Committee Report — Bill No. 36-0109
Phone (340) 693-3567 Email: MBlyden@Legvi.org ~ YOUR CHOICE FOR SOLUTIONS ~ Committee Report Committee on Housing, Transportation, & Telecommunications The Committee on Housing, Transportation & Telecommunications convened on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at 9:37 a.m. in the Fritz E. Lawaetz Legislative Conference Room on St. Croix to receive testimony from various Governmental Agencies regarding the USVI Telecommunications update. As well as the consideration of Bill No. 36-0109 and Bill No. 36-0074. The Committee convened to receive its annual update on telecommunications issues from providers, regulators, infrastructure owners, and policymakers, with a focus on evaluating system resilience, redundancy, affordability and reliability of service. This discussion informed legislative efforts to strengthen infrastructure planning, disaster preparedness, and public safety communications, while also assessing technical standards and the deployment of emerging technologies in the Virgin Islands. …
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Phone (340) 693-3567 Email: MBlyden@Legvi.org ~ YOUR CHOICE FOR SOLUTIONS ~ Committee Report Committee on Housing, Transportation, & Telecommunications The Committee on Housing, Transportation & Telecommunications convened on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at 9:37 a.m. in the Fritz E. Lawaetz Legislative Conference Room on St. Croix to receive testimony from various Governmental Agencies regarding the USVI Telecommunications update. As well as the consideration of Bill No. 36-0109 and Bill No. 36-0074. The Committee convened to receive its annual update on telecommunications issues from providers, regulators, infrastructure owners, and policymakers, with a focus on evaluating system resilience, redundancy, affordability and reliability of service. This discussion informed legislative efforts to strengthen infrastructure planning, disaster preparedness, and public safety communications, while also assessing technical standards and the deployment of emerging technologies in the Virgin Islands. The committee also heard testimony regarding compliance with ADA mandates requiring website accessibility for people with disabilities. Consideration of Bill No. 36-0109: An act amending title 33 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 111 to establish the Inspection and Safety on Public Highways Fund; amending title 20 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 39, section 435 relating to the collection of fees, amending title 20 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 41, section 461 relating to equipment and inspection of vehicle requirements, and title 20 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 38, section 416 relating to motor vehicle restrictions for the car rental industry. Proposed by: Senator Angel L. Bolques, Jr. The Honorable Marvin A. Blyden Senator Legislature of the Virgin Islands CAPITOL BUILDING, P.O. BOX 1690 ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS 00804 (340) 774-0880 CHAIRMAN Housing, Transportation & Telecommunications VICE CHAIR Budget, Appropriations & Finance MEMBER Economic Development & Agriculture Culture, Youth, Aging & Parks Health, Hospitals, & Human Services Phone (340) 693-3567 Fax (340) 693-3636 Courriel SenatorBlyden@Gmail.com ~ YOUR CHOICE FOR SOLUTIONS ~ Legislative Voting on Bill No. 36-0109 (HELD in Committee) Committee Members Y/N Senator Marvin A. Blyden, Chair Y Senator Clifford A. Joseph, Sr. Y Senator Ray Fonseca Y Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff N Senator Marise C. James Absent Senator Carla Joseph Y Senator Kurt A. Vialet Y Consideration of Bill No. 36-0074: An Act amending title 20 Virgin Islands Code, part I by adding a chapter 3 establishing the “Virgin Islands Roadside Property Maintenance and Vegetation Act” to require property owners to maintain roadside vegetation, prevent obstruction of public roads and utility lines, provide for enforcement, penalties, and exceptions, and for other related purposes. Proposed by: Senator Kenneth L. Gittens and Senator Avery L. Lewis Legislative Voting on Bill No. 36-0074 (HELD in Committee) Committee Members Y/N Senator Marvin A. Blyden, Chair Y Senator Clifford A. Joseph, Sr. Absent Senator Ray Fonseca N Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff N Senator Marise C. James Absent Senator Carla Joseph N Senator Kurt A. Vialet Y Phone (340) 693-3567 Fax (340) 693-3636 Courriel SenatorBlyden@Gmail.com ~ YOUR CHOICE FOR SOLUTIONS ~ Legislative Attendance Committee Members Present Non-Committee Members Present Senator Marvin A. Blyden, Chair Senator Novelle E. Francis Senator Clifford A. Joseph, Sr. Senator Angel L. Bolques Senator Ray Fonseca Senator Kenneth L. Gittens Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff Senator Marise C. James Senator Carla Joseph Senator Kurt A. Vialet Invited Testifiers The Honorable Kevin McCurdy, Commissioner, Department of Finance The Honorable Jean-Pierre Oriol, Commissioner, Department of Planning & Natural Resources The Honorable Mario M. Brooks, Commissioner, Virgin Islands Police Department Ms. Barbara McIntosh, Director, Virgin Islands Bureau of Motor Vehicles The Honorable Tregenza A. Roach, Esq, Lt. Governor of the V.I., The Honorable Derek Gabriel, Commissioner, Department of Public Works Mr. Karl Knight, Executive Director & CEO, Water & Power Authority Mr. Hannibal “Mike” Ware, Executive Director, Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority Dr. Gregory Guannel, Director, Caribbean Green Technology Center Mr. Stephan Adams, Chief Executive Officer, V.I. Next Generation Network Ms. Siobhan James-Alexander, Chief Executive Officer, One Communications Mr. Clay Jones, Principal/Arborist, Heritage Tree Care, LLC. Ms. Ileann Canellas Correa, Esq, Country Manager, T-Mobile PR/VI Mr. Ravindra Maywahlall, Country Manager, Liberty USVI Phone (340) 693-3567 Fax (340) 693-3636 Courriel SenatorBlyden@Gmail.com ~ YOUR CHOICE FOR SOLUTIONS ~ The Honorable Dionne Wells- Hedrington, Commissioner, Department of Education Mr. Julio Rhymer, Director, Office of Management and Budget Mr. Rupert Ross, Director, Bureau of Information Technology Mr. Dwayne Alexander, Executive Director, Virgin Islands Housing Authority The Committee on Housing, Transportation & Telecommunications adjourned at 6:30 p.m. Prepared by: _______________________________ Vanessa Ortiz Williams Chief Legislative Researcher