July 14, 2001 — The Senate Rules Committee will continue debate on two major bills Monday after passing five on to the full Senate in its session Friday.
Left undone was the bill to license Internet gaming in the territory and another, sent down by Gov. Charles Turnbull, that would approve $47 million in appropriations to pay for government debts and fund a variety of programs and projects.
Among the bills passed on to the Senate was the Gun Control Act of 2001. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Emmett Hansen II, would amend the V.I. Code to add unlawful discharge of a firearm to the defined crimes of violence and to increase the penalty for weapons violations. It would also increase the fine for illegal gun possession from $1,000 to $5,000 and imprisonment from two years to five years maximum. Second offenses go from a fine of $2,000 to $10,000 and imprisonment of not more than 15 years.
If an illegal firearm is carried by a felon or used in a crime of violence the fine goes from $10,000 to $25,000, with imprisonment from 15 to 20 years. A machine gun used in a violent crime is raised from a fine of $12,000 to $50,000 with 20 years imprisonment.
The bill follows the announcement of V.I. Project Exile by local and federal law enforcement officials. Under Project Exile, anyone committing a gun crime or possessing an illegal weapon will be sent to a mainland prison.
"As legislators, it is our responsibility that we have laws in place" that ensure everyone is safe, Hansen said. "We cannot live in a society where people are afraid to go out to dinner or take their kids to the movies."
Hansen noted that a territory-wide weapons amnesty program began last week. People in possession of unlicenced or unregistered firearms may turn in weapons to their nearest police station through July 31.
"If you have a gun, turn it in," Hansen said. "The only thing you can do with a gun is kill people."
Meanwhile, the committee approved a bill that allows the Government Employees Retirement System board of directors to sell, mortgage, lease or exchange its property, as well as borrow money and issue bonds.
Additionally, senators passed a bill that extends early retirement to certain WAPA employees who perform hazardous duty.
Also passed were two health-related bills. One assigns all the proceeds that will be received by the V.I. government under the national tobacco settlement agreement to The Tobacco Settlement Financing Corp. The corporation would then leverage the $50 million the territory is expected to receive over the next 20 years by issuing bonds to build a cancer center on St. Thomas and a cardiovascular center on St. Croix.
Senators also passed the Healthcare Quality Improvement Act of 2001.
The committee cast a tied vote on a bill sponsored by Sen. Lorraine Berry, that would give grandparents visitation rights to their grandchildren.
Sens. Norma Pickard Samuel, Adelbert Bryan and Celestino White voting against and Carlton Dowe, Donald "Ducks" Cole, and Almando "Rocky" Liburd voting in favor. Rules Committee member Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen was absent.
The committee will continue on Monday at 10 a.m. at the Legislature on St. Thomas.
