Committee on Finance

The Committee on Finance will consider the following bills:

 Bill No. 34-0099-An Act amending title 3 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 25, sections 530 (g) and chapter 27, section 705(c), relating to the mandatory retirement age of police officers, firefighters and prison guards to change the mandatory retirement age from 55 to 63

Sponsored by Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff

Invited Testifiers:

 Ray A. Martinez, Commissioner Nominee, Virgin Islands Police Department

 Wynnie Testamark, Director, Bureau of Corrections

 Daryl A. George, Sr., Director, Virgin Islands Fire Services

 Cindy Richardson, Director, Division of Personnel

 Austin L. Nibbs, Administrator, Government Employees Retirement System

 Lt. Aaron Krigger, Member, Law Enforcement Supervisor’s Union

 Andre Dorsey, President, Association of Firefighters

 Officer Hadaya Casimir, President, Police Benevolent Association

Bill No. 34-0089-An Act appropriating $920,000 to the Virgin Islands Port Authority for the construction of an aesthetically pleasing Cruz Bay fish market and to modify the existing concrete boat ramp and bulkhead at the Little Cruz Bay Dock, Cruz Bay Quarter; and appropriating $580,000 to the Department of Public Works for the construction of a boat dock and slipway at Enighed Pond on the island of St. John

Sponsored by Senators Steven D. Payne, Sr. and Janelle K. Sarauw

Invited Testifiers:

 Carlton Dowe, Executive Director, Virgin Islands Port Authority

Derek Gabriel, Commissioner, Department of Public Works

Jean-Pierre L. Oriol, Commissioner, Department of Planning and Natural Resources

 Kendell Anthony, St. John Fisherman

Bill No. 34-0070-An Act amending title 33 Virgin Islands Code, subtitle 1, part I, chapter 3, section 54(b) relating to the remittance of the hotel room tax to the Government from travel organizations; and requiring the Director of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue, with the assistance of the Commissioner of Tourism, to enter into an agreement with all travel organizations that offer sleeping accommodations in the Virgin Islands to collect the hotel room tax required under 33 V.I.C. §54

Sponsored by Senator Samuel Carrión

Invited Testifiers:

 Joel Lee, Director, Bureau of Internal Revenue

 Joseph Boschulte, Commissioner, Department of Tourism

Lisa Hamilton, President, USVI Hotel & Tourism Association

 Allison DeGazon, Ph.D, Director, Bureau of Economic Research

 Honorable Richard T. Evangelista, Commissioner, Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs