Government

Senators Extend State of Emergency to 2022, Pass 12 Bills Including Homeownership Measure and 8 Percent Pay Cut Restoration

Lawmakers during a Senate session Tuesday passed twelve bills in a variety of areas that included repaying government employees who suffered the 8 percent pay cut in 2011; making homeownership more accessible; requiring people found guilty of abusing and neglecting children to seek counseling; and extending the Covid-induced state of the emergency through Jan. 10th, 2022, among other legislative action. Legislators also confirmed Bosede Bruce as the commissioner of the Dept. of Finance and eight other individuals to a number of boards and a commission.  Senators approved Bill No. 34- 0077, an Act amending Act No.8365, the Fiscal Year 2021 Executive Budget and Act No. 8348, the Legislature’s Fiscal Year 2021 Budget to restore the 8 percent reduction in salaries to employees of the Government of the Virgin Islands. The Act's purpose is to repay by the end of the year government employees whose salaries were shaved by 8 percent through the Virgin Islands Economic Stability Act of 2011...