Lawmakers push above‑step hiring transparency measure to third reading

The Legislature moved bill 128‑38 to its third‑reading file after broad floor support for measures to make above‑step recruitment petitions public and permanently archived.

The bill would require agencies to post above‑step recruitment petitions on the Guam public notice website for 10 days and to send copies to the Speaker before hiring. Supporters said the change would let voters, agency employees and oversight bodies review the justification agencies use to pay some hires a higher salary than the listed step. The Office of the Public Accountability (OPA) and multiple senators testified in favor during the committee hearing, and the committee’s fiscal office said the bill’s amendments were administrative with no fiscal impact.

Floor speakers cited examples where petitions were missing after the fact and where hospitals or corporations hired at above‑step rates without producing supporting petitions in prior oversight hearings. Senators said publication would deter misuse, protect merit‑system employees and help craft consistent guidance across agencies.

The author asked colleagues to support the bill as a transparency tool that does not slow hiring but makes the grounds for exceptions publicly visible. The chamber agreed and placed the bill on the third reading file without objection.

What’s next: The bill is scheduled for third‑reading consideration; if enacted agencies will be required to post petitions and to send semiannual reports on above‑step recruitment to the Speaker as part of the public record.