by Nick Delgado

Guam - Acting Governor Mike Cruz signed several bills into law this morning, including legislation that returned Port Authority land to original landowners, as well as a measure introduced by Senator Telo Taitague that deals with individuals with hearing and speech disabilities.

Legislative Speaker Judi Won Pat talks about this great accomplishment and what it will mean for the community, saying, "Importantly now the governor signing it, I think this is a big step forward in terms of addressing the needs of the individuals like yourselves and others." Cruz also signed a measure that would appropriate the balance of the 2009 Territorial Education Facilities Fund to DOE, and another relative to the Commission on Decolonization

Acting Governor Cruz also enacted the following laws:

Bill No. 92-30, now P.L. 30-112: Restores certain jurisdictions and clarifies certain functions of the civil service commission.

Bill No. 281-30, now P.L. 30-97: Enforces the rights of individuals with hearing and speech disabilities to access Emergency 911 services via mobile and landline telephones without incurring charges, requiring any applicable charges for such service be funded through existing surcharges.

Bill No. 282-30, now P.L. 30-98: Allows Guam driver licenses and/or identification cards issued to individuals with hearing and speech disabilities to include an "HSD" notation on said cards indicating their disability at no additional cost to the applicant.

Bill No. 293-30, now P.L. 30-99: Allows for the issuance of license plates or decals and/or placards that indentify individuals as being hearing or speech disabled. The new plates, decals, and placards will be easily identifiable to traffic enforcement officers and available at no additional costs to applicants able to provide proof from a licensed healthcare provider of their disability.

Bill No. 184-30, now P.L. 30-102: An act to add a new §75108 (i) to Chapter 75, Title 21, Guam Code Annotated; to add a new §21002.1 to Chapter 21, Title 3, Guam Code Annotated; and to amend §2104 of Chapter 21, Title 1, Guam Code Annotated, relative to the Commission on Decolonization.

Bill No. 201-30, now P.L. 30-103: An act to amend subsection (h) and to add a new subsection (i) to §61503 of Chapter 61, Title 21, Guam Code Annotated, relative to exceptions to yard and area regulations.

Bill No. 230-30, now P.L. 30-104: An act to appropriate funds from the balance of the 2009 Territorial Education Facilities Fund to the Department of Education.

Bill No. 236-30, now P.L. 30-105: An act to amend §6217 of Chapter 6 of Title 4, Guam Code Annotated, relative to ensuring that public employees who work at night receive night differential pay.

Bill No. 275-30, now P.L. 30-106: An act to amend §3811 (a) of Chapter 3, Title 10, Guam Code Annotated, relative to providing clarification and flexibility to the Department of Public Health & Social Services in the management of its financial resources for the direct operation of the Community Health Centers.

Bill No. 277-30, now P.L. 30-107: An act to add a new §4127 to Chapter 4 of Title 4, Guam Code Annotated, relative to authorizing granting of administrative leave for donations of blood.

Bill No. 280-30, now P.L. 30-108: An act to amend subsections (c), (d) and (e), and add new subsections (f) and (g) to, §3811 of Chapter 3, Article 8, Title 10, Guam Code Annotated; and to add new subsections (6) and (7) to §3814 of Chapter 3, Article 8, Title 10, Guam Code Annotated, relative to the establishment and use of the Community Health Center Revolving Fund.

Bill No. 296-30, now P.L. 30-109: An act to amend §6114 of Chapter 6 of Title 3, Guam Code Annotated, relative to the criminal record of a person seeking public office.

Bill No. 310-30, now P.L. 30-110: An act to add a new §51120 to Chapter 51 of Title 10, Guam Code Annotated, relative to the authorization to create a feasibility plan for the installation of a commercial methane recovery system at all Guam landfills.

Bill No. 313-30, now P.L. 30-111: An act to amend § 7119 (a) and (c) of Title 22, Guam Code Annotated, Chapter 7, Article 1, relative to computing the non-immigrant temporary worker registration fee for each non-immigrant worker on a pro-rated length of time no greater than the length of time the worker is legally authorized to be in Guam for employment purposes, and to specify deposit amounts of fees.

Bill No. 317-30, now P.L. 30-101: An act to reprogram and appropriate funds for various programs and projects, and other purposes, for fiscal year 2010.

Bill No. 333-30, now P.L. 30-100: An act to amend Section 4 of Public Law 30-57, relative to the Jose D. Leon Guerrero Commercial Port of Guam Master Plan Update 2007 Report.