Virgin Islands budget committee approves FY2026 spending plan, forwards three appropriations to rules panel

The Committee of Budget Appropriations and Finance voted Sept. 11, 2025 to approve an amended general appropriations bill for fiscal year 2026 and two supplemental appropriation bills, forwarding all three to the Committee on Rules and Judiciary.

The committee favorably approved Bill No. 36-0174, the general appropriation act for Oct. 1, 2025'Sept. 30, 2026, as amended; Bill No. 36-0186, an appropriation from the GVI JPMC charitable fund to the general fund (amended upward); and Bill No. 36-0120, an appropriation from the Virgin Islands Education Initiative Fund to the Department of Education for special education evaluations.

The approved changes include an amendment to Bill No. 36-0174 setting the employer contribution rate to the Government Employees Retirement System at 23.5% for fiscal year 2026 and adding two provisions that require legislative approval before the GERS board may increase employer or employee contribution rates. Committee members also approved technical and line-item adjustments in that bill.

For Bill No. 36-0186, the committee approved an amendment that replaced an original appropriation amount of $4,892,000 with $6,074,209 and inserted line items referencing Casa de Salud (noted with the technical label GFL) and a Department of Health mobile integrated health (MIH) program. The committee voted to report the bill favorably and send it to Rules and Judiciary.

Bill No. 36-0120, an act appropriating $341,460 from the Virgin Islands Education Initiative Fund to the Virgin Islands Department of Education to conduct evaluations determining students'eligibility for special education services, was approved by the committee and will also move to Rules and Judiciary for further consideration.

Votes at a glance

- Bill No. 36-0174 (FY2026 general appropriation, as amended): Approved by committee; roll call recorded 7 yeas, 0 nays. The amendment included a 23.5% GERS employer contribution rate for FY2026 and added two sections requiring legislative approval for board-set contribution increases.

- Bill No. 36-0186 (appropriation from GVI JPMC charitable fund to general fund, as amended): Approved by committee; roll call recorded 6 yeas, 1 nay. The committee amended the appropriation from $4,892,000 to $6,074,209 and added line items for GFL Casa de Salud and the Department of Health MIH program.

- Bill No. 36-0120 (education evaluations): Approved by committee; roll call recorded 7 yeas, 0 nays. The bill directs $341,460 to the Department of Education for special education eligibility evaluations.

Committee procedure and next steps

Committee members made and seconded motions and successive technical amendments during the session. Clerks announced roll-call tallies after each motion. The committee unanimously agreed to send the three approved measures to the Committee on Rules and Judiciary for further consideration and vetting.

Adjournment and remarks

At the close of the hearing, Senator Avery Lewis offered condolences to the family of musician Jevon Sasso; the committee adjourned shortly afterward.