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Senate committee forwards bill to establish ABLE savings accounts to help people with disabilities save without losing benefits
Summary
The Senate health committee voted April 22 to forward bill 36‑0035 to Rules & Judiciary. The bill would authorize a Virgin Islands ABLE program to let eligible individuals save tax‑advantaged funds for disability‑related expenses without jeopardizing means‑tested benefits.
The Senate committee on April 22 voted to forward bill 36‑0035, a proposal to implement an ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) savings program in the U.S. Virgin Islands that would allow eligible people with disabilities to accumulate tax‑advantaged savings for qualified disability expenses without automatically losing means‑tested benefits.
Senator Norville E. Francis Jr., the bill sponsor, said the ABLE Act "is about equality and access" and would allow people with disabilities and their families to save for housing, transportation, assistive technology and other qualified expenses without risking eligibility for Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income and other needs‑based programs.
AARP State Director Troy Schuster and other advocates testified in favor. Schuster said AARP supports the bill but recommended clarity and accountability provisions; he emphasized caregiver needs and stronger safeguards against financial abuse.
Christopher Finch, an advocate who spoke about a Virgin Islander (Janique Prince Morasco) who uses Virginia’s ABLE program, described how ABLE allowed her to buy mobility equipment and live independently in the mainland U.S. He urged passage so Virgin Islanders can access similar tools.
Brenda Carty, Director of Treasury in the Department of Finance, told senators the Department supports the policy but told the committee it does not currently have the internal staffing or technical infrastructure to run a specialized account‑management program without additional resources or external partners. Carty suggested the Office of the Lieutenant Governor or the banking and insurance regulator — in coordination with local financial institutions — may be better positioned to lead implementation or to manage a public‑private arrangement.
Julian E. Henley Sr., Territorial ADA Coordinator, and Angus Drago of the Disability Rights Center urged passage and suggested implementation best practices: broad education for account holders, third‑party fiduciary arrangements, clear privacy and training requirements for staff, and mechanisms to reflect a federal rule raising the age of disability onset for ABLE eligibility in 2026.
The committee recorded a favorable vote to forward the bill to Rules & Judiciary (vote recorded as 5 yes, 0 no, 1 absent, 1 not voting) and asked the sponsor and Finance to work with the lieutenant governor’s office, banking regulators and nonprofit stakeholders on an implementation plan. Senators and advocates stressed use of public‑private partnerships and the possibility of joining multi‑state ABLE program alliances to reduce administrative costs.
Ending: Committee members urged quick follow‑up research about models used in other states, recommended an RFP/competitive procurement approach for administration or third‑party fiduciary services, and asked the Department of Finance to return with a resource and staffing plan for implementation.
