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Increase Palau Severely Disabled Assistance Fund and FY 2016 Supplemental, RPPL No. 9-55 2015

REPUBLIC OF PALAU


NINTH OLBIIL ERA KELULAU
Ninth Regular Session, February 2015


RPPL No. 9-55


Passed as Senate Bill No. 9-146, HD2, CD1


AN ACT


To amend Section 8503 of Title 34 of the Palau National Code to increase the monthly stipend for individuals receiving assistance from the Palau Severely Disabled Assistance Fund, to amend RPPL 9-46 to authorize and appropriate additional funds for Fiscal Year 2016, to repeal Chapter 25 of Title 40 of the Palau National Code, and for other related purposes.


THE PEOPLE OF PALAU REPRESENTED IN THE OLBIIL ERA KELULAU DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


Section 1. Legislative findings.


The Olbiil Era Kelulau finds that, since its creation in 2002, the Palau Severely Disabled Assistance Fund has provided necessary and valuable financial assistance to homebound, wheelchair-bound, and blind individuals. However, the cost of living has increased since RPPL No. 6-26 set the rate for monthly stipends at $50 per month for homebound individuals and $30 for wheelchair-bound or blind individuals. Cost of living adjustments have been implemented over the past two years by providing a gradual raise in the minimum wage and in the public service system salary schedule. Now it is appropriate to make a similar cost of living adjustment for individuals in the Palau Severely Disabled Assistance Fund.


Section 2. Amendment.


34 PNC § 8503 is amended to state as follows:


"§ 8503. Monthly stipend.


Those individuals who are determined by the Ministry to be homebound and need twenty-four (24) hour per day care will be eligible to receive a monthly stipend of one hundred dollars ($100) per month. Those individuals who are determined by the Ministry to be wheelchair-bound and/or blind, shall be eligible to receive a monthly stipend of seventy-five dollars ($75) per month. The minister may increase the monthly stipends if it is determined that there are available funds in the fund."


Section 3. Amendment.


The title of RPPL 9-46 is amended to state as follows:


"To enact a budget law for Fiscal Year 2016 through the authorization of the sum of $85,894,825 and appropriation of the sum of $85,894,825 from the National Treasury for the annual general operations, special revenue, and debt service budget of the Republic of Palau for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016, and for related purposes."


Section 4. Amendment.


Section 2 of RPPL 9-46 is amended to state as follows:


"Section 2. Executive Branch Operations. The sum of $40,894,825 is authorized for appropriation and is hereby appropriated for expenditure and obligation for Fiscal Year 2016 for the purpose of covering the operational and contingent expenses of the Executive Branch. The total amount authorized to be appropriated shall be made up of the following available revenues: The amount of $22,747,825 shall come from local revenues; the amount of $13,147,000 shall come from anticipated USDOI-OIA fiscal year 2016 grant assistance provided to Palau; and the amount of $5,000,000 shall come from the Compact Section 211(f) Trust Fund Investment Account. The total amount authorized for appropriation and that is hereby appropriated in this section shall be allocated according to the following schedule, respectively:


(1) Office of President:


(a) President's Office
$813,000
(b) Official Expenses
30,000
(c) Grants Coordinator
76,000
(d) Council of Chiefs
150,000
(e) Presidential Stipend
45,000
(f) Pacific Islands News Association - 4th Pacific Media Summit
50,000
(g) Micronesian Presidents' Summit Micronesian Chief Executives' Summit Small Island States' Leaders Retreat
50,000

Sub-Total

$1,214,000

...


(3) Ministry of Finance


(a) Office of the Minister
$58,000
(b) Information Systems Support Services
239,000
(c) Bureau of National Treasury
817,000
(d) Bureau of Budget and Planning
575,000
Of the funds for the Bureau of Budget and Planning, the amount of $75,000 shall be earmarked for the operations of the Office of Climate Change, the amount of $208,000 shall be earmarked for the operations of the Office of PALARIS, and the amount of $50,000 shall be earmarked for the operations of the Office of Project Management.
(e) Bureau of Public Service System
177,500
(f) Workmen's Compensation
37,000
(g) Bureau of Revenue, Customs & Taxation
$1,655,000
Of this sum, $100,000 is earmarked for the purpose of automating the environmental and visa fee collection process, providing for office relocation and improvements, and funding other related tasks pursuant to RPPL 9-49, § 5-7.
Sub-Total
$3,558,500

...


(5) Ministry of Community & Cultural Affairs


(a) Office of the Minister
$58,000
(b) Bureau of National Archives
136,000
(c) Bureau of Youth, Sports & Recreation
319,000
(d) Bureau of Aging & Gender
290,000
Of this sum, $200,000 is earmarked for the purpose of implementing the Family Protection Act; and the sum of $30,000 is earmarked for the purpose of homecare for the elderly with no income.
(e) Sports Facilities Maintenance & Utilities
90,000
(f) Bureau of Arts & Culture
194,000
Of these funds, the sum of $30,000 is earmarked for the Society of Historians.
(g) Olchotel Belau Fair
20,000
(h) Palau Severely Disabled Assistance Fund
295,625
Sub-Total
1,402,625

...


(8) Ministry of Justice


(a) Office of the Attorney General
630,000

...


Sub-Total
$5,072,000
Section 2 Total
$40,894,825

..."


Section 5. Amendment.


Section 3 of RPPL 9-46 is amended to state as follows:


"Section 3. Judicial Branch. The sum of $2,961,000 is hereby authorized to be appropriated and is hereby appropriated for expenditure or obligation for Fiscal Year 2016 for the purpose of covering the operational and contingent expenses of the Judicial Branch. The entire amount of the funds authorized and appropriated in this section shall come from local revenues. The sum of $165,000 is earmarked for expenditure or obligation for Fiscal Year 2016 for the purpose of implementing the separation of personnel within the trial and appellate divisions by hiring new personnel for both divisions of the Palau Supreme Court pursuant to the Fourteenth Amendment of the Republic of Palau Constitution."


Section 6. Amendment.


Section 4 of RPPL 9-46 is amended to state as follows:


"Section 4. Legislative Branch. The sum of $5,421,500 is hereby authorized to be appropriated and is hereby appropriated for expenditure or obligation for Fiscal Year 2016 for the purpose of covering the operational and contingent expenses of the Legislative Branch. The entire amount of funds authorized and appropriated in this section shall come from local revenues. The total authorization and appropriation shall be allocated according to the following schedule:


(1) Senate
$2,058,000
(2) Senate Legal Counsel Office
209,500
(3) House of Delegates
2,574,500
Of these funds, the sum of $50,000 is earmarked for the Palau Community Association of Guam for the purpose of building a cultural center.
(4) House Legal Counsel Office
209,500
(5) Joint Staff
275,000
(6) Association of Pacific Island Legislatures
15,000
(7) Inter-Parliamentary Union
15,000
(8) Palau-Japan Parliamentary Friendship
35,000
(9) Electricity for Koror OEK building
30,000
Section 4 Total
$5,421,500"

Section 7. Amendment.


Section 18 of RPPL 9-46 is amended to state as follows:


"Section 18. Subsidy to PPUC for Water & Sewer Operations. The sum of $1,603,500 is authorized for appropriation and is hereby appropriated for expenditure in Fiscal Year 2016 to subsidize the water and sewer improvement operations of the Palau Public Utilities Corporation (PPUC), provided that the amount of $603,500, or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be utilized by the PPUC to costs associated with migrating their SCADA system to a new bandwidth (radio frequency) and to establish and fund a permanent subsidy program for electrical power consumption for fixed or low income household customers. The Subsidy Program shall subsidize electrical power usage for only the life-line rate (0- 150,000KwH) for eligible households. Eligibility criteria shall be based on the poverty threshold as defined in the Analysis of the 2006 Household Income and Expenditure Survey Report and as updated. The PPUC and the Ministry of Finance shall work together to develop rules and regulations to implement this subsidy program effective October 1, 2015. The PPUC shall provide an annual report of the subsidy program to the President and the Olbiil Era Kelulau including but not limited to the number of eligible household customers, program and administrative cost. The entire amount authorized to be appropriated and appropriated in this section shall come from the 50 percent allocation of "Green Fee" collections for power, water and sewer improvements. Any unexpended or unobligated balance of the appropriation of this section shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal year. Additionally, the sum of $150,000 is authorized for appropriation and $300,000 $150,000 is hereby appropriated to offset the AFPAC rate increase for residential customers using 500 kilowatts per hour or less per month and the funds shall come from local revenues."


Section 8. Amendment.


Section 19 of RPPL 9-46 is amended to state as follows:


"Section 19. Supplemental SSA Benefit Payments. The sum of $1,931,200 is hereby authorized to be appropriated and is hereby appropriated for expenditure or obligation for Fiscal Year 2016 for the purpose of providing an additional fifty dollars ($50) in Social Security benefit payments to individuals receiving Social Security benefits pursuant to Title 41, Subchapter VI of the Palau National Code. The continuation of this supplemental social security benefit payment is subject to appropriation of funds from the National Government. The entire amount authorized to be appropriated and that is hereby appropriated in this section shall come from local revenues. Any unexpended or unobligated balance of the appropriation of this section shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal year."


Section 9. Amendment.


Section 20 of RPPL 9-46 is amended to state as follows:


"Section 20. 12th Festival of Pacific Arts. The sum of $350,000 is hereby authorized for appropriation and hereby appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016 for the purpose of funding Palau's participation in the 12th Festival of Pacific Arts to be held in Guam, USA. The entire amount authorized to be appropriated in this section shall come from local revenues."


Section 10. Repealer.


Chapter 25 of Title 40 of the Palau National Code, the Senior Citizen Discount Program as established by RPPL No. 8-49, is hereby repealed.


Section 11. Repealer.


40 PNC § 1002(o) is amended to repeal the amendment to that subsection enacted by RPPL No. 8-49. 40 PNC § 1002(o) is restored to the language in place prior to the enactment of RPPL No. 8-49.


Section 12.


RPPL No. 9-46 is hereby amended to create a new Section 35 as follows:


"Section 35. Peleliu Maritime Transportation Authority. The sum of $250,000 is authorized and appropriated to the Peleliu Maritime Transportation Authority.


The entire amount of the funds authorized and appropriated in this section shall come from local revenues."


Section 13. Effective date.


This Act shall take effect upon its approval by the President of the Republic of Palau, or upon its becoming law without such approval.

______________________


PASSED: February 02, 2016


Approved this 5th day of February, 2016.


HE Tommy E. Remengesau, Jr.
President
Republic of Palau


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