A full session of the Senate voted to override the vetoes of three bills Wednesday, including a bill that requires major Coastal Zone Management permits up for consideration before the Legislature to be voted on by all 15 senators.
"This is a substantial change from the existing legal provisions which have been in place from the origination of the CZM Act," Gov. John deJongh Jr. wrote a few days ago in a letter sent to Senate President Louis P. Hill, explaining why he had vetoed the bill. "Moreover, it is not apparent that this change will provide any benefit to the CZM permitting process."
The previous law had allowed permits to be approved by the Senate’s Planning and Environmental Protection Committee when the Legislature is not in session. Bill sponsor Sen. Shawn-Michael Malone has said the committee is not a full-enough venue for vetting such matters, which could technically pass a bill with only one vote.
Senators also overrode the veto of a bill that requires vehicle owners to present only a valid registration to a shipping carrier when transporting their cars between islands. Bill sponsor Sen. Usie R. Richards said after Wednesday’s session that the bill particularly benefits residents of St. Croix who have to go through a "tedious process" and pay various fees before they can ship their cars over.
"People taking the barge between St. Thomas and St. John don’t have to do any of those things," he added, saying that the bill helps to promote inter-district commerce. "We thought it was only fair to provide St. Croix with that opportunity, too."
The third override was on a bill changing the zoning designation for land in Estate Donoe and Estate Raphune from R-1 (residential-low density) and R-2 (residential low density – one and two family) to R-4 (residential-medium density). At a Senate hearing in May, Planning and Natural Resources representatives recommended that the re-zonings, which apply to the Raphune Vistas and Green Hills developments, be treated separately instead of being lumped together.
DeJongh subsequently vetoed the bill based on DPNR’s recommendations. Voting for the override Wednesday were Sens. Craig W. Barshinger, Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg, Louis P. Hill, Neville James, Wayne James, Malone, Richards, Sammuel Sanes, Patrick Simeon Sprauve, Michael Thurland, Celestino A. White Sr. and Alvin L. Williams.
Voting against the override was Sen. Terrence "Positive" Nelson. Sen. Nereida Rivera-O’Reilly was absent.
Sitting down to tackle their full-session agenda, senators voted to send a resolution petitioning Congress to designate St. Croix as a National Heritage Area back to the Committee on Education, Youth and Culture for further discussion. The resolution took a hit Wednesday from some St. Croix senators who said residents from the big island should be given a chance to hear about the proposal before it passes through the full body.
The second resolution adopted by senators Wednesday urges Congress to enact President Barack Obama’s health care proposal, and pledges the territory’s support for his effort to "reform healthcare in the states and territories." The resolution also "applauds" efforts made by Delegate Donna M. Christensen to "grant territories full parity with the states with regards to Medicare, Medicaid and all aspects of health care delivery."
In a phone interview Wednesday, Christensen said the Legislature’s resolution goes a long way in adding to health care discussions on the hill, which she said are currently in a "state of flux." At this point, the House of Representatives has three pieces of a bill that need to be put together, while the U.S. Senate has two proposals — to include one introduced Wednesday by Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus — that need to be reconciled, Christensen explained.
The two prevailing issues are Medicaid and what’s been dubbed the Exchange, or health insurance exchange, which — according to the president’s proposal — gives uninsured or poor citizens a choice between public or private health insurance companies.
On the House side, discussions on Medicaid subsidies have centered on parceling out $10.35 billion between the territories over a nine-year period, starting in 2011 — after provisions included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are completed. Senators have explored different options, Christensen said, including a 30-percent increase for the territories in 2011 and a provision that allows new Medicaid enrollees to be paid for outside the cap.
"We’re now analyzing these proposals to see which one works better for the territory," she explained Wednesday.
The territories are currently not included in either the House’s or the Senate’s health insurance exchange proposals, Christensen added. On the House side, however, there is a commitment to work with territorial representatives, she said.
"When these bills merge, we hope to get the best for the territory," Christensen said. "Both sides still have to meet and sit down in conference with the White House to come up with a final bill."
As an aside, Hill announced during Wednesday’s session that the governor had recently submitted the government’s fiscal year 2010 health care package, which will be discussed during a Committee of the Whole hearing scheduled for Sept. 28.
Also approved Wednesday was a lease agreement for Frederiksted Health Care and most of the FY 2010 budget bills, which make contributions to the General and appropriations to government departments and agencies from various public fund accounts.
FY General Fund budget bills approved Wednesday appropriate $34.5 million to the University of the Virgin Islands and nearly $4.8 million to WTJX Channel 12.
The Senate session resumes Thursday morning on St. Thomas.
