PALIKIR, POHNPEI. April 15, 2024 – The Second Special Session of the 23rd Congress adjourned as scheduled on Day 10, with an extension on the President’s Emergency Declaration, adoption of various grants and nominations and the passage of legislation on matters that included: the importation of e-cigarettes, clarification of fishing violations within the 12-mile zone and the zeroing-out of the cost-of-living allowance for national government employees.
Through the Congressional Act (CA) 23-61,the Congressmade clarifications to Title 24 [Marines Resources] of the Code of the Federated States of Micronesia - Chapter Five, regarding the Conservation, Management and Sustainable Use of Fishery Resourcesand specifically to section 506 regarding the Closed Area. While the Act clarified the prohibition of fishing within the 12-mile zone and expanded on the violation penalties, it however prevented the penalty imposition on longline fishing gears placed beyond the twenty-four nautical mile area that may inadvertently drift into the closed area. The Act further charged the National Oceanic Management Resource Authority with the discretion to review all violations.
Another amendment to the FSM Code was through CA 23-63, which added a new Chapter to Title 54 [Taxation and Customs]. The new Chapter 11 is entitled: “Nicotine Delivery System Import and Export Control Act of 2024”, and prohibitedthe importation and exportation of nicotine delivery systems including e-Cigarettesinto the Nation. Accordingly, the Act charged the Department of Finance and Administration as the enforcement and regulation authority.
An amendment to Title 52 [Public Employment] of the FSM Code was made through CA 23-66 to zero out the national government employee allowance of $40 per 80hrs. According to the Act, the cost-of-living allowance (COLA) provided in 2015 to FSM government employees will be reduced to zero $0 beginning July 1, 2024.
The final amendment to the FSM Code was also made to Title 54 [Taxation and Customs] through CA 23-68, to raise the exemption limit to $500 on the amount of other goods that can be brought into the FSM duty free for a person’s personal use or consumption and for other purposes.
Along with changes to the FSM Code, the Congress also made changes to previous laws that funded public projects and social programs across the Nation. The new amendments made changes to either the use, the lapse dates or the allottees of funds previously appropriated in the states and they begin with:
- CA 23-62, CA 23-65, CA 23-70 and CA 23-73 thru CA 23-75, for amendments to previous projects and social programs in all four states of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap;
- CA 23-72, made amendments to previous projects and social programs in the states of Chuuk and Pohnpei;
- CA 23-69,CA 23-71, CA 23-76, focused on amendments to previous projects and social programs in Chuuk State; and finally
- CA 23-64and CA 23-67 both involved changes to use of and allottees of funds previously appropriated to fund Capital and Human Resources Development of the National Government.
All the passed Congressional Acts were transmitted to the President for his signature into Public Laws of the Nation. Following the passage of the legislative measures, the Second Special Session of the 23rd Congress adjourned sine-die on
April 11, 2024.
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