by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - A substitute version of Sen. Michael San Nicolas' Bill 268 has been added to session agenda. The new bill removes raises for the Governor, Lt. Governor , Directors and Deputy Directors. Sen. Chris Duenas motioned to recess until Tuesday to allow for more time to review the new bill. The motion was denied.

A public hearing on Bill 268 was heard just this past Friday and was supposed to continue on Monday. The original version of the bill would have prohibited raises for the Governor, Lt. Governor, Cabinet members, the Attorney General and the Public Auditor until they met certain performance standards. Senator San Nicolas on the floor said the performance requirement was removed because during Friday's hearing Department of Administration Director Benita Manglona failed to provide any specifics regarding the Executive pay plan. Under the new bill hay pay raises will be implemented for the general pay plan, nurses pay plan, and the attorney pay plan. Island Mayors will see a $10,000 raise.

Sen. San Nicolas says he hopes the money saved from elected leaders not receiving raises will go to the Department of Education. He also said there was concern that should the legislature not act on the substitute bill today the Governor might not act on it and instead his hay pay raise proposal would lapse into law. The Governor is hoping to see the hay pay raises go into effect on Valentine's Day.