ST. THOMAS – The Committee on Rules and Judiciary, chaired by Senator Diane T. Capehart
met at the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall. Lawmakers approved lease agreements between the
Government of the Virgin Islands and various businesses on the island of St. Thomas.
Additionally, lawmakers approved Fiscal Year 2024 budget bills for the Government of the Virgin
Islands. All approved items on today’s agenda will be forwarded to the full body at the next
scheduled legislative session for further consideration under closed rule.
The Committee approved the following leases:
Bill No. 35-0095 – An Act approving the Lease Agreement between the Government of the Virgin
Islands, acting through its Commissioner of the Department of Property and Procurement, and
Dave Jeffers d/b/a Dave Trucking Service for Parcel No. 142-B Estate Anna’s Retreat, No. 1 New
Quarter, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, consisting of approximately 6, 627.393 U.S. sq. ft. or 0.144
U.S. acre zoned “P†as shown on O.L.G. File No. D9-8646- T012 to be used for the purpose of
operating the general offices of the trucking company and for other related purposes. The measure
was sponsored by Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr. by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0124 – An Act approving the lease agreement between the Government of the Virgin
Islands, acting through its Commissioner of the Department of Property and Procurement and
Demah, Inc. d/b/a Moe’s Fresh Market, Revised Parcel No. 17-3 Remainder Estate Nisky, No. 6,
Southside Quarter, St. Thomas and Unimproved Parcel No. 17-4 Estate Nisky, No. 6, Southside
Quarter, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, for operating a gourmet retail food market and store, butchery,
importer of goods, restaurant, tobacco retailer, storage warehouse, and executive offices, executive
and workforce suites, and for other related purposes. The measure was sponsored by Senators
Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0126 – An Act approving the lease agreement between the Government of the Virgin
Islands Department of Property and Procurement and Petrus Properties, LLC for Parcel No. 47D1 Kronprindsens Gade, Kronprindsens Quarter St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. The measure was
sponsored by Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr., by Request of the Governor.
Additionally, the Committee approved the following budget bills:
Bill No. 35-0141 – An Act providing an appropriation from the General Fund of the Treasury of
the Government of the Virgin Islands for the operation of the Government of the Virgin Islands
during the fiscal year October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024. The measure was sponsored
by Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0142 – An Act providing an appropriation for the operating expense of the Virgin
Islands Board of Education from the General Fund of the Treasury of the Virgin Islands during the
fiscal year October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024. The measure was sponsored by Senators
Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0143 – An Act providing an appropriation for the operating expenses of the Virgin
Islands Office of the Inspector General from the General Fund of the Government of the Virgin
Islands during the Fiscal Year October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024. The measure was
sponsored by Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by Request of the
Governor.
Bill No. 35-0144 – An Act providing an appropriation for the operating expenses of the Virgin
Islands Career and Technical Education Board from the General Fund of the Treasury of the
Government of the Virgin Islands during the fiscal year October 1, 2023, through September 30,
2024. The measure was sponsored by Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. FrettGregory, by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0145 – An Act providing an appropriation for the operating expenses of the Virgin
Islands Hospital and Health Facilities Corporation from the General Fund of the Treasury of the
Government of the Virgin Islands during the fiscal year October 1, 2023, through September 30,
2024. The measure was sponsored by Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. FrettGregory, by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0146 – An Act providing an appropriation for the operating expenses of the Public
Employees Relations Board and the Virgin Islands Labor Management Committee for the Fiscal
Year October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024.The measure was sponsored by Senators Novelle E.
Francis, Jr., and Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0147 – An Act providing an appropriation for the Legislature of the Virgin Islands for
the fiscal year October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024. The measure was sponsored by
Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0148 – An Act providing an appropriation for the operation of the Judicial Branch of
the Government of the Virgin Islands, the Judicial Council, and the Office of the Territorial Public
Defender during the fiscal year October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024. The measure was
sponsored by Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., Donna A. Frett-Gregory, and Dwayne M. DeGraff,
by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0149 – An Act providing an appropriation for salaries and expenses of the Virgin
Islands Board of Elections and the Office of the Supervisor for the fiscal year October 1, 2023,
through September 30, 2024. The measure was sponsored by Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and
Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0150 – An Act providing an appropriation for the operating expenses of the Virgin
Islands Waste Management Authority from the General Fund of the Government of the Virgin
Islands during the Fiscal Year October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024. The measure was
sponsored by Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by Request of the
Governor.
Bill No. 35-0151 – An Act providing an appropriation for the salaries and expenses of the
University of the Virgin Islands during the fiscal year October 1, 2023, through September 30,
2024. The measure was sponsored by Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. FrettGregory, by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0152 – An Act providing an appropriation from the Anti-Litter and Beautification Fund
to the Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority and the Virgin Islands Department of Public
Works for operating expenses during the fiscal year October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024.
The measure was sponsored by Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by
Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0153 – An Act providing an appropriation for the operating expenses of the Public
Services Commission for the Fiscal Year October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024. The measure
was sponsored by Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by Request of the
Governor.
Bill No. 35-0154 – An Act providing an appropriation from the Business and Commercial
Properties Revolving Fund to the Virgin Islands Department of Property and Procurement for
operating expenses during the fiscal year October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024. The
measure was sponsored by Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by
Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0155 – An Act providing an appropriation from the Caribbean Basin Initiative Fund as
a contribution to the General Fund of the Treasury of the Virgin Islands for the fiscal year October
1, 2023, through September 30, 2024. The measure was sponsored by Senators Novelle E. Francis,
Jr., and Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0156 – An Act providing an appropriation from the General Fund of the Treasury of
the Government of the Virgin Islands to the Virgin Islands Department of Labor and the
Department of Finance for operating expenses during the fiscal year October 1, 2023, through
September 30, 2024. The measure was sponsored by Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna
A. Frett-Gregory, by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0157 – An Act providing for the lump sum appropriation from the Health Revolving
Fund to the Virgin Islands Department of Health and a contribution to the General Fund for the
fiscal year October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024. The measure was sponsored by Senators
Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0158 – An Act providing for the lump sum appropriation from the General Fund to the
Virgin Islands Fire and Emergency Medical Service for the fiscal year October 1, 2023, to
September 30, 2024. The measure was sponsored by Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna
A. Frett-Gregory, by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0160 – An Act providing an appropriation from the Virgin Islands Lottery as a
contribution to the General Fund for the Fiscal Year October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024. The
measure was sponsored by Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by
Request of the Governor.
Page Bill No. 35-0161 – An Act providing an appropriation for the operating expenses of the Waste
Management Authority from the Sewer Wastewater Fund of the Government of the Virgin Islands
for the fiscal year October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024. The measure was sponsored by
Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0162 – An Act providing an appropriation to the Virgin Islands Taxicab Commission
for the Fiscal Year October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024. The measure was sponsored by
Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0163 – An Act providing an appropriation from the Tourism Advertising Revolving
Fund to the Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority, Office of the Governor, the Virgin
Islands Department of Education, the Virgin Islands Police Department, the Virgin Islands
Department of Public Works, the Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture the Virgin Islands
Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation and the Virgin Islands Department of Tourism during
the fiscal year October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024. The measure was sponsored by
Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0164 – An Act providing an appropriation for the operating expenses of the Virgin
Islands Bureau of Motor Vehicles from the Transportation Trust Fund during the Fiscal Year
October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024. The measure was sponsored by Senators Novelle E.
Francis, Jr., and Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0165 – An Act providing an appropriation from the Virgin Islands Insurance Guaranty
Fund as a contribution to the General Fund of the Government of the Virgin Islands for the Fiscal
Year October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024. The measure was sponsored by Senators Novelle
E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by the Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0166 – An Act providing an appropriation for the operation of the Bureau of School
Construction and Maintenance during the fiscal year October 1, 2023, through September 30,
2024. The measure was sponsored by Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. FrettGregory, by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0167 – An Act providing an appropriation from the District Public Road Fund to the
Virgin Islands Department of Public Works for the repairs of the government road in Estate Crown
and Hawk, St. Thomas. The measure was sponsored by Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna
A. Frett-Gregory, by Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0168 – An Act providing an appropriation of $300,000 from the St. Thomas Capital
Improvement Fund in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, to the University of the Virgin
Islands for the construction of two sheds at John Brewers Beach on St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.
The measure was sponsored by Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Donna A. Frett-Gregory, by
Request of the Governor.
Bill No. 35-0169 – An Act providing an appropriation of $500,000 from the Education Initiative
Fund in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, to the Department of Education, Division of
Curriculum and Instruction for final editing and proofing of customized Virgin Islands History
Textbooks; printing hardcover editions of customized Virgin Islands History Textbooks; and
completion of K-8 Social Studies Curriculum. The measure was sponsored by Senators Donna A.
Frett-Gregory and Angel Bolques, Jr.
Senator Capehart expressed gratitude to the members of the Finance Committee, her staff, and the
legislative staff for their commitment to passing a timely, balanced budget. Further, she expressed
concerns about next year’s budget but remains hopeful that the Government of the Virgin Islands
will be able to increase the collection efforts to fill the gaps of any future budget shortfalls and
pledged her commitment to assist in that progress.
Senators present at today’s Committee hearing included Diane T. Capehart, Milton E. Potter,
Angel L. Bolques, Jr., Kenneth L. Gittens, Marise C. James, Franklin D. Johnson, and Carla J.
Joseph. Non-Committee members present were Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Ray Fonseca.
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