🏛️ Government · U.S. Virgin Islands
Bryan signed FY 2026 budget, renewed employee health coverage and vetoed two bills after Sept. 17 session
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. said on Oct. 2 that he had signed the U.S. Virgin Islands' fiscal 2026 budget package, renewed government employee and retiree health coverage, ratified a coastal zone permit for Lime Out 2 LLC, and vetoed two bills and part of the general appropriations act following the Legislature’s Sept. 17 regular session.
Bryan signed Bill No. 36-0174, the General Appropriations Act for fiscal 2026, with a line-item veto removing appropriations in Section 1 related to animal care and population control. Government House said the administration determined those items did not conform to Act No. 8922. The rest of the appropriations act remained in effect.
The administration also cited approval of a series of fiscal 2026 appropriations measures funding education, health, fire and emergency services, hospitals, the Office of the Inspector General, public works, motor vehicles, capital improvement funds, central government operations, the Legislature, the Public Services Commission, the Board of Education, the Career and Technical Education Board, the Taxicab Commission, the Waste Management Authority, the University of the Virgin Islands, labor boards, elections administration and wastewater operations.
Among other approved measures, Bryan signed Bill No. 36-0189 renewing government medical and dental agreements with Cigna, renewing certain voluntary benefits with Cigna, and approving a second amendment to the medical insurance agreement with UnitedHealthcare. He also signed Bill No. 36-0185, ratifying Major Coastal Zone Permit CZT-08-21(W) for Lime Out 2 LLC, and Bill No. 36-0186, transferring $6,074,209 from the GVI/JPMC Charitable Fund to the General Fund in fiscal 2026.
Bryan vetoed Bill No. 36-0101, which Government House said would have allowed the Judiciary to fill judicial vacancies without appointment by the governor and legislative consent, and Bill No. 36-0112, which would have raised civil filing fees and directed the revenue to a new Judicial Branch Capital Improvement Fund.
Government House also said Bryan acknowledged the Legislature’s overrides of his earlier vetoes of Bill No. 36-0027, known as Jah’niqua’s Law, and Bill No. 36-0057 on automatic expungement upon acquittal.
The administration said the Legislature also took favorable action on the nominations of Roy Moorehead to the Board of Parole for the St. Thomas-St. John District, L. Damian M. Cartwright to the Board of Land Use Appeals for the St. Croix District, Xavier A. Acevedo to the WAPA Governing Board for the St. Croix District, and Dr. Safiya George to the Government Hospital and Health Facility Board of Directors.