Bryan approved 13 bills and vetoed five measures in February 2020

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. approved 13 bills, vetoed five bills and acknowledged one resolution in actions transmitted to the 33rd Legislature during the week before Feb. 26, 2020, according to Government House.

Among the measures he signed were Bill No. 33-0034, establishing pay for members of the Virgin Islands National Guard comparable to that of members of the U.S. armed forces; Bill No. 33-0037, directing the Department of Planning and Natural Resources to rehabilitate ponds as part of a stormwater management plan; and Bill No. 33-0065, establishing a well-drilling unit within the Department of Agriculture.

Bryan also approved Bill No. 33-0263, the Virgin Islands Medicaid Program Integrity Act, and Bill No. 33-0264, appropriating $500,000 from the Internal Revenue Matching Fund to the Caribbean Drag Racing Association for infrastructure improvements at the St. Croix Motor Sports Complex. Other approved measures covered leases in Sub Base on St. Thomas, zoning and rezoning actions on St. Thomas, naming Veterans Circle in Cruz Bay, amending appropriations for government operations, and appropriating $2,142,199 from the General Fund for the Government Employees Retirement System employer contribution increase.

The vetoed bills were Bill No. 33-0069 on government credit cards, Bill No. 33-0145 on a mid-year budget review by the Office of Management and Budget, Bill No. 33-0189 on the Virgin Islands Virtual Information System, Bill No. 33-0190, an omnibus measure, and Bill No. 33-0251 on supervision of physician assistants by doctors of podiatric medicine.

Government House said Bryan objected to several of the vetoed measures as duplicative, unfunded, unclear or containing provisions he opposed. He also acknowledged receipt of Resolution No. 1865, Bill No. 33-0136, honoring Valrica Miranda Bryson for her work in the Virgin Islands school system and as a music educator.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/governor-bryan-takes-action-on-18-bills/