Palikir, POHNPEI – Convention President Redley Killion called the Fourth FSM Constitution Convention to order at about 10:53 a.m on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 and requested that Delegate Ricky F. Cantero be the Acting Floor Leader for the session since Floor Leader Andrew Yatilman was excused on that day.
During deliberation, Committee Report No. CC-PR-04-02, from the Committee on Public Finance and Revenue, on proposal No. CC-PR-04-02 was adopted. Proposal No. CC-PR-04-02, is proposing to amend the Constitution to provide that distribution of share of foreign assistance from the foreign assistance fund will be made by agreement between the States and National Government instead of shared in equal portions by all of the four States and National Government.
Delegate Proposals introduced are:
Delegate Proposal No. CC-PR-4-45, to amend Article XII of the Constitution by adding a new section to recognize that the natural resources in the FSM are held in trust for future generations and to require that all economic development include mechanism to maintain the sustainability of natural resources within the FSM. This proposal was introduced by the Convention President and assigned to the Committee on General Provision, chaired by Delegate Yoslyn G. Sigrah of Kosrae for review.
Delegate Proposal No. CC-PR-4-46, an amendment to Article XIV of the Constitution to lower the percentage of voters cast required in each state to adopt amendments to the Constitution from the current three-fourth of the votes in three of the four states to two thirds of the votes in three fourth of the states. This proposal was introduced by the Kosrae Delegation and was also assigned to the Committee on General Provision.
Delegate Proposal No. CC-PR-4-47, which seeks to amend Section 3 of Article III of the FSM Constitution to allow dual citizenship for a person born of parents one or both of whom are citizens of the FSM and who is also recognized as a citizen of another nation. Also introduced by the Kosrae Delegation and assigned to the Committee on Civil Liberties and Tradition headed by Delegate Mason Albert of Pohnpei for review.
Delegate Proposal No. CC-PR-4-48- a proposal to amend Section 3(a) of Article IX of the FSM Constitution to require that the Governors of each state shall be the allottee for congressional appropriations for public projects In each respective states. This proposal was introduced was also introduced by the Kosrae Delegation and assigned to the Joint Committees on Government Structure and Function and Public Finance and Revenue headed by Delegates Peter Sitan of Chuuk and Victor Nabeyan of Yap.
Delegate Proposal No. CC-PR-4-49 – to add a new section 4 to Article XII of the FSM Constitution to provide for the Office of Independent Prosecutor. This proposal was also introduced by the Kosrae Delegation and assigned to the Committee on Government Structure and Functions.
Delegate Proposal No.CC-PR-4-50 – an amendment to Article XIII, Section 4 of the Constitution to allow ownership of land or waters for a term of years for the sole purpose of investment and loan security. This proposal was introduced by Delegate Asterio Takesy of Chuuk and assigned to the Committee on Provision for review and action.
Delegate Proposal No. CC-PR-4-51 which was also introduced by the Kosrae Delegation, seeks to amend Article XII of the FSM Constitution by amending Section 1 thereof, by adding a new subsection (c) to provide that funds collected through taxes and fees to the state support priority projects. This proposal has been assigned to the Committee on Public Finance and Revenue.
And the final proposal introduced that day was Delegate Proposal No. CC-PR-4-52. An amendment to Article XI, Section 6 of the Constitution to provide the State Courts the exclusive jurisdiction of cases where interest of land is at issue. This proposal was introduced by Delegate Johnson A. Asher and was assigned to the Joint Committees on General Provision and Government Structure and Functions.