The Fono is now on a two week break after both houses approved a concurrent resolution for a mid term recess.
The controversial House bill to increase the salaries of the Fono leaders and members hasn’t been reported out of the Senate Budget and Appropriations, chaired by Senator Laolagi Vaeao.
Today the Government Operations Committee was scheduled to discuss a bill proposing to elect the governor and lt. governor separately, a move which would require an amendment to the constitution.
The only witness who was to testify on the bill was the Fono’s legal counsel Nathaniel Savali however the attorney is off island and the hearing did not take place.
Before the adjournment Senator Galea’i Moaali’itele Tu’ufuli athe Senate President to contact the Governor’s Office and find out who was displaying the American Samoa flag that was captured on a Hawaii TV report about the homeless in the Aloha state.
Galeai said he was watching a Hawaii TV report last night and saw someone holding the American Samoa flag when the camera panned on a crowd of homeless people.
The Manu’a senator didn’t say why he wants to know the identity of the flag bearer.
Meanwhile in the House of Representatives, Fofo Representative Puletu dick Koko introduced a bill for a tax on bottled water, the second time he’s proposed such a measure.
The bill has been assigned to the House Ways and Means Committee
Last week the House tabled a Senate bill that removes from ASG’s law books a provision for the LBJ Hospital to repay a $5 million loan from ASG in 2003, has been tabled.
Though the chairman of the Government Operations Committee, Rep. Faimealelei Anthony Allen had wanted to have the bill passed, the House Speaker , supported by the Vice Speaker suggested that the House hold hearings to find out more about the history of this loan agreement before they move to erase the provision for the loan in the law.
Rep Vesi Fautanu asked for a hearing with the Tax Office to ascertain when taxpayers can expect their refund checks.
The faipule said that people are complaining and the delay is a repeat of what happened last year.
A Tax Office official told KHJ News last week that the tax computer system needs an upgrade first after which they will process refunds, which would involve documenting Additional Child Tax Credits for the Internal Revenue Service , a process which may take several weeks.
Committee hearings will continue during the two week break.
The Health/Hospital Committee is calling in officials of the Department of Health on Thursday for an update of the Zika outbreak and response by DOH.
