CHAPTER 4.

COMPENSATION OF NITIJELA MEMBERS

Arrangement of Sections

Section
§401. Short Title.
§402. Compensation of Nitijela members.
§403. Allowance to Nitijela members.
§404. Office space for Nitijela officers and official residence for the President.
§405. Compensation restrictions.
§406. Nitijela session allowance.

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An Act to prescribe compensation for Nitijela members and for matters connected therewith.

Commencement: 28 February 1980
Source: M.I. Code (1975)
P.L. 1980‑1
P.L. 1980‑8
P.L. 1981‑11
P.L. 1984‑2
P.L. 1985‑1
P.L. 1986‑3 
P.L. 1986‑34
P.L. 1988‑14
P.L. 1993‑39
P.L. 1993‑41
P.L. 1995‑125
P.L. 1996-1
P.L. 1996‑16
P.L. 2000-17
P.L. 2001-25
P.L. 2003-72 

§401. Short title.

This Chapter may be cited as the Nitijela Members (Compensation) Act 1980. 

§402. Compensation of Nitijela Members.

(1) Nitijela members shall receive as compensation for their services as elected representatives of the people an annual salary, payable in biweekly installments in the same manner as employees of the Public Service, and subject to the usual deductions assessed against wages.

(2) Annual salaries of the members and various officers of the Nitijela shall be as follows:

(a) President $60,000

(b) Cabinet Ministers $35,000

(c) The Speaker $35,000

(d) The Vice‑Speaker $30,000

(e) Chairs of Standing Committees $28,000

(f) All other members $26,000

(3) Notwithstanding the above, and in the final year of each term of the Nitijela, salaries of those members described under sub-section (2) (e) and (f) above shall be increased by an amount equal to 25% of their respective salaries."[M.I. Code (1975), §1.010; recodified by P.L. 1980‑1, §2; amended by P.L. 1980‑8, §5 2 and 3; P.L. 1986‑3,§14; P.L. 1988‑14,§17; P.L. 1993‑41, §1; amended by P.L. 1996‑16, §2(2).] P.L. 2000-17 reduced salaries of Cabinet members] [P.L. 2001-25][P.L. 2003-72 added new"(3)"] 

§403. Allowances of Nitijela members.

(1) Each member of the Cabinet, the Speaker and the Vice‑Speaker, shall receive an official allowance in a lump sum of $5,000, and all other members of the Nitijela shall receive an official allowance in a lump sum of $8,000 per annum to assist in defraying expenses related to the discharge of official duties.

(2) The President shall receive an expense allowance of $50,000 per annum for personal expenses necessarily incurred as a result of official duties. Official travel and official entertainment expenses incurred incident to official government social functions shall not be chargeable against this expense allowance. [M.I. Code (1975), §1.011; re-codified by P.L. 1980‑1, §2; amended by P.L. 1981‑11, §2; P.L. 1984‑2, §14; P.L. 1985‑1, §13; P.L.1986‑34, §2; P.L. 1988‑14, §17.]

§404. Office space for Nitijela officers and official residence for the President.

(1) Suitable offices shall be provided by the Government of the Marshall Islands for the President, the Cabinet Ministers, the Speaker, the Vice‑Speaker and their respective staffs from which they may exercise their official duties.

(2) An official residence shall be provided by the Government of the Marshall Islands for the President. The residence shall be appropriate to the responsibilities and dignity of the President as the Head of State of the Republic. [ML Code (1975, §1.012; re-codified by P.L. 1980‑1, §2.]

§405. Compensation restrictions.

Members of the Nitijela shall not be paid any compensation, expense or allowance with public funds, except as provided by Act. [ML Code (1975) §1.013; recodified by P.L. 1980‑1, §2, amended by P.L. 1986‑3, §15; P.L. 1993‑41, §2.]
 
§406. Nitijela session allowance.

(1) Nitijela members shall receive a session allowance of $5,000 per annum in lieu of per diem to assist in defraying expenses incurred while the Nitijela is in session. 

(2) For each sitting day a member is not present due to unexcused absence or suspension the session allowance shall not be paid. An absence is un-excused if a member does not have a request for absentia for the entire period of absence approved and signed by the Speaker. Such approval shall be obtained prior to 5:00 p.m. on the last business day before the first day of absence. Absence for which approval is not obtained as above shall be un-excused, unless it is an emergency. The definition of an emergency lies within the discretion of the Speaker and will be handled on a case‑by‑case basis. [MI Code (1975), §1.014; recodified by P.L. 1980‑1, §2; amended by P.L. 1985‑1, §13; reenacted by P.L 1 993‑39, §1; Subsection (2) added by P.L. 1993‑39, §1.]