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B 83-38

AN ACT TO AMEND § 1203.1 OF ARTICLE 2, CHAPTER 1, TITLE 5, GUAM CODE ANNOTATED; AND § 45112 OF ARTICLE 1, CHAPTER 45, TITLE 10, GUAM CODE ANNOTATED, RELATIVE TO ALLOWING THE BUREAU OF STATISTICS AND PLANS GUAM COASTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND THE GUAM ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY TO EMPLOY ENVIRONMENTAL LAW ATTORNEYS FOR THEIR EXCLUSIVE USE.

38th Guam Legislature

Authorizes Guam Coastal Management Program and Guam EPA to hire in-house environmental-law attorneys for exclusive use, boosting internal legal capacity.

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Bill Summary · B 83-38

Summary: Bill B 83-38

Overview

Bill B 83-38 proposes targeted amendments to Guam law to authorize the Bureau of Statistics and Plans’ Guam Coastal Management Program and the Guam Environmental Protection Agency (Guam EPA) to employ environmental law attorneys for their exclusive use. The intent appears to be to provide these agencies with dedicated legal staff to support their environmental management, regulatory, and enforcement activities.

  • Introduced: November 27, 2025
  • Status: Not specified in the provided information
  • Classification: Bill

What the bill would do (Key Provisions)

  • Amend § 1203.1 of Article 2, Chapter 1, Title 5, Guam Code Annotated.
  • Amend § 45112 of Article 1, Chapter 45, Title 10, Guam Code Annotated.
  • Effect: Allow the Bureau of Statistics and Plans’ Guam Coastal Management Program and Guam EPA to employ environmental law attorneys for their exclusive use (i.e., dedicated personnel assigned to these agencies, rather than shared or external counsel).

Who/What would be affected

  • Affected Agencies:
    • Bureau of Statistics and Plans, specifically its Guam Coastal Management Program.
    • Guam Environmental Protection Agency.
  • Potential downstream effects:
    • Increased in-house legal capacity for environmental matters, including permits, compliance, enforcement actions, coastal management decisions, and interagency coordination.
    • Possible impact on how legal services are funded and allocated within these agencies.

Potential Impact and Implications

  • Operational Impact:
    • Access to dedicated environmental law attorneys could streamline decision-making, reduce reliance on outside counsel, and improve consistency in legal interpretations across programs.
    • May enhance efficiency in processing coastalManagement-related permits, regulatory actions, and environmental compliance enforcement.
  • Fiscal Impact (Not Specified):
    • The bill would create or authorize positions for exclusive-use counsel, implying ongoing payroll and benefits costs; funding would depend on agency budgets and annual appropriations.
  • Policy Considerations:
    • Clarifies or formalizes the role of in-house environmental lawyers within these agencies.
    • Could affect collaboration with other state or federal environmental programs, potentially shaping interagency legal resources and advice.

Procedural and Timeline Notes

  • Introduced on November 27, 2025.
  • Status not provided in the available information; typical next steps would include committee review, potential amendments, floor consideration, and final passage followed by any necessary executive approval.

Additional Context

  • The summary reflects the stated purpose of the bill: to enable exclusive-use environmental law attorneys for the two agencies mentioned. Specifics such as the number of attorneys, staffing structure, funding sources, and implementation timelines would be clarified in the bill text and any subsequent fiscal notes or agency impact statements.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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