ST. THOMAS -- Following the 32nd Legislature's swearing-in ceremony on Monday, the new body's first course of action was to pass a measure -- Bill No. 32-0001 -- which assigned members of the Senate to the various committees where testimonies are heard, measures are deliberated and decisions are made.
Senator Myron Jackson is the Senate president while Senator Nereida Rivera-O'Reilly is the vice president of the 32nd Legislature. These positions were already chosen during a Democratic caucus, but made official in yesterday's measure. The body's secretary is Senator Jean Forde, who will also serve as secretary for intergovernmental and territorial affairs. Senator Neville James is the new majority leader; Senator Marvin Blyden was elected liaison to the United States Congress; freshman Senator Brian A. Smith is liaison to the United States Department of Interior, Office of Insular Affairs; and Senator Sammuel Sanes, the veteran lawmaker and former majority leader, was elected liaison to the White House.
Below are the committee assignments:
The Committee on Rules and the Judiciary:
Chair, Novelle E. Francis, Jr.
Vice-Chair, Jean A. Forde
Myron D. Jackson
Sammuel Sanes
Janette Millin Young
Positive T. A. Nelson
Kevin Rodriquez
The Committee On Finance
Chair, Kurt A. Vialet
Vice Chair, Marvin A. Blyden
Neville A. James
Nereida Rivera-O’Reilly
Brian A. Smith
Tregenza A. Roach
Dwayne M. DeGraff
Committee on Health, Hospitals and Human Services
Chair, Nereida Rivera-O’Reilly
Vice-Chair, Kurt A. Vialet
Marvin A. Blyden
Novelle E. Francis, Jr.
Janette Millin Young
Sammuel Sanes
Dwayne M. DeGraff
Committee on Education, Youth and Recreation
Chair, Jean A. Forde
Vice-Chair, Neville A. James
Kurt A. Vialet
Novelle E. Francis, Jr.
Myron D. Jackson
Tregenza A. Roach
Kevin A. Rodriquez
The Committee on Workforce Development, Consumer Affairs and Culture
Chair, Kevin A. Rodriquez
Vice-Chair, Myron D. Jackson
Janette Millin Young
Brian A. Smith
Positive T. A. Nelson
Alicia Hansen
Marvin A. Blyden
The Committee on Housing, Public Works, Waste Management and Planning
Chair, Marvin A. Blyden
Vice-Chair, Sammuel Sanes
Neville A. James
Kevin A. Rodriquez
Janette Millin Young
Alicia Hansen
Brian A. Smith
The Committee on Homeland Security, Justice and Public Safety
Chair, Brian A. Smith
Vice-Chair, Novelle E. Francis, Jr.
Jean A. Forde
Nereida Rivera-O’Reilly
Positive T.A. Nelson
Dwayne M. DeGraff
Alicia Hansen
The Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture
Chair, Neville A. James
Vice-Chair, Brian A. Smith
Sammuel Sanes
Dwayne M. DeGraff
Nereida Rivera O’Reilly
Kurt A. Vialet
Marvin A. Blyden
Positive T.A. Nelson
Tregenza A. Roach
The Committee on Government Affairs, Veterans, Energy, and Environmental
Chair, Sammuel Sanes
Vice-Chair, Kevin A. Rodriquez
Jean A. Forde
Nereida Rivera O’Reilly
Alicia Hansen
Tregenza A. Roach
Janette Millin Young
The bill was not passed unanimously; senators who make up the minority complained that the enough time was not allowed to review the document, and Mrs. Millin Young, who chaired the Committee on Economic Development in the 31st Legislature, expressed frustration that she was not even included as part of the committee in the 32nd Legislature.
Mr. Jackson, however, said the new body should now focus on moving the people's agenda forward: "May wounded hearts and feelings be healed as we move together as a body to address the concerns of the people," he said.
Voting in support of the measure were senators Vialet, Rivera-O'Reilly, James, Sanes, Blyden, Forde, Francis, Smith and Jackson. Voting against were Hansen, Millin Young, Nelson and DeGraff.
Feature Image: 32 Legislature Senators. (Credit: Government House)
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