A special session of the 38th Guam Legislature scheduled for Friday was canceled after Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero formally withdrew her call in response to a Superior Court ruling that limited the Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority’s ability to condemn land for the planned Mangilao medical campus. Speaker Frank Blas Jr. notified senators of the cancellation in a memorandum Thursday, citing the governor’s withdrawal.
In her letter to the speaker, the governor said she initially called the session so lawmakers could consider a bill allowing the Guam Power Authority and Guam Waterworks Authority to move forward with infrastructure projects using American Rescue Plan Act funds. She noted that Attorney General Douglas Moylan had declined to review the procurement contracts tied to the work.
The decision to cancel came after the Court ruled that GHURA exceeded its statutory authority by condemning private land for a stand-alone hospital project without a corresponding housing component. While the governor emphasized that the ruling affects different property than the land slated for power and water upgrades, she said it was prudent to allow lawmakers time to review the decision before acting on new legislation.
Leon Guerrero said her administration will continue coordinating with GHURA, GPA and GWA and plans to submit a revised bill once the Legislature has evaluated the ruling. She said she remains committed to advancing infrastructure that supports the medical campus and will seek renewed legislative consideration when appropriate.