35th Legislature Commences a New Legislative Session

The 15 members comprising the 35th Legislature swore to faithfully and impartially discharge their Senatorial duties during the oath of office ceremony held on St. Thomas on January 9th.

Following the swearing in ceremony, which took place in Emancipation Garden, the newly sworn lawmakers gathered in the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall to consider its first order of business–the organization of the 35th Legislature.

Bill No. 35-0001 organizes and establishes the Majority Caucus, elects the officers, and appoints the chairpersons, vice-chairpersons, and members of the standing committees of the Thirty-Fifth Legislature of the Virgin Islands.

The Majority Caucus will consist of the following 11 members: Senator Marvin A. Blyden; Senator Angel L. Bolques, Jr.; Senator Diane T. Capehart; Senator Ray Fonseca; Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr.; Senator Donna A. Frett-Gregory; Senator Kenneth L. Gittens; Senator Javan E. James, Sr.; Senator Marise C. James; Senator Carla J. Joseph; and Senator Milton E. Potter.

The leadership of the 35th Legislature breaks down as follows:

Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr. is elected Senate President.
Senator Marvin A. Blyden is elected Vice-President.
Senator Carla J. Joseph is elected Secretary
Senator Kenneth L. Gittens is elected Majority Leader
Senator Marise C. James is elected Secretary for Intergovernmental Territorial Affairs;
Senator Donna A. Frett-Gregory is elected Liaison to the United States Congress;
Senator Carla J. Joseph is elected Liaison to the United States Department of Interior & Office of Insular Affairs
Senator Kenneth L. Gittens is elected Liaison to the White House.

Bill No. 35-0001 establishes 11 standing committees along with its respective members, which include the following:

COMMITTEE ON RULES AND JUDICIARY

Senator Diane T. Capehart (Chair); Senator Milton E. Potter (vice-chair); Members: Senator Angel L. Bolques, Jr.; Senator Kenneth L. Gittens; Senator Marise C. James; Senator Franklin D. Johnson; Senator Carla J. Joseph.

COMMITTEE ON BUDGET, APPROPRIATIONS, AND FINANCE

Senator Donna A. Frett-Gregory (chair); Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr. (Vice-Chair); Members: Senator Marvin A. Blyden; Senator Samuel Carriόn; Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff; Senator Ray Fonseca; Senator Javan E. James, Sr.

COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, HOSPITALS, AND HUMAN SERVICES

Senator Ray Fonseca (Chair); Senator Kenneth L. Gittens (Vice-chair) Members: Senator Marvin A. Blyden; Senator Diane T. Capehart; Senator Samuel Carriόn; Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr.; Senator Donna A. Frett-Gregory; Senator Marise C. James; Senator Milton E. Potter.

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Senator Marise C. James (Chair); Senator Donna A. Frett-Gregory (Vice-chair); Members: Senator Diane T. Capehart; Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff; Senator Javan E. James, Sr.; Senator Franklin D. Johnson; Senator Carla J. Joseph.

COMMITTEE ON DISASTER RECOVERY, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND PLANNING

Senator Milton E. Potter (Chair); Senator Diane T. Capehart (Vice-Chair); Members: Senator Alma Francis Heyliger; Senator Kenneth L. Gittens; Senator Marise C. James; Senator Franklin D. Johnson; Senator Carla J. Joseph

COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND AGRICULTURE

Senator Javan E. James, Sr. (Chair); Senator Angel L. Bolques, Jr. (Vice-Chair); Members: Senator Marvin A. Blyden; Senator Diane T. Capehart; Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff; Senator Alma Francis Heyliger; Senator Donna A. Frett-Gregory

COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY, JUSTICE, AND PUBLIC SAFETY

Senator Kenneth L. Gittens (Chair); Senator Ray Fonseca (Vice-Chair); Members: Senator Angel L. Bolques, Jr.; Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff; Senator Alma Francis Heyliger; Senator Javan E. James, Sr.; Senator Franklin D. Johnson

COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION

Senator Carla J. Joseph (Chair); Senator Javan E. James, Sr. (Vice-Chair); Members: Senator Samuel Carriόn; Senator Ray Fonseca; Senator Alma Francis Heyliger; Senator Kenneth L. Gittens; Senator Milton E. Potter.

COMMITTEE ON HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Senator Marvin A. Blyden (Chair); Senator Marise C. James (Vice-Chair); Members: Senator Angel L. Bolques, Jr.; Senator Samuel Carriόn; Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff; Senator Ray Fonseca; Senator Carla J. Joseph.

COMMITTEE ON CULTURE, SPORTS, PARKS, AND YOUTH

Senator Angel L. Bolques, Jr. (Chair); Senator Marvin A. Blyden (Vice-Chair); Members: Senator Samuel Carriόn; Senator Alma Francis Heyliger; Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr.; Senator. Franklin D. Johnson; Senator Milton E. Potter.

The Committee of the Whole will consist of all 15 members of the 35th Legislature.

Bill No. 35-0001 passed with 11 votes in the affirmative. Three lawmakers, all members of the minority, voted in against the measure and cited a lack of established rules as the basis for the opposition.

“I'm very, very disappointed that this is my second term and I still don't have any rules in front of me to vote on today,” said Senator Alma Francis Heyliger during her five minute point of personal privilege. “The one fundamental thing to govern this body is how we interact, how we make decisions and what we are governed by.”

Sen. Francis Heyliger noted that she submitted about 55 bills with no rules or insight as to how the leadership will order those bills onto the agenda.

“I'm simply asking from henceforward, if anybody's around for the 36th [Legislature], [to] make sure that we have the rules on swearing-in day so we could govern this institution properly,” said Sen. Francis Heyliger. “That's all I'm asking.”

Her colleague in the minority, Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff, similarly stressed adherence to the process during his point of personal privilege.

“There is a process. You don't special order something [if] you don’t have no rules to special order it,” said Sen. DeGraff. “That's what our objective was about. It wasn't objecting to be objective.”

Despite their objections, Senators remained fairly cordial, expressed gratitude and encouraged a spirit of collaboration as the 35th Legislature embarks on this next two year session. Following remarks from each of the 15 lawmakers, the 35th Legislature recessed until January 23rd when it will meet for State of the Territory Address.