness its greatest potential, it must provide a venue for individuals to 4 challenge themselves academically and seek higher education. Knowing that institutions of 5 higher education across America serve as the economic driving force for their respective 6 communities, Agnes Manglona McPhetres advocated its importance to the Commonwealth of 7 the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) youth and led by example as she pushed herself to 8 receive her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Secondary Education in 1971 from the College of St.
HOUSE BILL 20-133, HDt Mary in Omaha, Nebraska, and a Master's in Education with emphasis on Supervision and 2 Administration from San Jose State University, California, in 1981. 3 Agnes Manglona McPhetres dedicated most of her life to the education of students 4 throughout the Pacific Islands as she served in different positions including Classroom 5 Teacher from 1956 to 1967 at Mt. Carmel School in Saipan; Principal ofst. Cecilia's School 6 in Moen, Chuuk, from 1971-1972; Executive Director of the State Vocational Advisory 7 Council from 1972-1973 for the Trust Territory government; Assistant Director of Education 8 for the Department of Education under the Trust Territory government from 1974-1977; and 9 in 1979 to 1983 she served as the CNMI's Associate Superintendent of Schools. 10 From 1983 to 1999, Ms. McPhetres served as the first President of the Northern 11 Marianas College (NMC). Through her stellar leadership, Ms. McPhetres and her team were 12 able to get the newly founded NMC accredited by the Western Association of Schools and 13 Colleges (WASC) in June of 1985. 14 Ms. McPhetres ability to negotiate among her colleagues in the Pacific paved way for 15 the creation of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), while fostering this vision 16 in which she believed in the "Business Incubator" model. One noteworthy business that 17 continues operations today as a result of the model is that of Island Apparel which started as 18 a result of this nurturing. 19 Her statesman like demeanor was recognized nationally as she was able to muster 20 U.S. Congressional support for the first ever recognized 2 year college to receive Land Grant 21 status normally reserved for 4 year colleges. Her "no nonsense attitude" in getting this 22 federal program out to the CNMI has resulted in millions of federal dollars to aid farmers 23 through teaching them unique and practical ways to farm their fields as well as creating new 24 opportunities to farm aquatic creatures; a practice never heard of before in this part of the 25 world. 26 Initially started through Executive Order No. 25 by then Governor Carlos Camacho in 27 1981 and with a budget of $55,000, Ms. McPhetres was able to maneuver the entity through 28 the roughest of waters. Today, NMC through the enactment of Public Law 3-43 and further 29 strengthened by Public Law 4-34 is a public corporation under the general governance of its 30 own Board of Regents. As a result of these pooled efforts, NMC receives annual local 2
HOUSE BILL 20-133, HDI 1 appropriations of $4 million dollars and maintains a student population of a little over 1,000 2 students. 3 Section 2. Amendment. Title I, General Provisions, Chapter 4, Article 2, 425 of 4 the Commonwealth Code is hereby amended by adding a new (aa) (I) and (2) to read as 5 follows: 6 "(aa) (1). Naming. The building identified as the administration building and 7 labeled as "Building P" is hereby renamed as the "Agnes Manglona McPhetres 8 Administrative Building" in recognition and appreciation of her untiring and 9 outstanding contributions to the Northern Marianas College and to the people of the 10 Commonwealth. This Act shall have a perpetual effect, as this building or any II building in which the NMC President establishes office due to construction, 12 relocation, renovation improvements, or any reason thereafter shall then be duly 13 14 renamed the "Agnes Manglona McPhetres Administrative Building". (2). Dedication. The Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands in 15 coordination with the President of the Northern Marianas College and the family of 16 Agnes Manglona McPhetres shall prepare a plan of dedication within sixty days from 17 the effective date of this Act." 18 Section 3. Appropriation. The Governor is hereby authorized to reprogram the sum 19 of $5,000.00 from the general fund to implement the intent and purpose of this Act. 20 Provided, however, that the signage of the newly named building shall be in conformance 21 with the signage requirements of the Northern Marianas College. 22 Section 4. Severability. If any provision of this Act or the application of any such 23 provision to any person or circumstance should be held invalid by a court of competent 24 jurisdiction, the remainder of this Act or the application of its provisions to persons or 25 circumstances other than those to which it is held invalid shall not be affected thereby. 26 Section 5. Savings Clause. This Act and any repealer contained herein shall not be 27 construed as affecting any existing right acquired under contract or acquired under statutes 28 repealed or under any rule, regulation or order adopted under the statutes. Repealers 29 contained in this Act shall not affect any proceeding instituted under or pursuant to prior law. 30 The enactment of this Act shall not have the effect of terminating, or in any way modifying, 3
HOUSE BILL 20-133, HDI 1 any liability civil or criminal, which shall already be in existence at the date this Act becomes 2 effective. 3 Section 6. Effective Date. This Act shall take effect upon its approval by the 4 Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval. A ttested to by: Certified by: House of Representatives 2(Jh Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature ~'rj-_. ~thi... ~~_U_ d'y ~ s of,2018 Commonwealth of the Nort ern Mariana Islands 4