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HomeNewsArchivesGov. Turnbull Signs a Number of Bills Into Law

Gov. Turnbull Signs a Number of Bills Into Law

July 19, 2006–Gov. Charles W. Turnbull wasted no time acting on a majority of the bills passed by the full Senate body in a marathon session late last month. In a letter sent Wednesday to Senate President Lorraine L. Berry, Turnbull said he had signed 17 bills into law–including one voluminous bill that increases the cap on claims filed in Small Claims court from $5,000 to $10,000.
During last month's session, senators spent more than five hours attaching several amendments to the small claims bill. Although none of the amendments were germane to the bill, many appropriated funding for various projects and organizations, while others made a myriad of changes to the V.I. Code (See "Small Claims Bill Attracts Host of Amendments from Senators").
In his letter Wednesday, Turnbull said he had approved all but two amendments attached to the bill: one which adds "pregnancy" as one of the conditions for granting or receiving donated leave; and another which seeks to designate how $1.75 million appropriated to Public Works in a recent supplemental budget should be spent.
At last month's session, senators had unanimously approved both amendments, and decided that the $1.75 million appropriated to Public works should fund several road repairs on St. Croix, including: $200,000 for road repairs on Constitution Hill and Sion Farm; $250,000 for roads in Estate Glynn; $275,000 for four roads in Estate Whim; and $250,000 for three roads in Campo Rico.
However, Turnbull explained in his letter that the money designated for Public Works has "already been committed" and would fund various Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) projects.
At a recent budget hearing, Public Works Commissioner George Phillips said FEMA would repay the money once the projects are complete.
"I have, however, informed the Commissioner of Public Works of the need to perform an assessment of these roads to determine the actual cost of the repairs, and asked him to submit that information to the Office of Management and Budget," Turnbull wrote Wednesday.
Turnbull added that the other amendment–which adds "pregnancy" as one of the conditions for granting or receiving donated leave–does not "fall within the scope" of the donated leave program, which was created to help government employees suffering from a "catastrophic" health condition or injury.
"Pregnancy and childbirth are not considered health conditions unless there are complications," Turnbull wrote.
He added that the V.I. Code provides that pregnant employees who have been unable to accumulate the necessary amount of sick days can be granted up to 183 days of advanced sick leave. "Additionally, under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, an employee can be granted up to 12 weeks of leave after the birth of a child … thus, pregnant employees have several avenues available to them other than the donated leave program," he said.
Because of these reasons, Turnbull line-item vetoed both amendments but signed the rest of the bill into law.
Turnbull also approved bills which:
–require new Economic Development Commission beneficiaries to donate $3,000 annually to the V.I. Board of Education's Territorial Scholarship Fund. (However, Turnbull said EDC businesses should be required to give a minimum of $3,000, since some companies would like to, and could afford to, pay more than the amount set in the bill.)
— bring the V.I. Division of Occupational Safety and Health into compliance with federal statutes.
–rezone land in Estate Fareham, St. Croix, from A-1 (agriculture) to R-1 (residential-low density) to allow for continued operation of the St. Croix Marksmanship Association's rifle range, and the improvement of camping facilities.
–require employers to give employees meal and rest breaks after a certain number of hours worked.
–set up a scholarship fund for music students in the name of Trevor Nicholas "Nick" Friday.
–establish a permanent position for a Family Court judge in each district.
–prohibit the sale or purchase of traffic signal pre-emption devices
–provide for the establishment of environmental covenants.
–provide for the establishment of conservation easements.
–grant a use variance to allow for the relocation of law offices in Charlotte Amalie to a site in Estate Solberg on St. Thomas.
–grant a rezoning request (from R-3 Residential – Medium Density to B-2 Business -Secondary/Neighborhood) to allow for the expansion of the Villa Blanca Hotel on Raphune Hill.
–grant a rezoning request for Parcel No. 71 in Estate Castle Coakley, Queens Quarter, St. Croix from I-2 (Light Industry) to B-3 (Business scattered) to allow for the construction of apartment buildings, a laundry facility and parking area.
–grant a rezoning request for the remainder of Plot No. 4-I Sion Farm, Queens Quarter St. Croix (east of the United Shopping Center and west of the new Cost-U-Less building on the northern quarter of the Queen Mary Highway) from R-2 (residential) to C (commercial) to allow for the development of a gas station, mini mart and welding shop.
–grant a rezoning request for Plot No. 140F Estate St. Georges, Prince Quarter, St. Croix from R-2 (residential) to B-3 (business scattered) to allow for the development of a small shopping center.
Turnbull also acknowledged resolutions:
–designating the towns of Christiansted and Frederiksted on St. Croix and Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas as Preserve America sites.
–honoring and commending Anne "Grandma Luge" Abernathy for her outstanding contribution to the community and in the field of winter sports.
–honoring and commending Laverne Jones for her outstanding performance in track and field.
–commemorating the life and memory of the late Charles Edward Taylor, the world's first airplane mechanic, by designating May 24 of each year as Aviation Maintenance Technician Day.
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