Fono conferees
reject adding clergy to military voting bill
by Fili Sagapolutele
Samoa News Correspondent
A majority of
yesterday's Fono conference committee members voted to reject
a House amendment incorporated in the military voting bill that
addresses absentee voting for ministers and their families.
Ten lawmakers
voted against the inclusion of minister provision while nine
voted for it.
With this vote,
the bill returns to its original form - which deals with absentee
voting for American Samoans in the military. However, it appears
the issue is still not over as the decision by the conference
committee will be reported to both chambers today.
It is unknown
how the full House membership will react to the conference committee's
decision as it is the House that is pushing for the minister
provision to be included in the military voting legislation.
The conference
committee yesterday was supposed to be all members of both the
Senate and House but not all of them showed up.
During the conference
hearing that began before 11:30 a.m., House Vice Speaker Agaoleatu
Charlie Tautolo told senators that the House membership humbly
requests the Senate to keep the minister provision in the military
bill.
Speaker Savali
Talavou Ale said the only church ministers targeted by the House
amendment are those who have resided and voted in American Samoa
but then had to relocate off island for religious work.
Rep. Gaoteote
T. Palaie said there is no difference between the House amendment
and the Senate's minister bill that was introduced on Monday.
He suggested incorporating the Senate minister measure into the
military voting bill to make things much easier.
However, Senators
argued that the House amendment (already in the military voting
legislation) is too broad while the Senate minister bill requires
thorough review before being brought to a final vote.
Agaoleatu reminded
senators that ministers used to be able to vote absentee in local
elections but this was discontinued after the Election Office
changed their policy.
Chief Election
Officer Soliai Tuipine, who testified at a hearing earlier yesterday
about the Senate minister bill, said he discontinued ministers
voting absentee in 1992 because it was illegal. He said the law
is very clear and church ministers are not among the people allowed
to vote absentee.
After a back-and-forth
discussion by the conferees, Sen. Tuaolo M. Fruean said the only
way to reach a committee decision is to vote on the House amendment.
At the end, ten voted against the amendment and nine voted for
it.
Tuaolo said it
is now the final decision of the conference committee to reject
the House amendment and this will be reported to the full membership
of each chamber.
SENATE MINISTER
LEGISLATION
Regarding the
hearing on the Senate minister legislation, Soliai requested
that the Senate table the measure because it needs further review
in order to ensure that local election laws are fully protected
from outside influence.
Soliai said his
office only received a copy of the bill on Monday and there was
not enough time for the Election Office's legal team to fully
review all aspects of the bill.
President Lolo
M. Moliga, the bill's sponsor, motioned for the bill to remain
in the Senate Ways and Means Committee for further review and
for the Election Office to fully research the bill and provide
information to the Senate.
Lolo said this
measure can be put back on the calendar when the Fono convenes
in July for the 4th regulation session. He said research by the
Election Office should be ready by that time.
Reach the
reporter at fili@samoanews.com.
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