A slate of high-impact bills is headed to the full Legislature for final consideration Friday after clearing the Senate Committee on Rules and Judiciary on Wednesday. Chaired by Sen. Carla Joseph, the committee unanimously advanced more than a dozen measures that touch nearly every corner of Virgin Islands life—from pension reform and disability savings to helicopter services, sanitation penalties, and child support for victims of DUI-related homicides.
Among the most closely watched measures is Bill No. 36-0012, which seeks to streamline the Government Employees’ Retirement System’s (GERS) disability annuity approval process. The bill, sponsored by Senate President Milton Potter, would allow GERS to bypass its Medical Review Committee in straightforward cases where a certified medical professional has already determined an applicant to be disabled. The intent, according to the bill’s authors, is to reduce lengthy delays and financial hardship for retirees awaiting approval.
Another reform measure, Bill No. 36-0032, aims to limit the salary amount used to calculate retirement annuities for the governor and lieutenant governor. By capping the earnings figure factored into their pension benefits, lawmakers have said that the bill—sponsored by Sens. Kurt Vialet and Ray Fonseca—seeks to bring executive retirement packages more in line with public expectations and fiscal prudence.
Meanwhile, lawmakers gave the green light Wednesday to two lease agreements. One, Bill No. 36-0062, authorizes the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to use a portion of the telecommunications tower in Estate Nazareth, St. Thomas. The second, Bill No. 36-0098, allows Caribbean Buzz, LLC, to continue operations from the helipad at Estate Susannaberg on St. John, where it provides helicopter transport and emergency response services.
Public safety and criminal justice reform also featured prominently. Bill No. 36-0024, introduced by Fonseca, declares that individuals in police custody cannot legally consent to sexual activity—a safeguard aimed at preventing abuse of power. Bill No. 36-0031 offers limited liability protection for public safety agencies operating 911 systems, exempting them from lawsuits unless actions are grossly negligent or intentionally harmful.
In a move designed to ease the burden on the wrongfully accused, Bill No. 36-0057 calls for the automatic expungement of arrest records when a defendant is acquitted. The measure, backed by Sens. Alma Francis Heyliger and Avery Lewis, addresses long-standing concerns about reputational damage and employment barriers caused by lingering records.
On the social services front, two related bills—36-0050 and 36-0051—update the regulation of social work and establish a territorial Board of Social Work Licensure. Another bill, 36-0035, facilitates the implementation of the federal ABLE Act, enabling individuals with disabilities to open tax-free savings accounts without jeopardizing eligibility for public benefits.
A bill that drew emotional resonance during the hearing was 36-0027, known as “Jah’niqua’s Law.” If enacted, it would require individuals convicted of DUI-related negligent homicide or accidents that leave a parent permanently disabled to pay restitution in the form of child support for any surviving minor. The measure, sponsored by Sens. Kenneth Gittens, Lewis, and Angel Bolques Jr., reflects a growing national trend of holding impaired drivers accountable for long-term family consequences.
Bill No. 36-0043 increases penalties for violations of sanitation laws, while Bill No. 36-0064 updates the spending structure for the Education Initiative Fund to better align with academic planning needs.
One symbolic but timely measure—Bill No. 36-0090—would establish the week before the first Friday in June as Virgin Islands Gun Violence Awareness Week, encouraging education and reflection on the causes and consequences of firearm-related harm in the territory.
The committee also passed two ceremonial resolutions: one honoring Crucian artisan Sonya Hough for her contributions to local jewelry craftsmanship, and another commending James Sasso for his work in the funeral services industry. A third resolution recognizes the 50th anniversary of the National Conference of State Legislatures.
All approved bills will now head to the full Legislature for final action during Friday’s session. Lawmakers say several of the measures—especially those tied to retirement reform and victim restitution—have the potential to make “meaningful” and “lasting change” if enacted.