The Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature is the territorial legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The legislative branch of the territory is bicameral, consisting of a 20-member lower House of Representatives, and an upper house Senate with nine Senators. Both Representatives and Senators serve two-year terms without term limits. The territorial legislature meets in the commonwealth capital of Saipan.
Similar to the United States Congress, the Senate seats are divided into three districts (three seats each) whose "boundaries" are identical to those of the municipalities (except that the barely inhabited Northern Islands is incorporated with Saipan), and the House seats are divided according to population, with one seat each for Rota and Tinian and the rest belong to Saipan (with one of the districts including the Northern Islands).
The Legislature also has a youth congress, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Youth Congress.
Read more about Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature: History
Famous quotes containing the words northern, islands, commonwealth and/or legislature:
“I have found that anything that comes out of the South is going to be called grotesque by the Northern reader, unless it is grotesque, in which case it is going to be called realistic.”
—Flannery O’Connor (1925–1964)
“What are the islands to me
if you are lost
what is Naxos, Tinos, Andros,
and Delos, the clasp
of the white necklace?”
—Hilda Doolittle (1886–1961)
“While the Governor, and the Mayor, and countless officers of the Commonwealth are at large, the champions of liberty are imprisoned.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“It seemed monstrous to our intolerant youth that “poor white folksy” men should have an equal right with gentlemen, born and bred, in deciding who should represent the county in the Legislature and the district in Congress.”
—Marion Harland (1830–1922)