FY 2015 BUDGET TO BE SENT SOON TO GOVERNOR

The House version of the fiscal year 2015 budget, totaling $424.48 million, will be transmitted soon to Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga, after it was unanimously approved yesterday by the Senate in final reading.

After the House version was approved in a 15-0 vote, Sen. Laolagi F.S. Vaeao, chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, suggested to the Senate leadership to send a communication to the House for its version to be enrolled in Fono records and then have it transmitted to the governor for review and approval.

The identical Senate version of the budget is expected to go through final reading today in the House.

The final Fono-approved budget bill must be signed by the governor into law before Oct. 1, 2014, the start of FY 2015.

The only amendment the Fono made to the final budget was to slash $65,000 from the American Samoa Visitors Bureau budget and reallocate that money to the Governor’s Office budget to pay for the proposed pay hikes of the governor and lieutenant governor.

Pay increases for the two top leaders of the Executive Branch — hiking the governor’s pay from $85,000 to $125,000 and lieutenant governor from $75,000 to $100,000 — is outlined in a separate House bill still pending in the House Budget and Appropriations Committee.

TWO SAMOAS TO SHARE INFORMATION ON SEX OFFENDERS

Attorney General Talauega Eleasalo Ale says that his office will be working and collaborating with the Samoa government on matters pertaining to convicted sex offenders, who may end up traveling to and from American Samoa.

Talauega made the statement during a House committee hearing on an administration bill, which repeals the current sex offender registry law and creates a new statute, the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), which conforms with federal law.

During the hearing, some lawmakers voiced concerns over citizens of Samoa who enter the territory and commit sex crimes against children or citizens of American Samoa, who may have already been convicted in Samoa for these types of crimes.

Because of the SORNA bill, Talauega said that he thought about the importance of information sharing between the two Samoas when it comes to the issue of convicted sex offenders.

He reminded lawmakers of the close ties between American Samoa and Samoa as well as the fact that there is easy travel between the two jurisdictions. He shared that during this year’s inter Samoa talks, this same issue was discussed with officials of the Samoa government and both sides have agreed to sharing information, all in the spirit of protecting the community, especially the children.

House Vice Speaker Talia Fa’afetai Iaulualo commended Talauega for this initiative and says that information sharing is important, especially for the fact that there are many citizens of Samoa in the territory already convicted of these types of crimes against minors.

RETIREES ‘COLA’ HIKE ENDORSED BY FONO

American Samoa government retirees can look forward to an increase of 0.05% of their monthly benefit checks, starting next month, now that the Fono has fully endorsed an administration bill to hike the cost of living allowance (COLA).

On Wednesday the House approved the Senate version of the COLA bill, while the Senate yesterday approved the House version. With no changes made by the Fono the governor is expected to sign the bill into law, which takes effect Oct. 1 this year and is retroactive back to Oct. 1, 2012.

According to the Retirement Fund board, the amount of dollar increase in monthly annuity payments are based on the date of retirement and the recommended percent of COLA.  Some 90% of ASG retirees will qualify for the hike.

TWO ASEDA BOARD MEMBERS CONFIRMED BY SENATE

The Senate on Wednesday unanimously approved the governor’s nomination of ASG Treasurer Ueligitone P. Tonumaipe’a and Steven H. Watson to the American Samoa Economic Development Authority (ASEDA) board of directors.

The Senate decision followed a committee hearing earlier in the day where the two nominees appeared for their confirmation. While senators who spoke during the short hearing didn’t ask questions, they all urged the nominees to carry out their duties honestly.

Sen. Mauga T. Asuega informed the nominees that a country’s economy can only flourish if the government makes sure it happens, but failure to do so, means an entire country suffers.

The House has yet to conduct a hearing for the nominees, although the current session is set to officially close next week Friday.

Tonumaipe’a fills the vacancy left on the board after the passing of the late ASG Treasurer Dr. Falema’o ‘Phil’ M. Pili. He will serve out the remainder of Pili’s term, which expires August 2017.

Watson, the governor’s chief legal council and the current ASEDA secretary, was re-nominated, as his term expired at the end of last month.

Meanwhile, neither the Senate nor the House have yet to schedule committee hearings on an administration bill which seeks to modernize and enhance the bond issuing capability of ASEDA.