U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS – Governor Albert Bryan Jr. has acted on and approved Bills No. 35-0013, 35-0045, 35-0084, 35-0086, 35-0099, 35-0102, 35-0109, 35-0119, 35-0123, 35-0125, 35-0127, 35-0131, 35-0173, 35-0175, 35-0187, 35-0189, 35-0192, 35-0194, 35-0199, 35-0210, 35-0214, 35-0219, 35-0220, 35-0221 and Resolution No. 1909 (Bill No. 35-0217) passed by the Legislature in its session on Dec. 19, 2023.
Gov. Bryan approved:
- Bill No. 35-0013, an Act amending title 20 Virgin Islands Code, part II, chapter 35, relating to the issuance of operators’ licenses and identification cards to allow applicants to obtain limited local-purpose identification cards and operators’ licenses without providing certain federally required documentation.
- Bill No. 35-0045, an Act amending title 5 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 407 relating to eligibility for parole release by adding section 4607 to establish Medical Parole Release, Geriatric Parole Release, and Non-Medical Geriatric Parole Release, and for other related purposes.
- Bill No. 35-0084, an Act amending title 11, Virgin Islands Code, chapter 21, section 1213 to allow businesses operating under a trade name to have the option of renewing the trade name every 2, 6, 10 years intervals.
- Bill No. 35-0086, an Act amending Title 3, V.I.C., chapter 1, section 10h to require background checks for all IT personnel and employees of the Bureau of Information Technology, agencies that have data centers, and any employee who handles confidential information.
- Bill No. 35-0099 an Act amending title 28, chapter 23, of the Virgin Islands Code relating to the foreclosure of Liens Upon Real Property.
- Bill No. 35-0119 an Act amending title 19 Virgin Islands Code by adding a chapter 7A directing the Department of Health to develop and approve Mobile Integrated Healthcare Programs.
- Bill No. 35-0127 an Act amending title 14 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 89 relating to the invasion of privacy of accident and crime victims by first Responders.
- Bill No. 35-0131 an Act amending title 3 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 15 to establish a “Real Time Crime Center” Centralized Data System, within the Virgin Islands Police Department.
- Bill No. 35-0173 an Act amending title 5 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 201, by adding a subchapter V enacting the Safe Haven Newborn Protection Act to provide a mechanism for a newborn infant to be relinquished to a safe environment, for the parents of the newborn infant to remain anonymous if they choose and avoid civil or criminal liability for the act of relinquishing the newborn infant.
- Bill No. 35-0175 an Act amending Title 23 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 11, relating to emergency communications during an emergency and major disasters by adding a subchapter II establishing an Auxiliary Communications Unit within the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency and providing an auxiliary communications resource to any department agency and autonomous or semiautonomous instrumentality of the Government of the Virgin Islands.
- Bill No. 35-0187 an Act amending title 19, part V, chapter 45, by adding subchapter XI, titled Extreme Risk Protection Orders, to allow a family or household member, law enforcement officer, healthcare worker, educator or co-worker to intervene and file a court petition to temporarily confiscate and ban a person’s access to guns for one year if that person is deemed to be a risk to themselves or others.
- Bill No. 35-0194 an Act amending title 17 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 10, section 111(a) requiring the Commissioner of Education to hire a School Nurse Supervisor per district and School Health Technicians for every public school in the Territory.
- Bill No. 35-0210 an Act appropriating $2,500,000 for the purchase of Plot Nos. 53A, 53B, 54A & 54B Kronprindsens Gade, Crown Prince Quarter, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, by and between the Government of the Virgin Islands, acting through the Department of Property and Procurement, and Conroy H. Watt and Kenneth I. Sweeney.
- Bill No. 35-0219 an Act changing the date for commencing the 2024 Regular Session of the Legislature of the Virgin Islands to January 22, 2024.
- Bill No. 35-0220 an Act for developing and producing an annual U.S. Virgin Islands Music Festival.
- Bill No. 35-0221 an Act amending title 3 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 18, subchapter I, removing the Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation’s responsibility for housing activities and eliminating inapplicable provisions relating to housing matters of the former Department of Housing, Parks and Recreation, and other related purposes.
Governor Bryan approved the following zoning measures:
- Bill No. 35-0189, an Act granting a zoning variance from the R-1 zoning designation for Plot No. 9A and Parcel No. 10 Estate Grange, Company Quarter, St. Croix, Virgin Islands to allow for office and event rental; solar and wind energy development, research, and testing of technology; agricultural production and sales; and short-term rentals.
- Bill No. 35-0192, an Act amending Official Zoning Map No. SCZ-18, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, to allow for the rezoning of Plots No. 19 and 20 Prince Street, Town of Frederiksted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands and Plots No. 50, 51 and 52 Hospital Street, Frederiksted Town, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, from R-4 to R-3.
- Bill No. 35-0214, an Act granting a zoning use variance for Plot No. 246 Estate Glynn, Queen Quarter, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, from the A-2 to allow for the construction and operation of a guesthouse under a grouped development with no prohibition on short-term rental usage.
- Bill No. 35-0199, an Act ratifying Minor Coastal Zone Permit No. CZX-22-22W issued to Joel Ureta for the use and occupancy of submerged lands seaward of Heathen Cove, Chenay Bay, St. Croix, Virgin Islands and for the installation of a recreational buoy with a mooring.
Governor Bryan also approved:
- Bill No. 35-0102, an Act honoring and commending Ralph A. deChabert, M.D. for outstanding contributions in the medical field to the people of the Virgin Islands and his many civic contributions to the community, especially to the island of St. Croix and to name the Labor and Delivery/Post Partum Unit “Maternity Services” at the Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center North in his honor.
- Bill No. 35-0109, an Act honoring and commending the late Corporal Kendall Emanuel George posthumously for his service as a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps in the Vietnam War and for making the ultimate sacrifice to preserve democracy and to keep America and his Virgin Islands homeland safe; naming Route 107 from Coral Bay to Lameshur Bay, St. John “Kendall Emanuel George Drive” South.
- Bill No. 35-0123, an Act to commission and direct the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts to construct and erect a bronze bust of Dr. Alfred O. Heath to be placed next to those of Edith L. Williams, J. Antonio Jarvis, and Rothschild Francis in Education Park on the island of St. Thomas.
- Bill No. 35-0125, an Act honoring and commending the late Police Lieutenant Melbourne Clarke posthumously for his dedication, service, and contributions to the Virgin Islands community in law enforcement by adding the name, “Police Lieutenant Melbourne Clarke Drive”, at Route 669 on the island of St. Croix.
Gov. Bryan acknowledged the Legislature’s favorable action on the nominations of H. Nathalie Hodge as the Commissioner of the Department of Licensing & Consumer Affairs, Dr. Louis E. Petersen as the Commissioner of Agriculture, Kevin McCurdy as the Commissioner of Finance, and both Bert Petersen, Jr., M.D. and Donna M. Christensen, M.D. as members of the University of the Virgin Islands Board of Trustees and acknowledged the Legislature’s override of the veto of Bill No. 35-0014.
Finally, Gov. Bryan acknowledged Resolution No. 1909 (Bill No. 35-0217) – A Resolution honoring and commending the St. Croix Majorettes for its outstanding 50 years of commitment to nurturing youth, enriching community service, advancing the art and sport of baton twirling, and for its invaluable contributions to the cultural and social fabric of St. Croix.
The Bryan-Roach Administration is investing in the Territory’s people, infrastructure and future through transparency, stabilizing the economy, restoring trust in the government and ensuring that recovery projects are completed as quickly as possible. Visit transparency.vi.gov
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