Legislative 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, 35th 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

Special Orders/Overrides:

CONSIDERATION OF FLOOR AGENDA:

Harold W. L. Willocks, Esq.
Nominee, Justice, Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands

Averil George
Commissioner Nominee, Department of Human Services

Antonio O. Stevens
Nominee, Director, Virgin Islands Fire and Emergency Medical Services

Maurice K. Muia
Nominee, Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority Board of Directors

May A. Cornwall
Nominee, Virgin Islands Coastal Zone Management – District of St. Croix

Dr. Nathaniel Olive
Non-Agricultural Interest Nominee, VI Conservation District – St. Croix

Carlos Robles
Land Occupier Nominee, VI Conservation District – St. Thomas

CONSIDERATION OF COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT PERMIT AND ZONINGS

Bill No. 35-0212 An Act ratifying Minor Coastal Zone Permit No. CZT-18-21(W) issued to Beach Life, LLC for the continued use and occupancy of submerged lands and the installation of a five-foot wide by thirty-foot long floating dock anchored by a four-foot wide by twenty-four-foot-long wooden walkway on the beach and seaward of Tract C-1 Estate Water Island, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands

Bill No. 35-0213 An Act granting a conditional zoning use variance for Plots Nos. 219 and 220 Estate Morning Star, Queen Quarter, St. Croix, from the R-1 (Residential-Low Density) zoning designation to allow for a restaurant and bar, amphitheater, retail, a barber or beauty salon, short-term rental/guesthouse, and event space rental/rental of commercial space

Bill No. 35-0233 An Act granting a use variance to Parcels No. 41 Remainder Estate Contant and 41-C Estate Contant, 7A Southside Quarter, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands to allow for commercial parking

Bill No. 35-0234 An Act granting a zoning variance from the I-2 (Light Industry) zoning designation to Revised Parcel No. 17-3 Remainder Estate Nisky, No. 6 Southside Quarter, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, to allow for a business hotel

Bill No. 35-0235 An Act amending Official Zoning Map No. STZ-7 to rezone Reconfigured Remainder Consolidated Parcel No. 1-13 Estate Donoe, No. 2A New Quarter, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, from R-4 (Residential-Medium Density) to B-3 (Business-Scattered)

CONSIDERATION OF LEASES

Bill No. 35-0077 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 St. Thomas Rescue, Inc., Parcel No. 146 Revised Submarine Base No. 6, Southwest Quarter, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, consisting of a one-story building, on approximately 0.1899 U.S. acres of improved land more-or-less, zoned P, for the purpose of operating a long-term headquarters for all rescue related activities of the Lessee, and for other related purposes

Bill No. 35-0211 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 James O. Gaston for Plot No. 9-G VICORP Lands, Prince Quarter, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, consisting of approximately 653,400 U.S. sq. ft. or 15 U.S. acres of unimproved land, more or less, as shown on Drawing No. A9-5-C008 to be used for crop production and rearing small livestock

Bill No. 35-0225 An Act approving the multi-year lease agreement between the Government of the Virgin Islands, acting through its Commissioner of the Department of Property and Procurement, and Virgin Islands Center for Architecture, Crafts, and Build Heritage, St. Croix, Inc. d/b/a Virgin Islands Architecture Center for Build Heritage and Crafts, for Plot No. 8 Church Street and Plots No. 21, 22, and 23 Hospital Street, Christiansted Town, Company Quarter, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, consisting of two, two-story masonry buildings to be used for the common good, welfare, and education of the people of the Virgin Islands on heritage and cultural legacy, and for other related purposes

Bill No. 35-0245 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 the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority, for Plot No. B Lagoon Street Complex, Frederiksted Town, West End Quarter, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, consisting of two two-story buildings consisting collectively of 32,604 U.S. sq. ft. or 0.6366 U.S. acre of improved land more-or-less, for the operation of a Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Relief Program, and for other related purposes

Bill No. 35-0246 An Act approving the Lease Agreement between the Government of the Virgin Islands and Pro Mar Services, Inc. for Parcels No. 149-2, 159A and 159-1 Submarine Base, No. 6 Southside Quarter, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and Parcel No. 159 Remainder, Southside Quarter, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands

CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION

Bill No. 35-0116 A Resolution honoring and commending Honorary Lieutenant Colonel Leayle Gerard Galiber for his leadership in the Virgin Islands National Guard and his dedication to his country and to the people of the Virgin Islands

CONSIDERATION OF BILLS

Bill No. 35-0107 An Act posthumously honoring and commending Dr. Fenella Cooper for her contributions to the fields of education, sports and culture, and naming the UVI tennis courts in her honor

Bill No. 35-0115 An Act repealing title 24 Virgin Islands Code chapter 17, subchapter II, “Limited Use of Criminal Records in Hiring Practices,” and enacting in its place “The Fair Chance for Employment Act” relative to criminal record checks in the employment application process; and amending title 3 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 25, subchapter I, section 452 requiring the Director of Personnel to develop and implement fair chance hiring policies; and for other related purposes

Bill No. 35-0133 An Act amending title 17 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 15, by adding section 190gg establishing a scholarship program to support individuals interested in pursuing a career in the maritime industry in the Virgin Islands

Bill No. 35-0172 An Act amending title 29, chapter 5, Virgin Islands Code, relating to building codes to provide for adoption of nationally recognized consensus-based codes and standards and amendments to such codes that are in the best interests of the territory, and to provide for clarifications to the Virgin Islands building code

Bill No. 35-0178 An Act amending title 5 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 314, to add a section 3732a to allow for the automatic expungement of arrest records upon a finding that the arrest lacked probable cause and amending title 3 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 33, section 881(g), item 9 relating to public records to designate expunged criminal records as confidential records

Bill No. 35-0182 An Act amending title 14 of the Virgin Islands Code, chapter 51, by designating the existing provisions as subchapter I and adding a subchapter II relating to the non-consensual dissemination of sexually explicit images

Bill No. 35-0184 An Act to honor and commend Viggio E. Sewer posthumously for his ultimate contribution to the Virgin Islands and renaming East End Road on Route 10 on the island of St. John, in his honor

Bill No. 35-0196 An Act to amend title 3 Virgin Islands Code, sections 717(c) and 766(c) to establish a deadline for the GERS to resume the personal loan program, remove the $10,000,000 annual aggregate amount and the 8% interest rate cap, limit the system’s liability to $75,000, and set a parameter in section 717 that all loans must be structured such that the payoff date occurs before the retiree reaches age 70

Bill No. 35-0207 An Act amending title 19 Virgin Islands Code, part I, adding chapter 6a to create the Territorial Chronic Kidney Disease, Stroke and Diabetes Registry

Bill No. 35-0208 An Act honoring and commending Mrs. Bernice Alma Turnbull for her lifetime service and dedication to the people of the Virgin Islands

Bill No. 35-0218 An Act amending title 24 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 12 relating to unemployment benefits by: reducing the number of weeks that unemployment benefits can be received; increasing the statute of limitations for the collection of overpayments of unemployment benefits from claimants and for delinquent employer contribution; allowing for the implementation of the payroll variation methodology launch in the calendar year beginning January 2024; implementing a 10-year record retention period for employers; and requiring employers to register with the Virgin Islands State Information Data Exchange System

Bill No. 35-0223 An Act renaming Gamle Gade the “William A. Industrious Street”

Bill No. 35-0226 An Act amending title 16 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 13, subchapter I, section 345, subsection (c) by establishing a minimum default amount for child support