House majority eyes override of Apatang's budget vetoes to restore PSS, NMC funding

The House majority is preparing to override Gov. David M. Apatang's line-item vetoes of the fiscal year 2027 budget, particularly those affecting the Public School System and Northern Marianas College, according to House Ways and Means Committee chair Rep. John Paul Sablan.

Sablan said the House majority wants to restore the $32 million proposed by the House and Senate for PSS to preserve a four-day school week and increase NMC's funding from $4 million to $6 million.

The lawmaker made the remarks last Oct. 11 during the Attao-Villagomez CNMI Filipino Community Gathering at the Filipino Community pavilion at the Civic Center in Susupe.

Sablan said the committee began reviewing the vetoes shortly after Apatang signed the budget into law.

"The position of the House majority is to override the Governor," Sablan said, adding that education funding remains a priority.

He said committee members have already met with PSS and NMC officials and plan to consult other affected agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management, particularly on provisions involving furloughs and civil service matters.

Once those consultations are completed, Sablan said the committee will be ready to recommend that House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez call a session to consider overriding the vetoes.

The House needs at least 14 votes, representing two-thirds of its 20 members, to override a gubernatorial veto. An override would also require a two-thirds vote in the Senate.

"I believe we have the numbers," Sablan said.

He noted that the Ways and Means Committee has 16 members and that discussions with colleagues have given him confidence that sufficient support exists.

Sablan said the Legislature has 60 days to act on the line-item vetoes but emphasized that lawmakers want to consult affected agencies before proceeding.

He said the House also intends to require agencies benefiting from restored funding to provide quarterly or monthly reports on how the money is being used.

On retirees' benefits, Sablan said the House and Senate agreed during budget negotiations to dedicate 50% of revolving and special funds to help cover the 25% retirement payment.

He defended the budget approved by the Legislature, saying lawmakers did their best to balance competing priorities despite limited resources.

Meanwhile, Villagomez said lawmakers are carefully reviewing the vetoes and coordinating with their Senate counterparts before deciding what action to take.

Villagomez cautioned that some budget provisions are interconnected, meaning overriding one veto could affect other portions of the spending plan.

"So we're looking at the different options," Villagomez said.

He said the Ways and Means Committee has been meeting and intends to work with the administration to address concerns and avoid unintended consequences.

Villagomez also acknowledged concerns that PSS could be forced to reduce classroom instruction to just two or three days a week because of its budget situation.

"That's definitely a very big concern," he said.

Villagomez said lawmakers understand the importance of education, particularly as parents of children attending public schools.

He acknowledged that the administration may have had technical reasons for its vetoes, but said lawmakers are working through those issues before making a final decision.

Apatang signed the $100.73-million fiscal year 2027 budget into law last Oct. 5, but vetoed several provisions affecting government work hours, furloughs, PSS funding, and other appropriations.

The budget, now Public Law 24-40, retains PSS' $25.03-million allocation. However, Apatang vetoed provisions that would have directed $16.18 million of that amount to the first two quarters to support 64-hour work schedules and school operations.

He also rejected an additional $7.33 million contemplated for PSS personnel and operations, which would have brought its proposed funding to approximately $32.35 million, saying the additional amount lacked an identified funding source.

Apatang said the vetoed provisions could create cash-flow problems and increase the Commonwealth's projected budget gap by approximately $3.3 million.

He also vetoed a provision preventing furloughs until new Civil Service Commission regulations are adopted, saying existing regulations already authorize furloughs.