Title 1, General Provisions

(a) April 22nd of each year shall be observed as “Earth Day” throughout the Virgin Islands. (b) At least 15 days prior to Earth Day, the Governor of the Virgin Islands shall issue a proclamation calling upon the residents of the Virgin Islands to give special recognition for the …

The 2nd day in July of each year shall be observed as “Ferry Boat Transportation Day” throughout the Virgin Islands, in commemoration of ferry boat activities within the Territory.

(a) Three Kings Day shall be celebrated on January 6 each year, on the island of St. Croix. The celebration shall emphasize and maintain the Hispanic heritage and culture existing in the Virgin Islands, especially on the island of St. Croix. (b) There is hereby created a Three Ki…

(a) April 25th of each year shall be observed as “Timothy Theodore Duncan Day”. (b) The Commissioners of the Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation and the Department of Tourism shall be responsible for organizing and publicizing events throughout the Territory for the celebr…

(a) November 23rd of each year shall be observed as “Virgin Islands Freedom Fighters Day” throughout the Virgin Islands. (b) At least fifteen days prior to Virgin Islands Freedom Fighters Day, the Governor of the Virgin Islands shall issue a proclamation calling upon the resident…

(a) The dates of June 26th through July 3rd of each year shall be observed as “Freedom Week” in the Virgin Islands to commemorate the emancipation of the enslaved persons in the Danish West Indies, now the Virgin Islands of the United States, and any other freedom struggles of op…

(a) The first Friday in August of each year shall be observed as “Godparents' Day” throughout the Virgin Islands, in commemoration and appreciation of godparents' many contributions to the quality of family life in the Virgin Islands. (b) The color white shall constitute the offi…

(a) The first week in June shall be observed as “Virgin Islands Child's Week” throughout the Virgin Islands. (b) The Governor shall appoint a committee each year to develop appropriate plans, programs and ceremonies for celebration of “Virgin Islands Child's Week” in the Virgin I…

The last week in June of each year shall be observed as “Fishers' Appreciation Week”. The Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture shall be responsible for developing appropriate programs and ceremonies for the celebration of Fishers' Appreciation Week in the Virgin Islands.

(a) May 5 of each year shall be observed as “Paws for a Cause Day”. In any year in which May 5 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, “Paws for a Cause Day” shall be observed on the following Monday. (b) The Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture is responsible for organizing and …

(a) The Virgin Islands shall observe the month of June of each year as “Cancer Awareness Month”. (b) The Commissioner of the Department of Health shall disseminate information, sponsor and promote activities throughout the territory to heighten cancer awareness.

(a) The Virgin Islands shall observe the month of May each year as “Virgin Islands Mental Health Awareness Month”. (b) The Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Health shall be responsible for disseminating information by sponsoring and promoting publicly held activiti…

(a) The month of March each year is designated as “Virgin Islands History Month” in the Virgin Islands to highlight specifically the history, culture and achievements of the people of the Virgin Islands, including the artifacts, goods, ideas, beliefs, customs, traditions values, …

May 24 of each year is designated as Aviation Maintenance Technician Day in honor of the late Charles Edward Taylor.

(a) Beginning with September 26, 2009, the last Saturday of September of each year is declared “Virgin Islands and American Kennel Club Responsible Dog Ownership Day” in the Territory of the Virgin Islands. (b) Persons who comply with the standards established in subsection (b) a…

(a) July 10 of each year, the birthday of Juan Francisco Luis, shall be observed as “Juan Francisco Luis Day” in the Virgin Islands in honor of the late Governor Juan Francisco Luis. Appropriate ceremonies shall be held in all public schools in the Virgin Islands. Such ceremonies…

(a) August 7th of each year is designated Purple Heart Day. (b) The Governor shall annually, issue a proclamation designating August 7th as Purple Heart Day. Public officials, schools, private organizations, and all residents of the Virgin Islands are encouraged to commemorate Pu…

(a) This section may be cited as “The Disability History and Awareness Month Act”. (b) The month of October is designated “Disability History and Awareness Month”. Annually during the month of October, each public school shall conduct and promote educational activities that provi…

(a) The last Sunday of September of each year is designated as “Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day” in recognition of and appreciation for the Gold Star Mothers and Families who have suffered the supreme sacrifice of losing family members in the service of the United States of A…

(a) The month of November of each year is designated as “David Hamilton Jackson Month” to highlight Mr. Jackson’s achievements and his contributions to the people of the Virgin Islands. (b) The Commissioner of Education, the Virgin Islands Cultural Heritage Institute, the Virgin …

The month of May each year is designated as Virgin Islands Water Safety Month.

(a) The month of September each year is designated as Virgin Islands Prostate and Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month; and (b) The Governor shall issue an annual proclamation calling upon public officials, private organizations, and all citizens of the Territory to observe this month …

(a) The month of May is designated as Virgin Islands Stroke Awareness Month. (b) The Governor shall issue a proclamation annually and call upon the Department of Health, the Roy Lester Schneider Hospital and Community Health Center, the Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical …

(a) May 17th of each year shall be observed as “Virgin Islands Flag Day” throughout the Territory. (b) At least fifteen (15) days prior to Virgin Islands Flag Day, the Governor may issue a proclamation to be announced in the press and by radio, calling upon all Virgin Islands res…

(a) The Commissioner of the Department of Education shall reproduce and disseminate information on the significance of the Juneteenth National Independence Day to all public, private and parochial schools. (b) The Commissioner of Education shall also organize and publicize events…

(a) The week beginning the Monday before the first Friday in June is designated as “Virgin Islands Gun Violence Awareness Week” in alignment with annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day. Virgin Islands Gun Violence Awareness Week is an observance and not a holiday. (b) Virgin …

(a) The Virgin Islands shall observe the month of March each year as “Girl Scouts Month.” (b) At least 15 days prior to March 1st each year, the Governor shall issue a proclamation to be announced in the press and by radio, encouraging all Government agencies in the Virgin Island…

(1) Any person who is an elected or appointed official, officer, or employee of the Government of the Virgin Islands or of the Federal Government and who is required thereby to be absent from the Virgin Islands may retain his legal residence in the Virgin Islands and in the islan…

The Governor is authorized to correct nonsubstantive errors in the text of a bill presented to him for signature pursuant to the provisions of section 9(d) of the Revised Organic Act of 1954, as amended, provided that said bill is one to which the Governor subsequently affixes hi…

This chapter may be cited as the “Government in the Sunshine Act.”

It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Government of the Virgin Islands that the public is entitled to the fullest practicable information regarding the decision making processes of this government. It is the purpose of this chapter to provide the public with such informat…

(a) For purposes of this chapter—(a) “Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation, association or public or private organization other than a governmental agency.(b) “Governmental agency” or “agency” means all of the following:(1) [Deleted.](2) All governing and/or admi…

(a) All meetings of a governmental agency or of a subdivision thereof authorized to take action on behalf of the agency shall be open to the public. (b) Except where the agency finds that the public interest requires otherwise, subsection (a) hereof shall not apply to any agency …

Whenever disorder arises during a committee or agency meeting which is open to the public, the agency or committee may enforce order when necessary by clearing the room, and may act in closed session for so long as there is doubt as to the assurance of order.

The Department of Justice may promulgate such rules and regulations as are from time to time deemed necessary to aid in the interpretation and uniform application of the provisions of this chapter by affected governmental agencies.

(a) There is established the United States Virgin Islands Commission on Uniform State Laws which shall consist of three recognized members of the Virgin Islands Bar Association who shall be appointed as follows:(1) one Commissioner shall be appointed by the Governor;(2) one Commi…

The Commissioners shall meet at least once in two years and shall organize by the election of one of their number as Chairman, one as Vice-Chairman and another as Secretary, who shall hold their respective offices for a term of two years and until their successors are elected.

(a) Each Commissioner shall attend the meeting of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, and both in and out of such National Conference shall promote uniformity in state and territorial laws, upon all subjects where uniformity may be deemed desirable and…

(a) There is hereby created the “Office of Status Education” (hereinafter “Office”) which is an agency under the Legislature of the Virgin Islands for budgetary purposes. (b) The Office shall have three (3) members selected as follows:(1) A director, selected by the Governor, wit…

(a) The Office of Status Education shall:(a) educate the public on the issue of status in both English and Spanish;(b) organize and conduct meetings within the territory for the discussion of status and related issues;(c) conduct research or surveys of the issue of status and how…

The Legislature shall annually appropriate not less than $150,000 to the Office of Status Commission. The Director is authorized to use the funds appropriated for office expenses, including salaries of staff, travel expenditures and other expenses necessary to fulfill the purpose…

The Office shall submit a report outlining the activities of the office, the sums received and expended during the fiscal year, and a budget for the subsequent fiscal year to the Legislature and the Governor one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the end of each fiscal year.