Committee approves 31-bill FY2026 budget package; measures sent to full body under closed rule

St. Thomas, V.I. — The Committee on Rules and Judiciary of the 36th Legislature voted on Sept. 15 to forward a package of 31 budget bills for fiscal year 2026 to the full Legislature under a closed rule, after the committee approved each bill in a series of roll-call votes.

The bills, compiled by the Committee on Budget Appropriations and Finance and vetted over multiple hearings this summer, together make up the territory’s proposed FY2026 spending plan. Committee members said the package is balanced and includes targeted increases for hospitals, school construction, road maintenance, and nonprofit and senior services.

Why it matters: The votes allow the Legislature to consider the full slate during general session without amendments in committee. Lawmakers and staff emphasized the package funds core services — including health care, capital improvements on St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John, and support for nonprofit programs — and that the territory must collect projected revenues to support the spending plan.

Most important facts

- The committee approved 31 bills that make appropriations from multiple local funds (general fund, special revolving funds and charitable funds) for fiscal year 10/01/2025–09/30/2026 and forwarded each to the full Legislature under a closed rule (Rule 314(b)(4)).

- Budget highlights mentioned in committee debate include a $2.5 million increase for hospitals (including funding for the Charlotte Kimelman Center and cardiac services), a $35,000 salary threshold for a raise affecting workers earning under $35,000, an estimated health-insurance cost increase of about $27 million with $20.5 million budgeted to help cover it, and roughly $139 million in revenue tied to disaster-recovery projects cited by committee members.

- The package includes targeted appropriations from several funds: Caribbean Basin Initiative funds, tourism advertising revolving funds, the Transportation Trust Fund, the Virgin Islands Insurance Guarantee Fund ($20 million contribution to the general fund), GVIG/JPMC charitable fund transfers ($6,074,209), and Education Initiative Fund allocations (including $341,460 for special-education eligibility evaluations).

- Committee amendments: A motion to amend the Saint Croix/St. Thomas capital improvement appropriation (bill 36-0160) increased one line from $3,000,000 to $3,500,000 and was adopted. Another amendment adjusted the University of the Virgin Islands appropriation (36-0167) and a technical amendment to the omnibus government operating bill (36-0174) inserted language noting certain items funded by the GVIG/JPMC charitable fund.

Quotes from committee members

"With this in mind, this budget presents both fiscal caution and optimism for the upcoming fiscal year," said Senator Nobel E. Francis Jr., chair of the Committee on Budget Appropriations and Finance.

"I rise in support of all these bills," said Senator Avery L. Lewis.

"Passing this budget is essential to maintaining stability, accountability and progress for our territory," said Senate President Milton E. Potter.

Votes at a glance (selected items)

The committee approved each bill and reported them to the full Legislature under a closed rule. Vote tallies reported in committee proceedings are listed below. Where the transcript recorded an absent member, that absence is noted; otherwise the roll calls were unanimous among members present.

- 36-0154 (Health Revolving Fund → Department of Health / General Fund contribution): Favorably voted; roll call: 6 yays, 1 absent (Clifford A. Joseph Sr. absent at this vote).

- 36-0155 (General Fund → Fire and Emergency Medical Services Fund): Favorably voted; 6 yays, 1 absent.

- 36-0156 (Business & Commercial Properties Revolving Fund → Dept. of Property & Procurement): Favorably voted; 6 yays, 1 absent.

- 36-0157 (Virgin Islands Lottery → General Fund contribution): Favorably voted; 6 yays, 1 absent.

- 36-0158 (District Public Road Fund → Department of Public Works): Favorably voted; 6 yays, 1 absent.

- 36-0159 (Indirect Cost Fund → OMB; Division of Personnel; Property & Procurement; Finance Dept.): Favorably voted; 6 yays, 1 absent.

- 36-0160 (General Fund → St. Croix & St. Thomas Capital Improvement Funds), as amended (one line increased from $3,000,000 to $3,500,000): Favorably voted; 6 yays, 1 absent.

- 36-0161 (Appropriation of $25,500,000 to the Legislature): Favorably voted; 6 yays, 1 absent.

- 36-0162 (Appropriation of $20,000,000 from Insurance Guarantee Fund → General Fund): Favorably voted; 6 yays, 1 absent.

- 36-0163 (Board of Elections / Supervisor of Elections salaries & expenses): Favorably voted; 6 yays, 1 absent.

- 36-0164 (School Construction, Maintenance & Capital Fund → Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance): Favorably voted; 7 yays (member Clifford A. Joseph Sr. had arrived by this block).

- 36-0165 (Appropriation of $6,000,000 from Caribbean Basin Initiative Fund → General Fund): Favorably voted; 7 yays.

- 36-0166 (Tourism Advertising Revolving Fund → multiple departments/agencies): Favorably voted; 7 yays.

- 36-0167 (University of the Virgin Islands appropriation), as amended (amendment adopted to adjust an item and funding line): Favorably voted; 7 yays.

- 36-0168 (Public Employees Relations Board & Labor Management Committee): Favorably voted; 7 yays.

- 36-0169 (Appropriation of $1,000,000 from Education Initiative Fund → School Construction Fund): Favorably voted; 7 yays.

- 36-0170 (Waste Management Authority operating expenses from Sewer/Wastewater Fund): Favorably voted; 7 yays.

- 36-0171 (Virgin Islands Hospital & Health Facilities Corp. appropriation), as amended (increase adopted): Favorably voted; 7 yays.

- 36-0172 (Office of Inspector General appropriation): Favorably voted; 7 yays.

- 36-0173 (Judicial branch, Judicial Council, Territorial Public Defender appropriation): Favorably voted; 7 yays.

- 36-0175 (Public Services Commission operating expenses): Favorably voted; 7 yays.

- 36-0176 (General Fund → St. John Capital Improvement Fund): Favorably voted; 7 yays.

- 36-0177 (Board of Education operating expenses): Favorably voted; 7 yays.

- 36-0178 (Transportation Trust Fund contribution to General Fund and BMV/DPW operating expenses): Favorably voted; 7 yays.

- 36-0179 (Career and Technical Education Board operating expenses): Favorably voted; 7 yays.

- 36-0180 (Taxicab Commission appropriation): Favorably voted; 6 yays, 1 nay (Senator Kenneth L. Gittens recorded a "no").

- 36-0181 (Anti-Litter & Beautification Fund → Waste Management Authority & DPW): Favorably voted; 7 yays.

- 36-0182 (Waste Management Authority operating expenses from General Fund): Favorably voted; 7 yays.

- 36-0186 (Appropriation of $6,074,209 from GVIG/JPMC charitable fund → General Fund): Favorably voted; 7 yays.

- 36-0120 (Appropriation of $341,460 from Education Initiative Fund → Dept. of Education for special-education eligibility evaluations): Favorably voted; 7 yays.

- 36-0174 (Government operating appropriation; amends Title 3 V.I. Code, ch. 27, to require legislative approval for increased employer and employee contribution amounts to the Government Employees Retirement System), as amended (insertion identifying certain items funded by the GVIG/JPMC charitable fund): Favorably voted; 7 yays.

What the committee did not do

- The committee forwarded all bills under a closed rule, which the presiding chair said disallows further committee amendments that would alter bottom-line numbers before the full Legislature’s consideration. The committee did not adopt any motions to remove items from the package; it voted to report each bill to the full body.

Next steps

The bills will be placed on the Legislature’s agenda for general-session consideration later in the week, the chair said. If approved by the full Legislature, the appropriations will govern the Government of the Virgin Islands’ fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2025.

The Committee on Rules and Judiciary adjourned after completing the votes.