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

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.