Senate panel OKs slate of V.I. Code amendments

ST. CROIX — The Senate Rules and Judiciary Committee vetted a range of measures sent up from their committees of origin on Thursday, including an omnibus bill meant to weed out archaic, outdated provisions and languages in the Virgin Islands Code.

The committee hosted the territory’s first “Legislative Symposium” during two meetings in August during which government agency representatives were invited to propose amendments to sections of the V.I. Code that directly impact their operations. After citing some particularly outdated examples, Sen. Diane Capehart, who chairs the committee, said there’s legislation from “since the beginning of time” that required changing. Most of the revisions described in the bill amounted to simple word changes or additions.

The most substantial addition relates to police use of force. If a suspect flees by vehicle while an officer is making an arrest, according to the proposed amendment, it would be unlawful for the officer to shoot at the vehicle unless the suspect is immediately threatening them or another person with deadly force by means other than the vehicle or the suspect is using the vehicle itself as a deadly weapon — and only when no other means of defense are available.