Legislative Review & Updates

The Guam Chamber's Legislative Review and Business Advocacy Committee has compiled a list of bills introduced by the 37th Guam Legislature that may impact your company and how you do business. We encourage you to join us in contacting your senators to let them know of your concerns and the potential negative impacts if these proposals become law.

Bill No. 24-37

The bill seeks to appropriate sixteen million dollars to the Department of Administration for the implementation of the adjusted general pay plan. This proposal had a public hearing on Monday, February 27th.

Note that this bill addresses only FY2023. Moving into FY2024, the budget for the proposed adjustment will be in the area of about $41 million according to the Department of Administration at the public hearing on Monday.

The Guam Chamber has prepared testimony against this bill. Your voice as a local business would be greatly appreciated and support the Chamber's efforts to redirect the excess revenues to support our failing infrastructure and support our small businesses that are still struggling and can use the support. The deadline to submit testimony is Wednesday, March 8, 2023.

Testimonies will be accepted via hand delivery or via email to Senator Joe San Agustin, Chairman, Committee on General Government Operations & Appropriations at senatorjoesanagustin@gmail.com

View Chamber's Testimony
Read the bill on line
Watch the Public Hearing: Part I and Part II.

The 37th Guam Legislature has put forth 70 bills to date. As you scroll through the items below, we urge you to take note and contact your Senators on how they can help you in reference to their actions on these measures which could assist or hinder your opportunity to stay open in these challenging times.

You can view additional bills here.

Bill No. 3-37

Reduces the business privilege tax from 5% to 4%. All limited exemptions on the business privilege tax remain in effect and unchanged.

Bill No. 4-37

Reduces the business privilege tax on food and medicine for 12 consecutive months.

Bill No. 6-37

Seeks to end marijuana drug testing. A public hearing is scheduled for March 2, 2023, 9:00 a.m. Testimonies can be sent to Vice Speaker Tina Muna-Barnes, Chairwoman, Committee on Human Resources, Hagåtña Revitalization, Regional Affairs, Public Libraries, Telecommunications, Technology and Federal and Foreign Affairs.

Bill No. 10-37

Seeks to authorize law enforcement, first responder, and community organization access to Naloxone to prevent opioid overdose, to be known as the "Guam Opioid overdose prevention act of 2023"

Bill No. 11-37

Seeks to include retail businesses with large investments to the list of exemptions within the population limitations for new alcohol beverage control licenses.

Bill No. 15-37

Seeks to repeal the requirement for non-manager and non-supervisor employees to attain an alcohol employee license.

Bill No. 17-37

Seeks to ensure fiscal responsibility by limiting the total authorized amount of tax credits each year to the amount set aside by the Guam Legislature as the general fund reserve (deficit reduction/ rainy day fund)

Bill No. 18-37

Bill seeks to provide for the responsible management of public finances by implementing a 10-year sunset provision for all tax credit programs.

Bill No. 19-37

Seeks to temporarily waive the taxes of real property improvements valued at $1 million or more (from January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2025)

Bill No. 26.37

Governor's Budget Bill: Makes appropriations for the operations of the executive branch for fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and making other appropriations, and establishing miscellaneous and administrative provisions.

Bill No. 59-37

Relative to protecting the jobs of private sector employees while the tourism industry rebounds by extending the benefits of the Local Employers' Assistance Program (LEAP) as initially funded by PL 36-65

Bill No. 61-37 (COR)

Appropriates $15 Million from the excess general fund revenues reported in the January 2023 consolidated revenue expenditure report (CRER) to the Department of Administration for an extension of the Local Employers Assistance Program (LEAP) to assist businesses that continue to struggle with the devastating economic impact brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic and compounded by inflation.

Bill No. 70-37

Seeks to reduce the Business Privilege Tax from 5% to 4% for those eligible businesses that provide health insurance coverage for their employees