Jan. 14, 2007 — The reorganization of three legislative committees will better allow senators to focus their attention on specific public issues and keep their duties from overlapping, legislative leaders say.
According to Senate President Usie R. Richards, it is common practice for each new Legislature to create its own set of rules and designate committee structures. This time, however, Richards said some of the committees have been reordered to deal with specific issues, with no two committees having purview over the same things.
Senators adopted the rules of the 27th Legislature — which also outlines the makeup of the Senate for the next two years — at a session held last week, after swearing-in ceremonies held in Emancipation Garden on St. Thomas.
Some of the Senate's new committees have broad jurisdiction, such as the Committee of Economic Development and Agriculture — formerly the Committee on Economic Development, Planning and Environmental Affairs. St. Croix Sen. Neville James headed that committee during his first term in the Legislature.
Keeping up the trend, Sen. James Weber III, a freshman senator from St. Croix, will now chair the restructured committee, which oversees a wide spectrum of issues ranging from commerce to veterinary medicine.
According to the Legislature's rules, the Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture may also receive, consider and make recommendations on all bills relating to the V.I. Port Authority, economic development, business institutions, tourism, energy, real estate, aquaculture and transportation, among other things.
The Senate's Committee on Government Operations and Consumer Protection, which will be headed by Sen. Shawn-Michael Malone, also has purview over transportation-related issues, Richards said, but only those that apply to government departments and agencies.
"Some of the committees had to deal with similar issues," he said. "Now the duties do not overlap — transportation under the Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture deals with public transportation, while Government Operations will deal with government transport."
The Committee of Economic Development and Agriculture consists of Sens. Louis P. Hill, Norman Jn Baptiste, Terrence "Positive" Nelson, Basil Ottley Jr., Ronald E. Russell and Richards.
According to the Legislature's rules, Planning and Environmental Protection has become an entity unto itself, a committee that will be chaired by freshman St. Thomas Sen. Alvin L. Williams. Over the next two years, the committee will have oversight over all matters pertaining and related to land use and development, including zoning, city planning, beaches, libraries and territorial parks, among other things.
Coastal Zone Management permits and leases will also be under the committee's purview, along with fish, wildlife, solid waste disposal systems and their impact on the local environment.
Joining Williams on the committee are Figueroa-Serville, Jn Baptiste, Richards, Weber and Wesselhoft.
Also new this year is the Senate's Committee on Labor, which was, in the 26th Legislature, designated as the Committee on Labor and Agriculture. Chaired by Nelson, the Committee on Labor and Agriculture aggressively studied the structure of the local labor system and passed laws to give more resources to local farmers.
For the next two years, the Committee on Labor will be chaired by St. Croix Sen. Juan Figueroa-Serville and will address issues specifically to receive, consider and make recommendations on bills relating to the local labor force, collective bargaining, workmen's compensation and training programs.
Joining Figueroa-Serville on the committee will be Sens. Liston Davis, Hill, Nelson, Ottley, Russell and Celestino A. White Sr.
Other Senate committees and their memberships include:
— Committee on Education, Culture and Youth, chaired by Davis. Other members of the committee are Sen. Carlton "Ital" Dowe, Hill, James, Jn Baptiste, Malone and Nelson;
— Committee on Housing, Sports and Veterans' Affairs, chaired by White. Other members of the committee are Hill, James, Malone, Richards, Sen. Carmen Wesselhoft and Williams;
— Committee on Government Operations and Consumer Protection, chaired by Malone. Other members of the committee are Davis, Dowe, Figueroa-Serville, Nelson, Ottley and Williams;
— Committee on Public Safety, Homeland Security and Justice, chaired by Wesselhoft. Other members of the committee are Dowe, Davis, Jn Baptiste, Russell, White and Williams;
— Committee on Rules and Judiciary, chaired by Dowe. Other members of the committee are Malone, Richards, Weber, Wesselhoft, White and Williams;
— Committee on Finance, chaired by Nelson. Other members of the committee are Davis, Dowe, Figueroa-Serville, James, Russell and Weber; and the
— Committee on Health, Hospitals and Human Services, chaired by Jn Baptiste. Other members of the committee are James, Malone, Ottley, Richards, Weber and Wesselhoft.
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