Committee of the Whole/Regular Session

REGULAR SESSION – OFFICIAL AGENDA

Time:                                       10:00 A.M.

Call to Order:                         Honorable Novelle E. Francis, Jr., Senate President

Invocation:                            Reverend Charles L. Brown, Jr.

Chaplain, 35^th Legislature of the Virgin Islands

Anthems:                                National Anthem and Virgin Islands March

Roll Call:                               Honorable Carla J. Joseph, Legislative Secretary

Messages and/or Correspondences:

Committee Reports:              Chairperson of Standing Committees

The Thirty-Fifth Legislature will dissolve from Legislative Session and convene into The Committee of the Whole to discuss the following:

 Bill No. 35-0340       An Act renewing and extending the state of emergency in the Virgin Islands based on the power and energy crisis for an additional 60 days from September 20, 2024, through November 19, 2024

 Invited Testifiers:

Karl Knight, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, VI Water and Power Authority

Hubert Turnbull, Chairman, VI Water and Power Authority Governing Board

Honorable Kevin McCurdy, Commissioner, VI Department of Finance

Bill Request No. 24-1293      An Act to allow the operation of casinos on cruise ships while docked in St. Croix, Virgin Islands

Invited Testifiers:

Honorable Joseph B. Boschulte, Commissioner, VI Department of Tourism

Carlton Dowe, Executive Director, VI Port Authority

Marvin Pickering, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, VI Casino Control Commission

The Thirty-Fifth Legislature will then dissolve from The Committee of the Whole and reconvene into Legislative Session to consider the following:

SPECIAL ORDERS/OVERRIDES:

CONSIDERATION OF FLOOR AGENDA:

CONSIDERATION OF LEASES

Bill No. 35-0300         An Act approving a lease agreement between the Government of the Virgin Islands, acting through its Commissioner of the Department of Property and Procurement, and Advance Power, LLC, for three portions of Parcel 1-A Estate Bovoni, Nos. 1 and 2 Frenchman’s Bay Quarter, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands; two portions of Parcel No.1 A-8 Estate Bovoni Nos. 1 and 2 Frenchman’s Bay Quarter, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands; a portion of Parcel No. 1A-7 Estate Bovoni Nos. 1 and 2 Frenchman’s Bay Quarter, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands; a portion of Parcel No. 1-21 Estate Bovoni Nos. 1 and 2 Frenchman’s Bay Quarter, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands; two portions of Remainder of Parcel 1-19 Estate Bovoni, Nos. 1 and 2 Frenchman’s Bay Quarter, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands; and a portion of Parcel No. 1-18 Estate Bovoni, Nos. 1 and 2 Frenchman’s Bay Quarter, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, for the purpose of constructing, operating, and maintaining wind turbine generators, offices, metering, maintenance sheds, access roads, utility substations as part of a microgrid on St. Thomas and other related purposes

Bill No. 35-0320         An Act approving a lease agreement between the Government of the Virgin Islands, acting through its Commissioner of the Department of Property and Procurement, and Advance Power, LLC, for two portions of Parcel No. 1 and Remainder 39-A and 49 Estate Cassava Garden, Queen’s Quarter, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, six portions of Remainder Matriculate 38 Estate Pearl, Queen’s Quarter, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, two portions of Remainder Matriculate 51 and 43 Queen’s Quarter, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, two portions of Remainder Parcel No. 1 Estate Barron Spot, Queens’s Quarter, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, two portions of Parcel No. 11 Estate Pearl, Queen’s Quarter, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, and six portions of Plot No. 2 Estate Humbug, Queen’s Quarter, St. Croix, Virgin Islands for the purpose of constructing, operating, and maintaining wind turbine generators, maintenance sheds, access roads, utility substations as part of a microgrid, and for other related purposes on St. Croix

Bill No. 35-0374         An Act approving the conveyance of Parcel No. 201 Submarine Base, No. 6 Southside Quarter, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands from the Government of the Virgin Islands to the Virgin Islands Public Broadcasting System

Bill No. 35-0383         An Act approving the lease agreement between the Government of the Virgin Islands and St. Croix Science Teachers’ Association, Inc., for Parcel No. 10-P VICORP Land, King Quarter, St. Croix, Virgin Islands

Bill No. 35-0384         An Act approving Amendment No. 1 to the Lease Agreement between the Government of the Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority to amend the premises by replacing the parcel of land described as a portion of Parcel No. 10-B VICORP Land, King Quarter, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, with Parcel No. 10-M VICORP Land, King Quarter, St. Croix, Virgin Islands

CONSIDERATION OF BILLS

Bill No. 35-0031         An Act amending Title 5, Virgin Islands Code, subtitle 3, part I, by adding a new chapter 301A, creating the Child Victims’ and Child Witnesses’ Rights Act and repealing chapter 301, subchapter IV, section 3510

Bill No. 35-0257         An Act to develop and produce an annual U.S. Virgin Islands Beer, Wine, and Spirits Festival

Bill No. 35-0283         An Act amending title 19 Virgin Islands Code, part III, chapter 34, the Virgin Islands Cannabis Use Act

Bill No. 35-0285         An Act honoring and commending Bryan “Benny-Demus” Boulai for his outstanding achievements in the music and entertainment industries and for his contributions to the Virgin Islands community, awarding him The Official Key to the Virgin Islands

Bill No. 35-0286         An Act honoring and commending Verne Antonio Hodge for his years of dedicated service to the people of the Virgin Islands and its jurisprudence by renaming the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas/St. John, the “Judge Verne A. Hodge Superior Court of the Virgin Islands”

Bill No. 35-0289         An Act amending title 27 of the Virgin Islands Code by raising the legal age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21 years of age

Bill No. 35-0340         An Act renewing and extending the state of emergency in the Virgin Islands based on the power and energy crisis for an additional 60 days from September 20, 2024, through November 19, 2024

Bill No. 35-0388         An Act to amend various sections of title 5 Virgin Islands Code