An Act amending Act No. 8920 to appropriate $25,000,000 from the Southern Trust Company Settlement Fund to pay retroactive wages for retired and active
Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable
Enacted
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
10 provisions identified: 8 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Back pay for government workers
The law provides $22.5 million from the Southern Trust Company Settlement Fund for government back pay in fiscal year 2025. The Office of Management and Budget handles payments to active workers, retired workers, and survivors of deceased retired workers. Recipients must be owed retroactive pay. The law requires payments by May 30, 2025, but does not state each person's amount.
Funding for wastewater and waste haulers
The Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority gets $5 million from the Southern Trust Company Settlement Fund. For the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, it funds wastewater services and overdue payments to solid waste haulers. This supports sanitation services, not direct household checks.
More funding for aged-care home expansion
The Department of Human Services gets $1.6 million from the Southern Trust Company Settlement Fund to expand Herbert Grigg Home for the Aged. The money covers renovations, staffing, and supplies. It includes $400,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, and $1.2 million for the year ending September 30, 2026. The law does not change admission rules or state how many additional residents the home will serve.
More money for two public hospitals
Juan F. Luis and Roy Lester Schneider hospitals each get $6.5 million from the Southern Trust Company Settlement Fund. This money covers specified staffing, medical services, supplies, equipment, facilities, software, and vendor costs—not contract talks or labor-agreement changes. Within 30 days of enactment, both hospitals must send the Governor and Legislature cost-cutting plans and fund-use reports. They must also propose better Medicare, Medical Assistance Program, and other insurance billing, including documentation, coding, and processing. A separate $7 million from the line of credit authorized by Act No. 8701 funds overdue hospital vendor bills. For the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, each hospital gets $3.5 million and must submit invoices to the Office of Management and Budget for vendor payment.
Funding for high school track improvements
The law provides $2.5 million from the Southern Trust Company Settlement Fund for Ivanna Eudora Kean High School's athletic facilities. The School Maintenance and Construction Fund receives it for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. It covers track and field resurfacing, repairs, restoration, construction, and maintenance, including bleachers, restrooms, and concession facilities. The amendment to Act No. 8870 also changes an associated year reference from 2025 to 2026.
Funding for pier and beach improvements
The Virgin Islands Port Authority gets $5 million from the Southern Trust Company Settlement Fund. The money funds renovations and improvements to Ann Abramson Pier and nearby areas, including Frederiksted Beach. The Port Authority must submit its plan to the Legislature within 120 days of enactment.
Increase to one prior government appropriation
The law increases the appropriation in section 18(a) of Act No. 8920 from $400,000 to $500,000. The supplied text does not identify its recipient or purpose, so specific household effects are unclear.
Payment of Pafford medical settlement debt
The Department of Finance gets $6 million from the Southern Trust Company Settlement Fund for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. It pays debt owed to Pafford Medical Services under the government's settlement agreement. The debt covers the Department of Health and Virgin Islands Fire and Emergency Medical Services. This is a company payment, not a household benefit.
Cuts to previously approved government funding
The law cuts Act No. 8920's section 6 appropriation from $20 million to $10 million. It cuts section 13's appropriation from $5 million to $4 million and removes sections 5, 15, and 19. The supplied text does not identify the affected recipients or services. The Governor also vetoed a separate $10.5 million vendor-payment appropriation, so that funding is not part of the law.
Mental Health Survivor Fund replaces funding source
The law changes the funding source in section 12 of Act No. 8920. It names the Mental Health Survivor Fund instead of the Southern Trust Company Settlement Fund. This shifts the funding responsibility between funds; the amount and recipient are not stated.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
There is no primary sponsor on record.
Cosponsors
Avery L. Lewis
legislature
Clifford A. Joseph, Sr.
legislature
Kurt A. Vialet
legislature
Marise C. James
legislature
Marvin A. Blyden
legislature
Milton E. Potter
legislature
Novelle E. Francis, Jr.
legislature
Ray Fonseca
legislature
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
Actions Timeline
Vetoed
4/28/2025legislatureEnacted
4/28/2025legislatureTo Governor
4/16/2025legislatureFloor
4/14/2025legislatureIntroduced
3/28/2025legislatureCommittee
1/22/2025legislature
Bill Text
Enacted Act
4/28/2025
Bill Text
3/28/2025
Related Bills
Bill No. 36-0393, An act amending Act No. 9035 to reprogram funds within the 2026 fiscal year budget for Virgin Islands Department of Health to provide a $2,500,000 appropriation
Lease 36-0293, An act approving the lease agreement between the Government of the Virgin Islands and The St. Thomas Cricket Association Inc. for Parcel No-2 of Tract
Bill No. 36-0192, An act amending title 34 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 15 to enact the Senior Financial Protection and Promissory Note Abuse Prevention Act of 2025
Bill No. 36-0290, An act granting a zoning use variance for Plot No. 104 Estate Concordia, Westend Quarter, St. Croix from the R-2 (Residential Low Density–One and Two Family)
Bill No. 36-0339, An act approving the lease agreement between the Government of the Virgin Islands, acting through the Commissioner of the Department of Property and Procurement,
Bill No. 36-0392, An act amending title 33 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 111 creating the Virgin Islands Contractor Bonds Cost Revolving Loan Fund