New law makes Saipan official capital of CNMI

​Acting Governor Ralph Deleon Guerrero Torres signed into law Senate Bill 19-19 which designates Saipan as the official capital of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

The bill became Public Law 19-2 after Torres signed it on Tuesday. It was authored by Senator Teresita Santos of Rota.

According to the new law, the CNMI does not have an official capital despite being an island chain that consists of the islands of Saipan, Rota, Tinian and the Northern Islands.

Saipan has the largest population and a larger landmass among these islands.

Saipan is the most suitable island to be the official capital of the CNMI in that it is also the location of the central government and most government entities, the new law stated.