Committee on Rules and Judiciary

The Committee on Rules and Judiciary has scheduled a meeting for Friday, May 24, 2024, at 12:00 PM in the Frits E. Lawaetz Legislative Conference Room, St. Croix, Virgin Islands to consider the following nomination and bills:

BLOCK I

 Governor’s Nomination:
Jamila L. Christopher, Representative of Dept. of Tourism, Virgin Islands Cannabis Advisory Board

BLOCK II

Bill No. 35-0121         An Act amending Virgin Islands Code, title 4, chapter 29, section 482 and title 5, subtitle I, part V, chapter 61, section 660 increasing jury and witness fees and allowances, respectively.

Invited Testifiers

Regina Petersen, Administrator of Courts, Judiciary of the Virgin Islands

Attorney Marjorie Whalen, President, Virgin Islands Bar Association

Attorney Julie Todman, Chief Public Defender, Office of the Territorial Public Defender

Attorney Ian Clement, Acting Atty. General, Office of the Attorney General

Attorney Russell Pate, The Pate Law Firm

BLOCK III

 Bill No. 35-0174        An Act repealing and reenacting title 15, Virgin Islands Code, article V parts 1, 2, 3, 4, enacting part 5 and renumbering part 4A as part 6, to repeal the Uniform Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Act and enact the Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship, and Other Protective Arrangements Act with amendments and for other related purposes

Invited Testifiers

Regina Petersen, Administrator of Courts, Judiciary of the Virgin Islands

Attorney Marjorie Whalen, President, Virgin Islands Bar Association

Attorney Julie Todman, Chief Public Defender, Office of the Territorial Public Defender

Troy Schuster, VI State Director, American Association of Retired Persons

Attorney Tom Bolt, Uniform Law Commissioner

Shelby King-Gaddy, Esq., Executive Director, Legal Services of the Virgin Islands

Averil George, Commissioner Designee, VI Department of Human Services

BLOCK IV

Bill No. 35-0030                     An Act honoring and commending Vaughn Benjamin posthumously for his contributions to reggae music in the Virgin Islands and the global communities; appropriating $45,000 to the Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation for the design and construction of the “Vaughn Benjamin Monument” and naming the waterfront park west of the Marley Homes “The Vaughn ‘Akae Beka’ Memorial Park”.

Bill No. 35-0215                  An Act amending title 23 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 5, section 457, subsection (a), paragraph (3), relating to the contents of a firearm license to change the statement in the license increasing the term of the license from three years to five years.

Bill No. 35-0238                  An Act to confer peace officer status on qualified enforcement officers employed by the Government Employees Retirement System of the Virgin Islands.