(a) The Virgin Islands Commission on Aging is established within the Office of the Governor for budgetary purposes and shall be herein referred to for purposes of this section only as the “Commission”.(1) The Commission shall be composed of the following persons:(A) Four Commissioners or their respective designees from the following governmental departments, whose terms are coterminous with that of the Governor under whom they serve:(i) The Department of Human Services;(ii) The Department of Health;(iii) The Virgin Islands Police Department;(iv) The Department of Justice; and(v) The Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation;(B) The Executive Director of the Virgin Islands Housing Authority or a designee, who shall serve for as long as this person holds the position;(C) Six representatives appointed by the Governor from community organizations, with three of the representatives from the St. Croix District and the other three from the St. Thomas/St. John District, with a minimum of one representative in this district from St. John, who shall serve a term of three years or longer as determined by the Commission’s bylaws;(D) The Director of the American Association of Retired Persons (“AARP”) or a designee who shall serve for as long as the person holds the position;(E) One representative from the Legislature of the Virgin Islands, appointed by the President of the Legislature, whose term is coterminous with that of the President of the Legislature who appointed him.(2) The composition of the Commission representatives from the community appointed by the Governor, must be diversified to reflect the aging, social, economic, and ethnic diversity within the territory, with individuals across the age category reflecting the citizens 50 years of age and older.(3) The Commission shall elect a chairperson from among the membership, and the chairship must alternate biannually between districts. The Commission may appoint persons to fill any of the six seats reserved for community organizations, if a seat is vacated before the term expires, as determined by the bylaws.
(1) The Commission shall be composed of the following persons:(A) Four Commissioners or their respective designees from the following governmental departments, whose terms are coterminous with that of the Governor under whom they serve:(i) The Department of Human Services;(ii) The Department of Health;(iii) The Virgin Islands Police Department;(iv) The Department of Justice; and(v) The Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation;(B) The Executive Director of the Virgin Islands Housing Authority or a designee, who shall serve for as long as this person holds the position;(C) Six representatives appointed by the Governor from community organizations, with three of the representatives from the St. Croix District and the other three from the St. Thomas/St. John District, with a minimum of one representative in this district from St. John, who shall serve a term of three years or longer as determined by the Commission’s bylaws;(D) The Director of the American Association of Retired Persons (“AARP”) or a designee who shall serve for as long as the person holds the position;(E) One representative from the Legislature of the Virgin Islands, appointed by the President of the Legislature, whose term is coterminous with that of the President of the Legislature who appointed him.
(A) Four Commissioners or their respective designees from the following governmental departments, whose terms are coterminous with that of the Governor under whom they serve:(i) The Department of Human Services;(ii) The Department of Health;(iii) The Virgin Islands Police Department;(iv) The Department of Justice; and(v) The Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation;
(i) The Department of Human Services;
(ii) The Department of Health;
(iii) The Virgin Islands Police Department;
(iv) The Department of Justice; and
(v) The Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation;
(B) The Executive Director of the Virgin Islands Housing Authority or a designee, who shall serve for as long as this person holds the position;
(C) Six representatives appointed by the Governor from community organizations, with three of the representatives from the St. Croix District and the other three from the St. Thomas/St. John District, with a minimum of one representative in this district from St. John, who shall serve a term of three years or longer as determined by the Commission’s bylaws;
(D) The Director of the American Association of Retired Persons (“AARP”) or a designee who shall serve for as long as the person holds the position;
(E) One representative from the Legislature of the Virgin Islands, appointed by the President of the Legislature, whose term is coterminous with that of the President of the Legislature who appointed him.
(2) The composition of the Commission representatives from the community appointed by the Governor, must be diversified to reflect the aging, social, economic, and ethnic diversity within the territory, with individuals across the age category reflecting the citizens 50 years of age and older.
(3) The Commission shall elect a chairperson from among the membership, and the chairship must alternate biannually between districts. The Commission may appoint persons to fill any of the six seats reserved for community organizations, if a seat is vacated before the term expires, as determined by the bylaws.
(b) Powers and Duties of the Commission. The Virgin Islands Commission on Aging shall have the responsibility to:(1) Identify issues of concern to older adults of the Virgin Islands;(2) Research legislative issues, analyze impacts on the welfare of older adults and provide suggestion for legislators; and(3) Promote networking of organizations and individuals which support services and opportunities for senior citizens, to include but not be limited to: Adult Protective Services, V.I. Family Caregiver Support Program, Foster Grandparents Program, Homemaker Services, Homes for the Aged in both districts, Information and Referral Services, Nutrition Program for the Elderly (Meals on Wheels), Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Senior Community Employment Program, and the Pharmaceutical Assistance Program.(4) Study, investigate, plan and promote a program to meet the present and future needs of aging citizens of the Territory; receive the cooperation of other territorial departments and agencies that are tasked to coordinate programs for the aging population; identify services targeted to the most vulnerable population, including meals, transportation, housing, and long-term care; lead advocacy efforts designed to keep the aging citizens safe from fraud, abuse, and other harm.(5) Represent the Eight Domains of Livability as established by the World Health Organization’s Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities and the AARP Network Age-Friendly States & Communities which are Outdoor Spaces & Buildings, Transportation, Housing, Social Participation, Respect and Social Inclusion, Civic Participation & Employment, Communication & Information and Community Support & Health Services.
(1) Identify issues of concern to older adults of the Virgin Islands;
(2) Research legislative issues, analyze impacts on the welfare of older adults and provide suggestion for legislators; and
(3) Promote networking of organizations and individuals which support services and opportunities for senior citizens, to include but not be limited to: Adult Protective Services, V.I. Family Caregiver Support Program, Foster Grandparents Program, Homemaker Services, Homes for the Aged in both districts, Information and Referral Services, Nutrition Program for the Elderly (Meals on Wheels), Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Senior Community Employment Program, and the Pharmaceutical Assistance Program.
(4) Study, investigate, plan and promote a program to meet the present and future needs of aging citizens of the Territory; receive the cooperation of other territorial departments and agencies that are tasked to coordinate programs for the aging population; identify services targeted to the most vulnerable population, including meals, transportation, housing, and long-term care; lead advocacy efforts designed to keep the aging citizens safe from fraud, abuse, and other harm.
(5) Represent the Eight Domains of Livability as established by the World Health Organization’s Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities and the AARP Network Age-Friendly States & Communities which are Outdoor Spaces & Buildings, Transportation, Housing, Social Participation, Respect and Social Inclusion, Civic Participation & Employment, Communication & Information and Community Support & Health Services.
(c) Compensation. Members of the Commission shall be compensated in the form of reimbursement for travel expenditures only as authorized by the Chairman. Non-governmental members shall receive a stipend of $75 per day for attendance at Commission meetings. An annual appropriation from the General Fund through the Office of the Governor shall be used for stipends and reimbursements, and the salary of the Executive Director.
(d) Before conducting any business, the persons constituting the membership of the Commission on Aging shall meet and adopt bylaws. The vote of a majority of all the members in good standing of the Commission shall be necessary for the adoption of the bylaws. Once adopted, the bylaws are to be duly signed by all persons thereafter becoming members of the Commission formed under this chapter. The Commission of Aging shall write the bylaws in a book kept by the Commission and by the Office of the Governor with an identical copy being provided to the President of the Legislature upon request. At a minimum, the Commission may by its bylaws provide for: the time, place and manner of calling and conducting its meetings outside of the requirements of this chapter; the mode and manner of appointing an executive director and their removal; the mode and manner of filling vacancies of the six representatives of the members appointed by the Governor from community organizations and their removal. No bylaw may be adopted granting any member on the Commission an indefinite membership on the commission.
(e) The Commission may appoint an executive director with the approval of the Governor. The executive director at the direction of the Commission shall perform such duties as the Commission on Aging finds necessary to carry out its primary duties of advocacy, planning, promoting inter-agency collaboration, and advisory role to the Governor and the Legislature.