Committee on Rules and Judiciary

Agenda

The Committee on Rules and the Judiciary has scheduled a meeting to consider the following:

Block I                      9:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Bill No. 34-0004 – An Act amending title 33, Virgin Islands Code, subtitle 1, chapter 5, section 91 relating to the payment of fuel taxes to change the time for remittance of the tax to the Bureau of Internal Revenue; and for other purposes Sponsored by Senator Donna A. Frett-Gregory. Co-Sponsored by Senators Genevieve Whitaker, Samuel Carrión, and Steven D. Payne, Sr.

Bill No. 34-0058 – An Act amending title 17 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 34 by adding a subchapter III to establish the Virgin Islands Catalyst Fund to provide loans to eligible entities to promote economic resiliency, and to support the retention or creation of jobs, to provide for the University of the Virgin Islands Research and Technology Park Corporation to administer the program and the fund, and to provide criteria for making loans; and making $5,000,000 appropriation the Virgin Islands Catalyst Fund and a $1,000,000 appropriation to the Economic Development Authority Enterprise Zone Program Sponsored by Senators Novelle E. Francis, Jr. and Kurt A. Vialet

Bill No. 34-0060 – An Act amending the Virgin Islands Code title 21, chapters 1, 2, 3A and 4; amending title 29 §87, 191b, 191j and 945; amending title 33, chapter 7, § 130; and repealing title 21, chapter 1 §4; and title 29 chapter 1, §191f and §191g to enact The First-Time Homebuyers Program Act; making an appropriation of $4,000,000 from the Internal Revenue Matching Fund to the Homestead and Home Loan Fund; and making a $2,000,000 appropriation from the Internal Revenue Matching Fund to the Department of Public Works to construct The Leonardo “Nado” Trotman Drive Sponsored by Senators Kurt Vialet, Donna Frett-Gregory, Novelle E .Francis, Jr., Marvin A. Blyden, Samuel Carrión, Janelle K. Sarauw, Dwayne M. DeGraff, and Javan E, James, Sr.

Block II                     10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Bill No. 34-0030 – An Act amending title 4, Virgin Islands Code, chapter 11, section 172 relating to the Virgin Islands Superior Court’s jurisdiction over children to divest the court of jurisdiction over judicial consent for the marriage of a child Sponsored by Senator Javan E. James, Sr. Co-Sponsored by Senator Franklin D. Johnson

Bill No. 34-0031 – An Act amending title 14, Virgin Islands Code, chapter 24, section 504 relating to the penalties for child neglect to require the convicted person to attend counseling in addition to imprisonment or fine Sponsored by Senator Javan James, Sr. Co-Sponsored by Senator Franklin D. Johnson

Bill No. 34-0032. An Act amending title 14, Virgin Islands Code, chapter 24, section 505 relating to child abuse to require a person who abuses a child to seek counseling Sponsored by Senator Javan E James, Sr. Co-Sponsored by Senator Franklin D. Johnson

Invited Testifiers:

Kimberley Causey-Gomez, Commissioner, Department of Human Services

Carla E. Benjamin, Assistant Commissioner, Department of Human Services

Clema Lewis, Executive Director, Women’s Coalition of St. Croix

Carolyn Forno, Assistant Director, Women’s Coalition of St. Croix

Anya Stuart, Executive Director, Family Resource Center

Sheila Osterhuber, Executive Director, Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council

Junia John-Straker, CEO Lutheran Social Services

Uklyn Hendricks, Director, Queen Louise Home for the Children

Vaughn Hewitt,, Director, Early Head Start

Abdul Ali, Men’s Coalition

Tarik MacMillan, Greater Changes

VI Board of Nurse Licensure, Nomination of Celia Nurse, PhD

Nominee:                  Cherrisse Woods, Esq.

Lunch                       2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Block III                    3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Bill No. 34-0035-An Act amending title 16, Virgin Islands Code, chapter 1, subchapter III, section 61 relating to a wife’s name to give either party to a marriage the right to use the other’s surname Sponsored by Senator Alma Francis Heyliger

Bill No. 34-0037-An Act amending title 15 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 3, section 89, subsections (b) and (c) relating to decedents estate and payment of certain debts without administration to increase the aggregate amount that a surviving spouse may receive from debtors upon the death of the creditor and to increase the amount of debt a debtor must pay the survivors of a decedent creditor not less than thirty days after the creditor’s death from not more than $5,000 to not more than $10,000 Sponsored by Senator Alma Francis Heyliger

Invited Testifier:

Bernadette Gonsalves, IKTC Foundation