[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6577632,"mediaKeyId","3112679-d808f56e99d77176f597d1f02a34f7bf","parentId",3112679,"title","Rules committee clears three public-safety and tax bills: domestic-violence bail minimum, updated traffic fines and impound lots, and tightened gross-receipts","audioSeconds",2428,"startMs",16419000,"endMs",18847000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3112679-d808f56e99d77176f597d1f02a34f7bf&start=16419&end=18847","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3112679-d808f56e99d77176f597d1f02a34f7bf/thumbnail_16419000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6577632/Rules-committee-clears-three-public-safety-and-tax-bills-domestic-violence-bail-minimum-updated-traffic-fines-and-impound-lots-and-tightened-gross-receipts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6577632-f5c443f9828e50c075969c04f5c67b8d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771092947&Signature=Z4zjIN0e9NbO2rKo3NszDWuXo2ITcd5Iko1aVSAF4RL-i1hN2~pe5sIZJ9tPBkgQGdq5gGXakhkFs7-rZKmLRiaw3ZsiMtGSLzUHfYzFSQ7MNUQr4O6eUmvOOa9MkzZeM3LitH22wow984NeAfIQhCyN1Y2ix3x0Z55cPo~T5EsOuy~4szVDE1qR14aJ5-ApSltf-yZjBjt13ZYvA-9bvu8BZrb6sXCcIH8f4mremprv66cf19VZjI30FmpEDolCF0lTIw2PqGvKtMzHDKFqTRZdmrNMEGoKI-f6qca6m2xI-sOlmR~PolMsz4J0rPIJ3Lzr-pyT4CVEPYwE-a8mZg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Virgin Islands Legislature","date","2025-04-24T19:01:04.03Z","article","The Committee on Rules and Judiciary voted unanimously on April 24 to forward three bills to the full Senate: (1) a bill setting a mandatory minimum bail framework in domestic-violence cases (36-0005, as amended), (2) a bill updating traffic penalties and establishing government impound lots with specified revenue allocations (36-0036), and (3) a bill clarifying that gross-receipts taxes must be paid by contractors doing business in the Virgin Islands regardless of physical location (36-0063).

Senators and sponsors said the measures aim to improve public safety, close tax loopholes discovered during disaster-recovery spending, and update penalties that have not kept pace with inflation.

Sponsor Senator Angel L. Bocas Jr. described 36-0005 as intended to \"prioritiz[e] the safety of domestic violence survivors\" and said the measure now includes an amendment (36-353) that removes a legislative-appropriation clause after consultation with stakeholders. Bocas told the committee the bill had been amended in the committee of jurisdiction, and that the Office of the Territorial Public Defender, the Attorney General and the Virgin Islands Police Department had endorsed the revised language.

On traffic penalties (36-0036), Senator Novelle E. Francis Jr. spoke on behalf of sponsor Kenneth L. Gittens, arguing fines have not kept pace with inflation and enforcement: \"traffic fines have not kept up with... inflation, nor the seriousness of its offense. It has been more than 13 years since any adjustments were made to traffic penalties.\" The bill creates a government impound lot in each district and assigns portions of certain fine revenue to the courts, issuing agencies, the Police Athletic League and the Rising Star Steel Orchestra.

Senator Clifford A. Joseph Sr., sponsor of 36-0063, said the bill closes a longstanding loophole by making clear that gross-receipts taxes are owed by businesses performing work in the territory even if they are physically located elsewhere. Several senators noted the change is intended to capture revenue tied to post-disaster contracting and other large projects; Senator Alma Francis Heiliger said the bill will help retain a portion of reconstruction spending in the territory, noting \"5% of 20,000,000,000 is a lot,\" an observation she offered as an example of why the measure matters.

Committee members on both sides said they support the measures. Senator Kenneth L. Gittens, Senator Milton E. Potter and others emphasized that a government impound lot will secure evidence and reduce situations where vehicles impounded to private lots are lost or damaged. Senator Avery L. Lewis and others said they supported the traffic updates and the impound-lot provision; Lewis noted the penalties include tiered fines for repeat offenses and that proceeds support youth and court programs.

Amendments and procedural notes: Sponsor Bocas moved and the committee adopted amendment 36-353 to 36-0005, striking a clause that would have required the Legislature to appropriate funding for certain court programs; the committee recorded the amendment and then voted to forward the bill as amended. A separate, proposed substitute amendment (offered earlier for 36-0063) was withdrawn and the bill advanced in its amended form.

Committee votes and next steps: Each bill was voted out of committee by recorded roll call and will be placed on the full Senate calendar for second-stage consideration. The clerk recorded the following committee outcomes:

Votes at a glance

- Bill 36-0005 (domestic-violence bail minimum), as amended by 36-353: Committee vote 7-0 to report favorably. Motion to report moved by Senator Angel L. Bocas Jr.; second recorded in committee.

- Bill 36-0036 (traffic penalties; impound lot; allocation of certain fines): Committee vote 7-0 to report favorably. Motion to report moved by Senator Kenneth L. Gittens.

- Bill 36-0063 (clarify gross-receipts tax obligation for nonresident contractors): Committee vote 7-0 to report favorably. Motion moved by Senator Clifford A. Joseph Sr.

Why it matters: The package touches public safety (domestic violence, traffic enforcement), evidence integrity (government impound lot), youth programs (fine allocations), and territorial revenue (closing a gross-receipts loophole). Each bill requires full-Senate action before becoming law.

Sources and provenance

- Opening of the block and bill readings; sponsors' statements and committee roll-call votes are recorded in the committee transcript (segments cited below). Final passage in committee was unanimous for each bill.

Ending: The bills now move to the full Senate for floor consideration; committee sponsors and members said they will press for enforcement resources and further legislative refinement as needed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","04-24-2025 | Committee on Rules and Judiciary","oneSentenceSummary","The Committee on Rules and Judiciary voted unanimously to report three bills to the full Senate: a domestic-violence bail minimum (as amended), an update to traffic penalties and creation of impound lots with revenue allocations, and an amendment clarifying gross-receipts tax responsibility for contractors regardless of physical location.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature, Virgin Islands","taxId",77876,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6577637,"Senate rules committee forwards Judge Jessica Gallivan's renomination after hourlong review of caseloads, child-welfare concerns",157,3906000,4063000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3112679-d808f56e99d77176f597d1f02a34f7bf&start=3906&end=4063","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3112679-d808f56e99d77176f597d1f02a34f7bf/thumbnail_3906000.jpg","/articles/6577637/Senate-rules-committee-forwards-Judge-Jessica-Gallivans-renomination-after-hourlong-review-of-caseloads-child-welfare-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6577637-588af6cd511b30842c8cafc4a2912b37/orig.mp4?Expires=1771092947&Signature=RgnsDSVr6Oj5aC~M-TgwD8w-dSkKeixgeqbZl06uWhsd9CUpwwRnfiY5PWPOPanFFd0qig~b0PSjGXwm35m0dR7MFhj~aqUSkYAtSxLzZajVsy493r0tlLtwWAr6dDT~JIN72TkMkaG5R7Q90oAFBrWipGg85hOJ1gOFWEv~1dIoEuO1TfUyOs2XJ~14izKS2aDisGwTO0d0rDN8Bmxon-L93~VH6JBAJ1sZdmioAQuS8oZrKrbk55Qq5WbXgVxhryAd1d7pxPfQun7WD74woNVf1RtYbwF5GnQsfwZwpDD6sEeXjTbB-wco37NLkJUYlSwmOq9hlby9wwJobWR6fA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee on Rules and Judiciary of the 30th Legislature of the Virgin Islands voted 7-0 on April 24 to forward the governor's renomination of Superior Court Judge Jessica Gallivan (St. Croix District) to the full Senate after a hearing in which Gallivan and legal community members described her workload and the territory's court challenges.

Gallivan described her tenure and docket to the committee and asked senators to confirm her for a second term. Her testimony emphasized daily courtroom activity, outreach work with youth and at-risk populations, and efforts to move cases to resolution.

The hearing drew formal endorsements from the Virgin Islands Bar Association and a written presentation from attorney Adrianne Dudley; both speakers urged the committee to support Gallivan's renomination. Russell Pate, president of the Virgin Islands Bar Association, told the committee: \"Judge Gallivan is known for her work ethic, her judicial temperament, her excellent reputation, her professionalism, and that I and the bar support her renomination.\" Attorney Adrianne Dudley said Gallivan's \"high intelligence coupled with her kind and understanding nature\" helps her connect with children and families who appear before her.

Gallivan told senators she is nominated under Title 4, Virgin Islands Code \u0000\u0016172 and \u0000\u0016171(c). She said she has an active calendar: \"I am in hearings nearly every day, and my office produces thousands of orders each year.\" In the hearing she stated, verbatim, \"In almost 6 years that I have served as a Superior Court Judge, I have entered more than 11,310 orders and closed as of April 1657 cases.\" She also provided a more detailed snapshot of her current docket, saying \"I currently have 203 cases\" and adding that \"114 of them are guardianships,\" which she said often remain open for many years because of the nature of guardianship and conservatorship cases.

Senators questioned Gallivan for roughly one round each; areas of focus included child-abuse and neglect caseloads, implementation of the Child Victim Witnesses Rights Act, the court's relationship with Department of Human Services (DHS), and mental-health services for people who come before the court. Gallivan said she has seen a disconnect between reports of abuse and filed cases, that DHS documents and recordkeeping can hamper coordinated service delivery, and that the court needs additional staff and resources.

On DHS and case management, Gallivan told the committee: \"They need to develop a central system for storing and maintaining information about children and families. Right now, as I understand it... they put all of their documents on Google\" and she said that raises confidentiality and cross-referencing concerns. Senators pressed her about whether the court or judges themselves contribute to backlog; Gallivan responded that multiple factors contribute, including attorneys, parties, agency capacity and judges'willingness to deny continuances when appropriate.

Committee members repeatedly raised funding and staffing concerns. Senate President Milton E. Potter and others highlighted the broader court backlog and infrastructure needs; Gallivan said court employees are frequently recruited away by other employers because the court cannot match private-sector salaries, and she said building and security issues exist at the courthouse.

Gallivan described courtroom practice and decisionmaking: she said she prepares in advance, reviews reports from agencies, consults law clerks and, when appropriate, discusses difficult questions with colleagues. She described steps she takes to guard against unconscious bias: \"you have to constantly reassess. You have to spend time with the facts, with the evidence, and the law. You cannot be too hasty.\"

After questioning, the committee voted to move the nomination forward. Senator Kenneth L. Gittens moved that the renomination be \"voted upon favorably here in this committee and be forwarded to the full body for further consideration,\" a motion seconded by Senator Milton E. Potter. The clerk recorded a 7-0 favorable vote and the committee issued a report to the full Senate for final confirmation.

Votes at a glance

- Renomination of Jessica Gallivan, Superior Court Judge (St. Croix District): Committee vote 7-0 to forward favorably. Motion moved by Senator Kenneth L. Gittens; seconded by Senator Milton E. Potter. (Roll-call names recorded in committee transcript.)

Why it matters: Gallivan's confirmation would keep an experienced jurist on the family-court bench; senators used the hearing to highlight systemic problems the courts face, including high caseloads, staff recruitment and retention, DHS recordkeeping, and the need for mental-health and social-service resources.

What the committee did not decide: The committee did not change court funding, alter DHS practice, or adopt additional statutory requirements during the hearing; those remain separate policy questions for the Legislature and executive branch.

Sources and provenance

- Testimony excerpted from committee hearing transcript: Judge Jessica Gallivan's opening statement and docket numbers; Russell Pate (Virgin Islands Bar Association) endorsement; attorney Adrianne Dudley's remarks. (Transcript segments cited below in provenance.)

Ending: The committee's favorable vote sends Gallivan's renomination to the full Senate for final confirmation. Senators and the judge highlighted next steps outside the nomination process: improved DHS recordkeeping, court staffing and funding, and expanded mental-health and youth services for cases that come before family court.","The Committee on Rules and Judiciary voted unanimously to send the governor's renomination of Superior Court Judge Jessica Gallivan (St. Croix family court) to the full Senate after testimony about her caseload, court backlog, and the need for more resources for courts and social services.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Rules committee clears three public-safety and tax bills: domestic-violence bail minimum, updated traffic fines and impound lots, and tightened gross-receipts

Senate rules committee forwards Judge Jessica Gallivan's renomination after hourlong review of caseloads, child-welfare concerns