27th Guam Legislature

• August 7, 2003
  Bill 162 Introduced at Clerk of the Legislature
• August 20, 2003
  Bill 162 Referred to Committee on Education
• October 21, 2003
  Bill 162 Public Hearing
• November 2003
  Sen. Klitzkie drafts substitute bill which includes input from public hearing
• November 2003
  Sen. Klitzkie drafts committee report which includes input from public hearing
• December 22, 2003
  Sen. Klitzkie submits draft substitute bill and committee report to Senator Carmen Fernandez, the chair of the Committee on Education and Housing
• January 26, 2004
  Rules Committee meeting to place bills on session agenda.
• January 26, 2004
  Legislative Session begins without Bill 162 on agenda.
• January 27, 2004
  Sen. Fernandez routes Bill 162 substitute bill and committee report to Committee on Education members for signatures.
• March 29, 2004
  Completed Bill 162 committee report, substitute bill and vote sheet is submitted to the Chair of the Committee on Education.
• April 1, 2004
  Rules Committee meeting to place bills on session agenda. Chair of Committee on Education does not bring committee report, substitute bill and vote sheet to committee meeting. Sen. Forbes makes motion to place Bill 162 on session agenda (he has a copy of the committee report, substitute bill and vote sheet, ready to submit to committee. Motion fails: Majority (including Chair of Committee on Education) votes not to place Bill 162 on agenda; Sens. Forbes and Brown vote to place Bill 162 on session agenda.
• April 5, 2004
  Chair of Education Committee writes three lawyers, Attorney General Douglas Moylan; Legislative Counsel Therese Terlaje and Democratic Party Chairman Mike Phillips, requesting their “opinion on the entirety of the substitute bill, with particular attention to section 1303.” (Remember, the committee had already voted “Do Pass” on the committee report and the substitute bill.)
• April 14, 2004
  Legislative Session begins without Bill 162 on agenda.
  

On April 1, the Rules Committee didn’t include Bill 162 on the session agenda that began April 14.

Chair of Committee on Education did not bring committee report, substitute bill and vote sheet to the committee meeting. Sen. Forbes made a motion to place Bill 162 on session agenda (he brought a copy of the committee report, substitute bill and vote sheet, ready to submit to the committee. Motion fails: Majority (including Chair of Committee on Education) voted not to place Bill 162 on agenda; Sens. Forbes and Brown vote to place Bill 162 on session agenda.

Bill 162 was introduced on August 7, 2003, and referred to the Committee on Education and Housing on August 20, 2003. A public hearing on October 21, 2003, which gathered overwhelming support, was held.

To assist in the process, Sen. Klitzkie drafted a committee report and submitted it to Committee on Education and Housing chair in December 2003. He even collected the votes himself from the committee members.

A draft substitute bill was prepared and submitted at the same time as the report. The draft substitute bill addressed the concerns addressed at the October 21 public hearing and adds guidance and health counselors, certified administrators and bus transportation to the definition of an “adequate education.” The litigation portion of the bill was toned down by making it clear that there can be no personal liability or monetary damages. The statute of limitations was shortened from one year to six months.

Members of the Committee on Education and Housing have signed the report (the vote was 5-1-1). Bill 162 should have been referred to the Rules Committee.

As of today, Bill 162 has not been referred to the Committee on Rules by the chair of the Committee on Education.