These Are The Committee Assignments Of The 32nd Legislature

ST. THOMAS — Following the 32nd Legislature’s swearing-in ceremony on Monday, the new body’s first course of action was to pass a measure — Bill No. 32-0001 — which assigned members of the Senate to the various committees where testimonies are heard, measures are deliberated and decisions are made.

Senator Myron Jackson is the Senate president while Senator Nereida Rivera-O’Reilly is the vice president of the 32nd Legislature. These positions were already chosen during a Democratic caucus, but made official in yesterday’s measure. The body’s secretary is Senator Jean Forde, who will also serve as secretary for intergovernmental and territorial affairs. Senator Neville James is the new majority leader; Senator Marvin Blyden was elected liaison to the United States Congress; freshman Senator Brian A. Smith is liaison to the United States Department of Interior, Office of Insular Affairs; and Senator Sammuel Sanes, the veteran lawmaker and former majority leader, was elected liaison to the White House.

Below are the committee assignments:

The Committee on Rules and the Judiciary:

Chair, Novelle E. Francis, Jr.

Vice-Chair, Jean A. Forde

Myron D. Jackson

Sammuel Sanes

Janette Millin Young

Positive T. A. Nelson

Kevin Rodriquez

The Committee On Finance

Chair, Kurt A. Vialet

Vice Chair, Marvin A. Blyden

Neville A. James

Nereida Rivera-O’Reilly

Brian A. Smith

Tregenza A. Roach

Dwayne M. DeGraff

Committee on Health, Hospitals and Human Services

Chair, Nereida Rivera-O’Reilly

Vice-Chair, Kurt A. Vialet

Marvin A. Blyden

Novelle E. Francis, Jr.

Janette Millin Young

Sammuel Sanes

Dwayne M. DeGraff

Committee on Education, Youth and Recreation

Chair, Jean A. Forde

Vice-Chair, Neville A. James

Kurt A. Vialet

Novelle E. Francis, Jr.

Myron D. Jackson

Tregenza A. Roach

Kevin A. Rodriquez

The Committee on Workforce Development, Consumer Affairs and Culture

Chair, Kevin A. Rodriquez

Vice-Chair, Myron D. Jackson

Janette Millin Young

Brian A. Smith

Positive T. A. Nelson

Alicia Hansen

Marvin A. Blyden

The Committee on Housing, Public Works, Waste Management and Planning

Chair, Marvin A. Blyden

Vice-Chair, Sammuel Sanes

Neville A. James

Kevin A. Rodriquez

Janette Millin Young

Alicia Hansen

Brian A. Smith

The Committee on Homeland Security, Justice and Public Safety

Chair, Brian A. Smith

Vice-Chair, Novelle E. Francis, Jr.

Jean A. Forde

Nereida Rivera-O’Reilly

Positive T.A. Nelson

Dwayne M. DeGraff

Alicia Hansen

The Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture

Chair, Neville A. James

Vice-Chair, Brian A. Smith

Sammuel Sanes

Dwayne M. DeGraff

Nereida Rivera O’Reilly

Kurt A. Vialet

Marvin A. Blyden

Positive T.A. Nelson

Tregenza A. Roach

The Committee on Government Affairs, Veterans, Energy, and Environmental

Chair, Sammuel Sanes

Vice-Chair, Kevin A. Rodriquez

Jean A. Forde

Nereida Rivera O’Reilly

Alicia Hansen

Tregenza A. Roach

Janette Millin Young

The bill was not passed unanimously; senators who make up the minority complained that the enough time was not allowed to review the document, and Mrs. Millin Young, who chaired the Committee on Economic Development in the 31st Legislature, expressed frustration that she was not even included as part of the committee in the 32nd Legislature.

Mr. Jackson, however, said the new body should now focus on moving the people’s agenda forward: “May wounded hearts and feelings be healed as we move together as a body to address the concerns of the people,” he said.

Voting in support of the measure were senators Vialet, Rivera-O’Reilly, James, Sanes, Blyden, Forde, Francis, Smith and Jackson. Voting against were Hansen, Millin Young, Nelson and DeGraff.

Feature Image: 32 Legislature Senators. (Credit: Government House)