Senate Pushes for Modern Reforms with Efficiency Bill Updating Outdated Marriage Law and Other Statutes; Measures Head to Full Body

Capehart’s omnibus bill targets V.I. Code provisions, including an old statute allowing divorce if a spouse is deemed an 'idiot.' The bill also introduces amendments aimed at streamlining gov't functions and improving efficiency across agencies.

Members of the Committee on Rules and Judiciary, on Thursday, voted to advance several pieces of legislation already vetted in their relevant committees of jurisdiction. Among them was Bill 35-0388, which purports to provide efficiency in government operations across the agencies and departments. That legislation is an omnibus bill comprising various amendments to the Virgin Islands Code first introduced by Senator Diane Capehart during two special legislative symposiums in August.

The symposiums were touted by Capehart, who chairs the Rulse and Judiciary Committee, as a way to “expedite proposed amendments to the sections of the Code that directly impact each department's operations and functions.” While no votes were taken when the symposiums were hosted two months ago, Bill 35-0388 represents the culmination of that effort.

Presented on Thursday, the legislation made amendments specific to Title Five of the Code. For example, “you have legislation on our books [that says] if you're married to an idiot, you can get a divorce,” she said. “There is legislation from since the beginning of time that needs to be changed; simple words that need to be changed.” The omnibus bill includes provisions to address language “that needs to be changed for departments to be able to provide efficiency for their government operations,” noted Ms. Capehart. With no debate or discussion on the actual contents of the legislation, Sen. Capeheart nevertheless reassured her colleagues that the measure was “nothing that is complicated, nothing that is controversial.”