Committee on Rules and Judiciary

The 36th Legislature of the Virgin Islands Committee on Rules and Judiciary has scheduled a hearing for 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 22, 2026, in the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall on St. Thomas. The purpose of the hearing is to consider the following legislative measures and Governor’s Nominees.

BLOCK I: GOVERNOR’S NOMINEES                                                                            10:00 A.M. – 11:30 A.M.

Mrs. Ardrina Scott Elliott

Board of Parole and representative, District of St. Thomas – St. John

Dr. Tylur D. Arvidson

The Board of Chiropractic Examiners

BLOCK II: GOVERNOR’S NOMINEES                                                                             11:30 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.

Ms. Caryn Hodge

Virgin Islands Historic Preservation Commission

LUNCH                                                                                                                                 1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M.

BLOCK III                                                                                                                             2:00 P.M. – 3:30 P.M.

Bill No. 36-0277                     An act enacting a comprehensive probate code for the Virgin Islands to govern intestate and testate succession, administration of decedents’ estates, and related procedures. 

Invited Testifiers:

Honorable Rhys S. Hodge, Chief Justice, Department of Justice

Honorable Gordan C. Rhea, Esq., Attorney General of the Virgin

Ms. Shari N. D’Andrade, Esq., President, Virgin Islands Bar Association

Mr. Troy De Chabert-Schuster, State Director, AARP Virgin Islands

Ms. Jessica C. Tully, Esq., Attorney & Real Estate Broker, Tully Law, PLLC

Mr. Ben Orzeske, Esq., Chief Counsel, Uniform Law Commission

Mr. Tom Bolt, Esq., President/ CEO, BoltNagi PC Attorneys at Law

Mr. Wayne L. Biggs, Jr., Chief Executive Officer, Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority

BLOCK IV: BILLS                                                                                                                  3:30 P.M. – 4:00 P.M.

Bill No. 36-0048                     An Act amending title 22, Virgin Islands Code, chapter 3 relating to annual rate changes for medical malpractice liability insurance and amending title 27, Virgin Islands Code,                                                            chapter 1 by increasing the limitation on recovery in medical malpractice actions from $250,000 to $400,000; designating the records and testimony gathered by quality                                                                      improvement committees as confidential; and establishing additional requirements for filing medical malpractice claims.

Bill No. 36-0280                     An act amending title 19 Virgin Islands Code, part IV, chapter 37, subchapter II, section 831, subsection (a), paragraph (2), by giving a parent of a newborn, who is born in a                                                              government hospital, the option to receive the child’s birth certificate by mail.

Bill No. 36-0218                     An act honoring and commending Jerome Austin Browne for his outstanding achievements and contributions to baseball and the youth of St. Croix by renaming Prince Street in                                                       Christiansted “Jerry Browne Street”.

Bill No. 36-0229                     An act honoring and commending Adelbert M. “Bert” Bryan for his outstanding contributions and dedicated service to the Virgin Islands community, particularly on the island of St.                                                      Croix, and to ceremoniously name Queen Street in Frederiksted, St. Croix, in his honor as “Adelbert M. “Bert” Bryan Drive”.

Bill No. 36-0281                     An act honoring and commending Hans Lawaetz for his lifetime of exemplary service to the Virgin Islands and awarding him the Virgin Islands Medal of Honor.

Bill No. 36-0319                    An act honoring and commending Rena Brodhurst for her extraordinary contributions to journalism and the preservation of the Virgin Islands’ historical and cultural narrative and                                                      awarding her the Virgin Islands Medal of Honor.

Bill No. 36-0320                     A resolution honoring and commending Kevre Hendricks for his outstanding contributions to music, education, military service, and cultural preservation in the Virgin Islands.

Bill No. 36-0323                     An act honoring and commending Maude “Maudie” Dowdy Roberts posthumously and concurrently designating Prince Street in Frederiksted the “Maude ‘Maudie’ Dowdy Roberts                                                    Drive”.