FLOOR 
 
 
BILL NO. 
35-0001 
 
Thirty-Fifth Legislature of the Virgin Islands 
 
 
 
January 9, 2023 
 
 
 
A Resolution organizing and establishing the Majority Caucus, electing the officers, and 
appointing the chairpersons, vice-chairpersons, and members of the standing committees of the 
Thirty-Fifth Legislature of the Virgin Islands 
 
 
 
PROPOSED BY: 
 
Senators Novelle. E. Francis, Jr., Marvin A. Blyden, Carla J. Joseph, 
Angel L. Bolques, Jr., Diane T. Capehart, Ray Fonseca 
Donna A. Frett-Gregory, Kenneth L. Gittens, Javan E. James, Sr., 
Marise C. James, and Milton E. Potter 
 
WHEREAS, section 7 (a) of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands requires 
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regular sessions of the Legislature to be held annually commencing on the second Monday in 
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January;  
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WHEREAS, section 6 (g) of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands grants the 
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Legislature of the Virgin Islands the authority to exercise all the attributes, inherent in legislative 
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assemblies; 
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WHEREAS, the election of its officers, establishment of committees, appointment of 
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members to the committees, and the general organization of the body are inherent powers of the 
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Legislature; 
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WHEREAS, it has been a long-standing rule and practice of the Legislature for the 
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members of the Legislature after the swearing in ceremony on the second Monday in January 
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of odd-numbered years, to meet at the Capitol Building in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas and 
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convene in regular session to organize the Legislature; 
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WHEREAS, it has been a long-standing practice, as authorized by the Rules of the 
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Legislature, that the officers, committee chairpersons, and members on committees may be 
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elected by adoption of a resolution naming the officers, committees, chairs, vice-chairs and 
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members and organizing the Legislature; and 
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WHEREAS, consistent with the authority granted by the Revised Organic Act of the 
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Virgin Islands, the purpose of this resolution is to organize the Thirty-Fifth Legislature of the 
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Virgin Islands; Now, Therefore, 
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Be it Resolved by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands THAT: 
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SECTION 1.  (a) The Thirty-Fifth Legislature is organized as provided in sections 2 
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through 4. 
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SECTION 2. The Majority Caucus is established and is composed of: 
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(1) 
Senator Marvin A. Blyden; 
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(2) 
Senator Angel L. Bolques, Jr.; 
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(3) 
Senator Diane T. Capehart; 
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(4) 
Senator Ray Fonseca; 
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(5) 
Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr.; 
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(6) 
Senator Donna A. Frett-Gregory; 
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(7) 
Senator Kenneth L. Gittens; 
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(8) 
Senator Javan E. James, Sr.; 
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(9) 
Senator Marise C. James; 
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(10) Senator Carla J. Joseph; and 
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(11) Senator Milton E. Potter. 
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SECTION 3. The following members are elected to the offices of the Thirty-Fifth 
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3 
 
Legislature as provided in this section. 
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(a) 
Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr. is elected President;  
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(b) 
Senator Marvin A. Blyden is elected Vice-President;  
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(c) 
Senator Carla J. Joseph is elected Secretary;  
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(d) 
Senator Kenneth L. Gittens is elected Majority Leader;  
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(e) 
Senator Marise C. James is elected Secretary for Intergovernmental Territorial 
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Affairs; 
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(f) 
Senator Donna A. Frett-Gregory is elected Liaison to the United States Congress; 
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(g) 
Senator Carla J. Joseph is elected Liaison to the United States Department of 
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Interior & Office of Insular Affairs; and 
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(h) 
Senator Kenneth L. Gittens is elected Liaison to the White House. 
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SECTION 4. The following standing committees of the Thirty-Fifth Legislature are 
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established, and the chairs, vice-chairs, and members of the committees are appointed as 
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provided in this section. 
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(a) 
COMMITTEE ON RULES AND JUDICIARY 
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Chair:  
Senator Diane T. Capehart 
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Vice-Chair: 
Senator Milton E. Potter 
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Members: 
Senator Angel L. Bolques, Jr. 
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Senator Kenneth L. Gittens 
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Senator Marise C. James 
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Senator Franklin D. Johnson 
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Senator Carla J. Joseph 
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(b) 
COMMITTEE ON BUDGET, APPROPRIATIONS, AND FINANCE  
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Chair:  
Senator Donna A. Frett-Gregory 
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Vice-Chair: 
Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr. 
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Members: 
Senator Marvin A. Blyden 
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Senator Samuel Carriόn  
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Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff  
2 
Senator Ray Fonseca 
3 
Senator Javan E. James, Sr. 
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(c) 
COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, HOSPITALS, AND HUMAN SERVICES 
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Chair: 
Senator Ray Fonseca 
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Vice-Chair: 
Senator Kenneth L. Gittens  
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Members: 
Senator Marvin A. Blyden 
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Senator Diane T. Capehart 
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Senator Samuel Carriόn 
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Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr. 
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Senator Donna A. Frett-Gregory 
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Senator Marise C. James 
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Senator Milton E. Potter 
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(d) 
COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT 
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Chair: 
Senator Marise C. James 
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Vice-Chair: 
Senator Donna A. Frett-Gregory 
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Members: 
Senator Diane T. Capehart 
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Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff 
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Senator Javan E. James, Sr. 
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Senator Franklin D. Johnson  
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Senator Carla J. Joseph 
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(e) 
COMMITTEE ON DISASTER RECOVERY, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND 
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PLANNING 
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Chair: 
Senator Milton E. Potter 
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Vice- Chair: Senator Diane T. Capehart 
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Members: 
Senator Alma Francis Heyliger 
27 
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Senator Kenneth L. Gittens 
1 
Senator Marise C. James 
2 
Senator Franklin D. Johnson 
3 
Senator Carla J. Joseph 
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(f) 
COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND AGRICULTURE 
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Chair:  
Senator Javan E. James, Sr. 
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Vice-Chair: 
Senator Angel L. Bolques, Jr.  
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Members: 
Senator Marvin A. Blyden 
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Senator Diane T. Capehart 
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Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff 
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Senator Alma Francis Heyliger 
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Senator Donna A. Frett-Gregory 
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(f) 
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY, JUSTICE, AND 
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PUBLIC SAFETY 
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Chair:  
Senator Kenneth L. Gittens 
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Vice-Chair: 
Senator Ray Fonseca  
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Members: 
Senator Angel L. Bolques, Jr. 
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Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff 
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Senator Alma Francis Heyliger 
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Senator Javan E. James, Sr. 
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Senator Franklin D. Johnson  
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(h) 
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, VETERANS AFFAIRS, 
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AND CONSUMER PROTECTION 
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Chair:  
Senator Carla J. Joseph  
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Vice-Chair: 
Senator Javan E. James, Sr. 
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Members: 
Senator Samuel Carriόn 
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Senator Ray Fonseca 
27 
Senator Alma Francis Heyliger 
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Senator Kenneth L. Gittens 
29 
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Senator Milton E. Potter 
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(i) 
COMMITTEE ON HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, AND 
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TELECOMMUNICATIONS 
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Chair:  
Senator Marvin A. Blyden  
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Vice-Chair: 
Senator Marise C. James 
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Members: 
Senator Angel L. Bolques, Jr. 
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Senator Samuel Carriόn 
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Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff 
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Senator Ray Fonseca 
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Senator Carla J. Joseph 
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(j) 
COMMITTEE ON CULTURE, SPORTS, PARKS, AND YOUTH 
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Chair: 
Senator Angel L. Bolques, Jr. 
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Vice-Chair: 
Senator Marvin A. Blyden 
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Members: 
Senator Samuel Carriόn 
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Senator Alma Francis Heyliger 
15 
Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr. 
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Senator. Franklin D. Johnson 
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Senator Milton E. Potter 
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(k) 
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE 
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Chair:  
Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr. 
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Vice-Chair: 
Senator Marvin A. Blyden 
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Members: 
Senator Carla J. Joseph 
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Senator Angel L. Bolques, Jr. 
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Senator Diane T. Capehart 
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Senator Samuel Carriόn  
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Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff 
26 
Senator Ray Fonseca 
27 
Senator Alma Francis Heyliger 
28 
Senator Donna A. Frett-Gregory 
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Senator Kenneth L. Gittens 
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Senator Javan E. James, Sr. 
1 
Senator Marise C. James 
2 
Senator Franklin D. Johnson 
3 
Senator Milton E. Potter 
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BILL SUMMARY 
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This resolution provides in section 1 that the Legislature is organized as provided in 
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sections 2 through 4. 
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Section 2 establishes the Majority Caucus. 
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Section 3 provides for the election of the officers of the 35th Legislature. 
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Section 4 establishes the standing committees of the 35th Legislature, their chairs, vice-
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chairs and membership. 
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BR23-0001/ January 8, 2023/YLT 
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