Hagåtña, Guam – Governor Lou Leon Guerrero has signed six bills into Public Law. She also vetoed two bills and transmitted an alternative measure to the Guam Legislature.
Signed
Bill 1-35 (Sen. Regine Biscoe-Lee): Expands the benefits of the Dave Santos Act for small businesses generating a revenue of $250,000 or less annually. Instead of a 5% Business
Privilege Tax (BPT), qualified small businesses pay 3% in BPT. The bill is now Public Law 35-13.
Bill 3-35 (Sen. Louise Muña): Adds Guam War Claims awards to the list of exemptions from executions or attachments that Guam law provides for creditor claims. The bill is now Public
Law 35-12.
Bill 12-35 (Sen. Kelly Marsh Taitano): Establishes consistent and uniform gender references of the Governor of Guam and Lieutenant Governor of Guam. The bill is now Public Law 35-14.
Bill 25-35 (Sen. Telo Taitague): Requires all diesel fuel imported to Guam to meet USEPA standards for ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel. The bill is now Public Law 35-15.
Bill 39-35 (Sen. Telo Taitague): Expands sick and annual leave benefits to Government of Guam employees beyond the 210 working days currently authorized through the leave sharing
program for employees with a catastrophic/chronic illness. The bill is now Public Law 35-11.
Bill 55-35 (Sen. Telo Taitague): Provides an alternate representative for the Judicial and Legislative branches on the Health Insurance Negotiating Team should either branch decide to
enter into a health insurance contract separate from the Executive Branch. The bill is now Public Law 35-16.
Vetoed
Bill 7-35 (Sen. Telo Taitague): Establishes a $1,000 personal fine assessed on each of the directors of member-agencies of the Application Review Committee if any of the members fail
to meet the deadlines to submit reports and statements on land use applications through the Department of Land Management.
Bill 20-35 (Sen. Telo Taitague): Reduces the appropriation to fund the Guam Retirement Security Plan from $500,000 to $300,000. The available $200,000 as a result would be
appropriated to the Guam Police Department for security cameras and related equipment.
Along with the veto of Bill 20, Governor Leon Guerrero transmitted a measure to fulfill the intent of the bill. The Governor’s measure appropriates $200,000 from the General Fund to the
Guam Police Department for security cameras and other equipment.
“The bills I signed help our economy, our environment, our families, our manamko’, and fill any potential gaps during negotiations for our Government’s health insurance contracts,” said Governor Leon Guerrero. “I applaud Senator Lee for championing tax relief for our small businesses. Small business owners and entrepreneurs have been waiting for years for this. Small businesses provide our people with jobs and spur economic growth. My father was a small business owner by founding the Bank of Guam; I understand how essential it is to support small businesses because they strengthen and add jobs to our economy. I hope that by signing Bill 1 into law, it inspires more entrepreneurs to open small businesses of their own.
“I also want to thank Senator Taitague for her trio of bills. Nearly a decade ago, the senator successfully pushed for the regulation of ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel consumption on island. I am glad she is following up with her commitment to a cleaner environment by updating the law’s language to ensure all diesel fuel on island meets USEPA standards. Senator Taitague’s measures also put a spotlight on healthcare coverage, not just by tightening government health insurance negotiations but also by allowing our employees to take much-needed time off to focus on their or their loved
ones’ health,” Governor Leon Guerrero said.
As the first Maga’Håga of Guam, the Governor was also humbled to sign Senator Taitano’s measure to update the gender references of the Governor and Lt. Governor of Guam. “With this
law, we tell every young girl that Guam’s highest positions in government are not reserved only for their brothers; but that they, too, can serve Guam as its Governor and Lieutenant Governor,” said Governor Leon Guerrero.“Although our World War II survivors have been waiting decades for compensation for the atrocities they faced during the Japanese occupation, Senator Muña’s bill will give
our manamko’ some peace of mind that the awards they are expected to receive will not be held against them,” the Governor added.