ST. THOMAS, VI — Members of the 36^th Legislature, led by Senate President Milton E. Potter, convened in the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall for Legislative Session. Lawmakers voted on nominations, easements, zonings, lease agreements, and bills. The items on the agenda will be forwarded to the Governor of the Virgin Islands for further consideration and action.  

The Governor is authorized to appoint officers and officials, subject to the advice and consent of the Legislature. Lawmakers voted and approved the following nominations after acknowledgement of both nominees’ qualifications for their relative positions:  

• Mr. Lynton Scotland, Member, Governing Board of the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority  

• Dr. Kisha M. Christian, Fifth Pharmacist, Governing Board of the Virgin Islands Board of Pharmacy 

Senators were in support of most, if not all, measures in Block 1 with a few sharing concerns about future regulations of Bill No. 36-0313; but lawmakers remain open to upcoming amendments for the measure and acknowledged the importance of horse racing being active in St. Croix. Senate President Potter stated passing the bill could be the “beginning of a sustainable horse industry”.  

Lawmakers voted in the affirmative for the following easements, zoning, and lease agreement requests after discussion regarding their positions: 

• Bill No. 36-0252 - An act to ratify a perpetual access easement for ingress and egress over a portion of Public Road R.O.W. Store Tvaer Gade, Queen’s Quarter, St. Thomas 

• Bill No. 36-0272 - An act amending Official Zoning Map No. SCZ-20 for the island of St. Croix to rezone Plot No. 4 of 12 Estate Richmond, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, from R-3 (Residential-Medium Density) to B-2 (Business-Secondary/Neighborhood) 

• Bill No. 36-0307 - An act amending Official Zoning Map No. SJZ-1, St. John, Virgin Islands by rezoning Parcel No.17-D-5 Estate Adrian, No. 18, Cruz Bay Quarter, St. John, consisting of 0.83 acres as described on PWD No. D9-9095-T016 from R-1 (Residential-Low Density) to B-3 (Business-Scattered) 

However, Senators voted to send Bill No. 36-0313, an act approving lease and franchise agreements for the development and operation of the Randall “Doc” James Racetrack on St. Croix and the Clinton E. Phipps Racetrack on St. Thomas and amending titles 32 and 33 Virgin Islands Code, to the Committee on Budget, Appropriations, and Finance for further vetting and consideration. 

Senators then voted against Bill No. 36-0237, an act approving a multi-year lease agreement between the Government of the Virgin Islands, acting through its Commissioner of the Department of Property and Procurement, and DM Hospitality LL, for Parcel No. 2C Crystal Gade, Queen’s Quarter, St. Thomas, consisting of a 2-story building to operate a food and beverage management company with a bakery and deli, a jewelry business, management company, and other related purposes.  

In the second and final block, senators put their position on the record, regrading several measures. Policymakers expressed support and voted in favor for the following bills:  

• Bill No. 36-0213 - An act renaming Contentment Road on the island of St. Croix as “Senator Alicia “Chucky” Hansen Lane” and appropriating $10,000 from the St. Croix Capital Improvement Fund to the Virgin Islands Department of Public Works to erect the proper signage 

• Bill No. 36-0224 - An act amending title 20 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 51, subchapter I, section 801 relating to the moving violations point system 

• Bill No. 36-0250 An act amending title 3 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 27, section 717 relating to personal loans made to members of the Government Employees’ Retirement System 

• Bill No. 36-0273 - An act amending Act No. 8465 redirecting the appropriation to the First-Time Homebuyers Program to the Williams Delight Community Homeownership Program and the VI Slice Homeownership Program 

• Bill No. 36-0274 - An act requiring the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority to pay compensation to the homeowners within the Lyndon B. Johnson Gardens community who have been required to vacate their homes as a result of the actions related to the demolition of properties owned by the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority and associated with the operations of the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority and the Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority 

• Bill No. 36-0278 - An act amending title 19, Virgin Islands Code, to establish immunization requirements for children and students enrolling in educational institutions in the Virgin Islands; to provide for immunization exemptions; and to require electronic reporting of immunization compliance to the Virgin Islands Department of Health through the Virgin Islands Immunization Registry (VIIRS) 

• Bill No. 36-0279 - An act amending title 3 Virgin Islands Code by creating the position of Women Veterans Coordinator within the Office of Veterans Affairs 

• Bill No. 36-0344 - An act providing an appropriation to the Virgin Islands Department of Public Works for the repair, renovation, or removal of the pedestrian bridge located in the vicinity of the Western Cemetery and the former Addelita Cancryn Junior High School 

Senators present at this Legislative Session include Senators: Milton E. Potter, Kenneth L. Gittens, Marvin A. Blyden, Angel L. Bolques Jr., Ray Fonseca, Alma Francis Heyliger, Novelle E. Francis Jr., Dwayne M. DeGraff, Hubert L. Frederick, Marise C. James, Franklin D. Johnson, Carla J. Joseph, Clifford A. Joseph, Avery L. Lewis, and Kurt A. Vialet. 

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