U.S. Virgin Islands — Governor Albert Bryan Jr. today outlined the actions his administration is taking following the Legislature’s Sept. 17 regular session. He signed the FY 2026 budget to keep core services funded, renewed group health coverage for public employees and retirees to prevent any gap in care, ratified a coastal zone permit to support responsible marine commerce, and issued two vetoes and a line item veto to uphold the law and protect the General Fund.
“Budgets are promises, not wish lists,” Governor Bryan said. “I signed what keeps classrooms open, clinics running and communities safe. I vetoed what weakens checks and balances or risks the General Fund. That is smart, responsible stewardship.”
What this means for residents
- Government services are funded through FY 2026. From Oct. 1, 2025, to Sept. 30, 2026, the budget supports teachers, nurses, first responders, sanitation and road work, licensing and consumer protection, elections administration, and daily territorial operations.
- Health coverage continues without interruption. Renewals with Cigna and amendments with UnitedHealthcare keep medical, dental and voluntary benefits in place while the administration pursues longer term cost controls.
- Schools receive targeted support. Funding is in place for special education eligibility evaluations and for school repairs and maintenance through the School Construction, Maintenance and Capital Fund.
- Roads, transportation and waste management remain on track. The Department of Public Works, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and the Waste Management Authority receive operating support, along with capital improvement funds for St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John.
- Marine small business advances under clear rules. A ratified coastal zone permit for Lime Out 2, LLC supports regulated tourism activity with environmental safeguards.
Measures the Governor approved
Employee health benefits
- Bill No. 36-0189: This bill renews the government’s group medical and dental agreements with Cigna, renews voluntary critical illness, accidental injury and hospital care benefits with Cigna, and approves a second amendment to the medical insurance agreement with UnitedHealthcare. This action ensures that residents who rely on government health plans can continue to see their doctors and fill prescriptions without a break in coverage while broader reforms are evaluated.
Coastal zone management
- Bill No. 36-0185: This bill ratifies Major Coastal Zone Permit CZT-08-21(W) for Lime Out 2, LLC. The permit encourages entrepreneurship on the water while protecting coastal resources.
FY 2026 budget package
The Governor signed the principal appropriations that keep the territory operating:
- Education
- 36-0120: This bill appropriates $341,460 from the Education Initiative Fund to the Department of Education in FY 2025 for special education eligibility evaluations.
- 36-0164: This bill provides a lump sum from the School Construction, Maintenance and Capital Fund to the Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance in FY 2026.
- 36-0169: This bill appropriates $1,000,000 from the Education Initiative Fund to the School Construction, Maintenance and Capital Fund in FY 2026.
- Health, hospitals and public safety
- 36-0154: This bill appropriates from the Health Revolving Fund to the Department of Health and provides a contribution to the General Fund in FY 2026.
- 36-0155: This bill appropriates from the General Fund to Virgin Islands Fire and Emergency Medical Services in FY 2026.
- 36-0171: This bill funds operating expenses for the Virgin Islands Government Hospitals and Health Facilities Corporation in FY 2026.
- 36-0172: This bill funds operating expenses for the Office of the Inspector General in FY 2026.
- Infrastructure and public works
- 36-0158: This bill appropriates from the District Public Road Fund to the Department of Public Works in FY 2026.
- 36-0178: This bill provides a Transportation Trust Fund contribution to the General Fund and funds operating expenses for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Public Works in FY 2026.
- 36-0160: This bill appropriates from the General Fund to the St. Croix and St. Thomas Capital Improvement Funds in FY 2026.
- 36-0176: This bill appropriates from the General Fund to the St. John Capital Improvement Fund in FY 2026.
- Finance and agency operations
- 36-0159: This bill appropriates from the Indirect Cost Fund to the Office of Management and Budget, the Division of Personnel, the Department of Property and Procurement, and the Department of Finance in FY 2026.
- 36-0161: This bill appropriates $25,500,000 for the Legislature of the Virgin Islands in FY 2026.
- 36-0162: This bill appropriates $20,000,000 from the Virgin Islands Insurance Guaranty Fund to the General Fund in FY 2026.
- 36-0166: This bill appropriates from the Tourism Advertising Revolving Fund to the Office of the Governor, the Department of Education, the Police Department, the Department of Public Works, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation, the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs, the Virgin Islands Public Broadcasting System, and the Department of Tourism in FY 2026.
- 36-0175: This bill funds Public Services Commission operating expenses in FY 2026.
- 36-0177: This bill funds Board of Education operating expenses in FY 2026.
- 36-0179: This bill funds Career and Technical Education Board operating expenses in FY 2026.
- 36-0180: This bill appropriates to the Taxicab Commission in FY 2026.
- 36-0181: This bill appropriates from the Anti Litter and Beautification Fund to the Waste Management Authority and the Department of Public Works for operating expenses in FY 2026.
- 36-0182: This bill funds Waste Management Authority operating expenses from the General Fund in FY 2026.
- University and labor relations
- 36-0167: This bill funds the University of the Virgin Islands’ salaries and expenses in FY 2026.
- 36-0168: This bill funds operating expenses for the Public Employees Relations Board and the Labor Management Committee in FY 2026.
- Elections administration
- 36-0163: This bill funds salaries and expenses for the Board of Elections and the Office of the Supervisor of Elections in FY 2026.
- Wastewater operations
- 36-0170: This bill funds Waste Management Authority operating expenses from the Sewer Waste Water Fund in FY 2026.
Targeted revenue transfer
- 36-0186: This bill transfers $6,074,209 from the GVI/JPMC Charitable Fund to the General Fund in FY 2026. Under Act No. 8922, these dollars cannot be disbursed to animal welfare nonprofits unless the law is amended.
Line item veto to enforce existing law
- Bill No. 36-0174: The Governor signed the General Appropriations Act for FY 2026 and issued a line item veto to remove appropriations in Section 1 related to animal care and population control that the administration determined do not conform to Act No. 8922. Only the noncompliant items were removed, and all other provisions remain funded.
Measures the Governor vetoed and why
- Bill No. 36-0101: The bill would have allowed the Judiciary to fill judicial vacancies with its own selections for terms that could be renewed indefinitely without appointment by the Governor and consent by the Legislature. The Governor vetoed the bill because it removes the elected branches from judicial appointments, risks indefinite service without public accountability, and could encourage executive inaction at the end of a judicial term to bypass advice and consent.
- Bill No. 36-0112: The bill would have raised civil filing fees and diverted those dollars from the Treasury to a new Judicial Branch Capital Improvement Fund. It also increased post judgment interest and allowed 9 percent prejudgment interest after a rejected offer of judgment when the verdict exceeds the offer. The Governor vetoed the bill because diverting existing revenue without a replacement risks an imbalance in the General Fund and the interest structure could encourage delay and increase litigation costs for families and small businesses.
Additional actions
- The Governor acknowledged the Legislature’s overrides of his prior vetoes of Bill No. 36-0027, known as Jah’niqua’s Law, and Bill No. 36-0057 on automatic expungement upon acquittal.
- The Governor recognized favorable action on the following nominations: Roy Moorehead to the Board of Parole for the St. Thomas–St. John District, L. Damian M. Cartwright to the Board of Land Use Appeals for the St. Croix District, Xavier A. Acevedo to the WAPA Governing Board for the St. Croix District, and Dr. Safiya George to the Government Hospital and Health Facility Board of Directors.
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