Rules Committee approves session placement for GCC trustee appointments amid objections over transparency

The Committee on Rules of the Guam Legislature voted on Jan. 14, 2026, to place Bill 251-38 and two trustee nominations for the Guam Community College (GCC) on the upcoming session agenda after a contested exchange over whether committee reports and a public hearing had been completed.

Senator Borja moved to put Bill 251-38—an act to amend subsection 3 1 1 0 1, chapter 31, division 4, title 17, Guam Code Annotated, to adjust the Guam Community College Board of Trustees’ composition—on the session agenda and to place the appointments of Frank D. Areola and Rose P. Greeno for confirmation. "The appointments came from the governor last week," Senator Borja said, urging consideration so the college could proceed with hiring a new president.

Senator Tydewey objected and pressed for adherence to the committee's procedural rules, saying the bill had not had a public hearing and that committee reports were not yet available. "We've always said that any bill that goes on to the agenda has to at least... have all committee reports available for the sake of transparency," she said, later adding, "everyone who raised their hand today, you're breaking the rules that we set into place." Tydewey argued bending the rule could set a troubling precedent.

In response, supporters said the nominations came from the executive branch and that there was urgency connected to the college's ability to hire new leadership. The chair bifurcated consideration of the bill (to be subject to a committee report being finalized) and the nominations, and the committee proceeded to a voice/hand vote. The chair recorded that the motions passed after members signified by raising their hands.

The meeting record does not show a roll-call tally or recorded nay votes; the transcript records objections raised during debate but lists the final outcome as "motion passes." The chair also noted the committee will require the committee report to be filed for Bill 251-38 as a condition of placement.

What happens next: Bill 251-38 was placed on the session agenda conditioned on filing of the committee report; the two trustee nominations were placed on the session agenda for consideration at the upcoming legislative session. The transcript does not show whether a public hearing will be scheduled before action in the full legislature.