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Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Senators Target Crime in Full Session

Some heavy-hitting pieces of legislation emerged from Monday’s full Senate session, including bills giving more protection to domestic violence victims, setting up a local DNA database and creating a law to define illegal ammunition possession.
The emphasis placed on all three bills was the potential for a reduction in crime, which many said is spiraling out of control. Among the list of homicides recorded this year are a few domestic violence incidents, which bill sponsor Sen. Alvin Williams said he’s trying to curb by protecting employees whose spouse or partner comes after them at work.
Williams said that sometimes victims attacked in the workplace are wrongfully terminated, suspended or discriminated against — all things the bill prohibits and further proscribes penalties for. The bill also sets up a Domestic Violence Revolving Fund, overseen by the Finance commissioner, which will be used by Human Services and the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council for public awareness programs.
The bill — dubbed the Domestic Violence and Protection Act — actually made its debut in the 27th Legislature, but Williams said it’s been fine-tuned to also include harsher penalties for domestic violence offenders, including a mandatory minimum prison sentence of two years and $1,000 fine.
The creation of a DNA database and databank is another measure that’s taken a couple of years to pass. Sponsored by Sen. Shawn-Michael Malone in the 27th Legislature and moved through to this year, the bill sets up a DNA database — the likes of which is seen on television theme shows such as "Law and Order" and "CSI" — within the Justice Department that is overseen by a director appointed by the governor.
The bill specifies who’s mandated to give the DNA samples, such as individuals convicted and sentenced for any felony, violent crime or misdemeanor sexual offense. Anyone who refuses to submit a DNA sample will be fined no more than $1,000 and can be sentenced to no more than five year in jail, according to the bill.
While new to the floor, the bill dealing with illegal ammunition has long been a bone of contention for local law enforcement officers, who have complained that they can’t arrest anyone for simply possessing ammo, whether they have a gun license or not. Discussion on the bill became a bit heated Monday after concerns were raised about whether the bill was constitutional, but in the end it passed on a unanimous vote.
The bill says that anyone who is not: a licensed firearm or ammunition dealer; a local or federal law enforcement officer; someone who has a valid gun license; or who sells and manufactures ammunition cannot carry ammunition. Violators can face up to seven years in jail and a fine of not more than $10,000.
The bill also says that any gun owner can only purchase ammo that "is of the same caliber or gauge of the firearm" specified in their license or registration certificate.
"We have to make it clear that if you have ammo for a gun you don’t have a registration for, then you’re in big trouble," Sen. Terrence "Positive" Nelson said during the session.
Another biggie was the final passage of Sen. Shawn-Michael Malone’s plant closing law, which was offered up four years ago but continued to be held in committee. This time around, the bill made it through two committees last month and passed unanimously Monday.
The bill basically tightens up the existing law to offer greater protection and additional legal options for employees affected by plant closings, relocations or mass layoffs. Under the bill, employers are required to give 90 days notice to the Labor commissioner if they’re shutting down. Other sections talk about severance pay, additional notification requirements and fines for violations.
Rounding out the session, which picks up again 10 a.m. Tuesday, senators also passed bills:
-changing the makeup of the Board of Medical Examiners, to include four licensed local physicians (two from each district) and three private citizens (one from each island);
-appropriating $40,000 to the V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency to pinpoint tsunami hazard areas and escape routes on St. Croix, train emergency personnel stationed in those hazard areas and to create or buy brochures for public education; and
-requiring the Tax Assessor’s Office to include on residents’ property tax bills how much they owe in back taxes and public sewer user fees.
All senators were present during Monday’s session.

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