Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 90 Part 1.djvu/315

 PUBLIC LAW 94-241—MAR. 24, 1976 "ARTICLE

90 STAT. 265

II

CONSTITUTION OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS

"SECTION 201. The people of the Northern Mariana Islands will formulate and approve a Constitution and may amend their Constitution pursuant to the procedures pixjvided therein. "SECTION 202. The Constitution will be submitted to the Government of the United States for approval on the basis of its consistency with this Covenant and those provisions of the Constitution, treaties and laws of the United States to be applicable to the Northern Mariana Islands. The Constitution will be deemed to have been approved six months after its submission to the President on behalf of the Government of the United States unless earlier approved or disapproved. If disapproved the Constitution will be returned and will be resubmitted in accordance with this Section. Amendments to the Constitution may be made by the people of the Northern Mariana Islands without approval by the Government of the United States, but the courts established by the Constitution or laws of the United States will be competent to determine whether the Constitution and subsequent amendments thereto are consistent with this Covenant and with those provisions of the Constitution, treaties and laws of the United States applicable to the Northern Mariana Islands. "SECTION 203. (a) The Constitution will provide for a republican form of government with separate executive, legislative and judicial branches, and will contain a bill of rights. " (b) The executive power of the Northern Mariana Islands will be vested in a popularly elected Governor and such other officials as the Constitution or laws of the Northern Mariana Islands may provide. " (c) The legislative power of the Northern M a r i a n a Islands will be vested in a popularly elected legislature and will extend to all rightful subjects of legislation. The Constitution of the Northern M a r i a n a Islands will provide for equal representation for each of the chartered municipalities of the Northern Mariana Islands in one house of a bicameral legislature, notwithstanding other provisions of this Covenant or those provisions of the Constitution or laws of the United States applicable to the Northern Mariana Islands. " (d) The judicial power of the Northern Maria,na Islands will be vested in such courts as the Constitution or laws of the Northern M a r i a n a Islands may provide. The Constitution or laws of the Northern M a r i a n a Islands may vest in such courts jurisdiction over all causes in the Northern Mariana Islands over which any court established by the Constitution or laws of the United States does not have exclusive jurisdiction. "SECTION 204. All members of the legislature of the Northern Mariana Islands and all officers and employees of the Government of the Northern M a r i a n a Islands will take an oath or affirmation to s u p p o r t this Covenant, those provisions of the Constitution, treaties and laws of the United States applicable to the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Constitution and laws of the Northern M a r i a n a Islands. "ARTICLE

III

" C I T I Z E N S H I P A N D NATIONALITY

"SECTION 301. The following persons and their children under the age of 18 years on the effective date of this Section, who are not citizens or nationals of the United States under any other provision of law,and who on that date do not owe allegiance to any foreign state, are

Submittal to U.S. for approval.

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