Legislators to tackle sex abuse, minimum wage bills

By John O'connor
Guam Daily Post
September 11, 2016

http://www.postguam.com/news/local/legislators-to-tackle-sex-abuse-minimum-wage-bills/article_2ab5876c-77f9-11e6-882f-832c12a1241e.html

Another slew of bills are slated for the legislative floor today as senators begin session. At the top of the agenda is Bill 326-33, a measure that seeks to eliminate the statute of limitations for civil claims involving sexually abused children. 

A series of public hearings on the bill saw testimony from alleged victims of Archbishop Anthony Apuron and other priests. Leo Tudela, the eldest of the accusers at 73 years old, alleged for the first time during his testimony in early August that he was sexually abused by Rev. Louis Brouillard in the 1950s.

Apuron's accusers, on the other hand, each made public statements about their alleged abuse at different times. All four accusers, however, have filed a $2 million libel and slander lawsuit against Apuron and other officials of the Archdiocese of Agana.

Another contentious measure up for debate is Bill 312-33, which proposes to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 by January 2017. The measure has garnered criticism from members of the Guam Chamber of Commerce, who say they believe the raise would adversely affect business. They have called for the bill to be postponed until the completion of a study on the impact of a pay raise implemented last year. The governor has threatened to veto the bill if it passes without the wage study.

Vice Speaker Benjamin Cruz has noted that the compromise he made on the original measure proffered in 2014 was to wait for the wage study. When it did not materialize within the mandated deadlines, Cruz moved forward with the introduction of Bill 312. Cruz has also expressed interest in a voter referendum on the minimum wage if the bill does not pass.

Other bills on the legislative agenda include Bill 297-33, which would mandate the creation of a fee schedule for clients of the Family Planning Program, and Bill 333-33, which would require quarterly reports be transmitted to the governor and speaker regarding the voluntary placement of a distinguishing mark for veterans on the Guam driver's license and Guam ID card.

What will not be considered in session is a bill introduced by Sen. Michael San Nicolas that would place a referendum on the ballot to mandate hotels to provide health insurance to their employees. According to a release from his office, Sen. Rory Respico said the bill was not needed because hotel employees already have insurance. San Nicolas stated that this was not the case and between 10 and 30 percent of full-time hotel workers do not have health insurance.