FOR IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE (September 7, 2018– Hagåtña)– Today Vice Speaker Therese M. Terlaje introduced Bill No. 345-34 (COR) to limit the terms of members of boards, commissions, heads of executive branch agencies and instrumentalities and public corporations to two years, in order to promote greater accountability in government.

Executive Branch agency heads and board and commission members are appointed for terms between three and six years. These lengthy terms represented an attempt to remove political pressure from the boards and commissions and directors, but have in fact insulated some agency heads, especially in autonomous agencies, from public scrutiny.

Per the Competitive Wage Act of 2014, most directors receive a minimum of $90,000 a year. Yet, acquiring pertinent and timely information from agencies is difficult, with senators resorting to FOIA requests for information that should be made readily available.

“Limiting terms to two years will require more frequent confirmation hearings on appointments to these positions of public trust, significantly increasing the opportunity for the public to comment on the performance of public servants and for legislative oversight to take place,” stated Vice Speaker Terlaje.