34th Virgin Islands Legislature
The 34th Virgin Islands Legislature was the 2021–2023 meeting of the unicameral legislative body of the United States Virgin Islands.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
The 34th Virgin Islands Legislature was the territorial legislature of the United States Virgin Islands during its 2021–2023 legislative term. It convened in Charlotte Amalie on January 11, 2021, and concluded on January 9, 2023. Although it is not a commercial brand, the body functioned as a distinct public institution and political-era identity within the territory's governmental system. The legislature followed the 2020 elections, in which the Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands retained control of the Senate, although with a narrower majority than during the preceding 33rd Legislature. Donna Frett-Gregory served as president of the Senate, with Novelle Francis as vice president. The majority leadership initially included Marvin Blyden as majority leader, Genevieve Whitaker as secretary and liaison to the U.S. Department of the Interior and Office of Insular Affairs, Novelle Francis as intergovernmental territorial affairs secretary, Blyden as liaison to Congress, and Kenneth Gittens as liaison to the White House. Its work took place amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, fiscal pressures, infrastructure concerns, public-utility challenges, and debates over territorial autonomy and the constitutional status of U.S. territories. Early legislative activity included extensions of the territory's COVID-19 state of emergency, changes to building-permit administration and electronic permitting, reforms affecting the Public Services Commission and the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority, fuel-tax administration, and restoration of salary reductions for government employees. The body also enacted measures addressing public finance, social policy, civil rights, notarial practice, parks, recreation, and environmental administration. Among the more significant measures were legislation authorizing the securitization of federal matching-fund receipts and related financing arrangements involving the Government Employees' Retirement System, the Virgin Islands CROWN Act, the Responsible Fatherhood Act, adoption of the Virgin Islands Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, and creation of a territorial parks framework with associated revolving funds. Several events attracted substantial public attention. In December 2021, the Senate suspended Marvin Blyden and removed him as majority leader after he failed to quarantine following a positive COVID-19 test. In July 2022, the Senate expelled Steven D. Payne Sr. after reports of sexual accusations by three women and proceedings concerning the legislature's ethical-conduct standards and zero-tolerance sexual-harassment policy. Angel Bolques Jr. subsequently filled Payne's at-large seat. In December 2022, the Senate approved legislation intended to legalize recreational marijuana use in the territory. The legislature also considered resolutions honoring cultural, civic, military, sporting, religious, media, and community figures. It adopted rules and organized its majority caucus, while expressing positions on issues including the Insular Cases and the territorial incorporation doctrine. The 34th Legislature ended when the next legislative term began in January 2023.
History
The 34th Virgin Islands Legislature was constituted after the 2020 elections and began meeting on January 11, 2021, in Charlotte Amalie. It operated as the unicameral legislative branch of the United States Virgin Islands during the third year of Governor Albert Bryan's administration and remained in office until January 9, 2023. The Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands retained its majority, though the party's advantage was reduced compared with the 33rd Legislature. The Senate organized its leadership at the start of the term. Donna Frett-Gregory became Senate president and Novelle Francis became vice president. The majority caucus selected Marvin Blyden as majority leader, Genevieve Whitaker as secretary, and assigned several members liaison responsibilities involving Congress, the White House, the Department of the Interior, and territorial intergovernmental affairs. The body adopted its operating rules and organized standing committees through early resolutions. The legislature's first major period of activity was shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Bryan delivered State of the Territory Addresses in January 2021 and January 2022, while the legislature approved an extension of the territory's state of emergency. The Senate later sanctioned Blyden after a dispute over compliance with quarantine requirements following a positive COVID-19 test. The matter resulted in his suspension and removal from the majority-leader position. During 2021, the legislature addressed administrative, infrastructure, utility, fiscal, and regulatory matters. It amended building-permit laws and required development of an electronic permitting system. It restructured aspects of the Public Services Commission, altered utility oversight, addressed the regulatory position of the Waste Management Authority, and authorized the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority to engage turnaround-management assistance. Other enactments revised fuel-tax remittance procedures, restored an eight-percent salary reduction for government employees, and appropriated funds for restoration work at the St. Croix Motor Sports Complex. In 2022, public finance and social policy became prominent legislative themes. Act 8540 created a framework for selling or securitizing federal matching-fund receipts and establishing a special-purpose securitization corporation. The measure also addressed matching-fund bonds, a funding note for the Government Employees' Retirement System, and related rum-company agreements. Other legislation enacted during the term included the Virgin Islands CROWN Act, the Responsible Fatherhood Act, and a new territorial framework for notaries based on uniform notarial-law principles. The legislature also developed a territorial parks and recreation system. Act 8609 expanded governmental responsibilities for neighborhood parks, territorial parks, and protected areas; created a Division of Territorial Parks and Protected Areas; and established related revolving funds. The body considered additional appropriations, naming measures, criminal-enforcement funding, and commemorative legislation, although not every proposal became law. A measure concerning a banquet-hall requirement at the Caravelle Hotel casino was vetoed in December 2021. The legislature experienced a second major ethics-related controversy in 2022. Following reports of sexual accusations by three women and related proceedings under the legislature's ethical code and sexual-harassment policy, the Senate voted to expel Senator Steven D. Payne Sr. Angel Bolques Jr. replaced him as senator at-large. Earlier that year, the Senate president had requested a federal investigation into a threatening letter sent through the postal system to members of the body. In its final months, the legislature approved Bill No. 34-0345, a recreational-marijuana legalization measure, by an 11–1 vote. It also adopted resolutions honoring figures from music, sports, public service, religion, media, military service, and disability advocacy. A resolution supporting U.S. House Resolution 279 criticized the Insular Cases and the territorial incorporation doctrine as inconsistent with modern constitutional and democratic principles. The 34th Legislature ended on January 9, 2023, when its successor term began.
- 2023
Term concludes
[1]The 34th Legislature ended on January 9, 2023.
- 2022
Matching-fund securitization framework enacted
[1]Act 8540 established a framework for securitizing federal matching-fund receipts and related retirement-system financing.
- 2022
Virgin Islands CROWN Act enacted
[1]The legislature enacted a measure identified as the Virgin Islands CROWN Act.
- 2022
Parks-system legislation enacted
[1]Act 8609 established administrative and financial structures for territorial parks and protected areas.
- 2022
Steven Payne expelled
[1]The Senate expelled Senator Steven Payne Sr.; Angel Bolques Jr. later filled the at-large vacancy.
- 2022
Recreational-marijuana bill approved
[1]The Senate approved Bill No. 34-0345 by an 11–1 vote.
- 2021
34th Legislature convenes
[1]The legislative term began in Charlotte Amalie on January 11, 2021.
- 2021
COVID-19 emergency extended
[1]The legislature enacted an additional extension of the territory's COVID-19 state of emergency.
- 2021
Utility and permitting reforms
[1]Legislation addressed electronic building permits, public-utility regulation, the Public Services Commission, and WAPA management.
Products and positioning
A territorial public-law institution representing the legislative branch of the United States Virgin Islands during the 2021–2023 term.
Public law · 2021
Territorial legislation
The legislature's principal output consisted of acts amending the Virgin Islands Code, appropriating public funds, creating administrative programs, and establishing or revising territorial policy. During this term, enacted legislation covered emergency powers, permitting, utilities, taxation, public finance, retirement funding, civil rights, family policy, notarial practice, and parks administration.
Legislative resolutions · 2021
Senate resolutions
Resolutions organized the Senate and its committees, imposed or considered sanctions, honored Virgin Islands residents and contributors, expressed policy positions, and petitioned or addressed federal institutions. The 34th Legislature used resolutions for both internal governance and public recognition.
Controversies
2022
Threatening letter sent to senators
Senate President Donna Frett-Gregory requested a federal investigation into a postal letter threatening almost every member of the body except Senator Steven Payne Sr.
2022
Expulsion of Steven Payne Sr.
The Senate expelled Payne after reports of sexual accusations by three women and proceedings concerning alleged violations of the ethical-conduct code and the legislature's sexual-harassment policy.
2021
Marvin Blyden quarantine dispute
Senator Marvin Blyden was suspended and removed as majority leader after the Senate determined that he failed to quarantine following a positive COVID-19 test.
Brand decisions
2022
Matching-fund securitization authorizationM&ABackground
The territory pursued a public-finance structure involving federal matching-fund receipts and the Government Employees' Retirement System.
Action taken
Act 8540 authorized a special-purpose securitization corporation, the issuance of matching-fund securitization bonds, and related funding arrangements.
Aftermath
The act established a legal framework for the proposed financing structure; the supplied material does not provide final financial results.
2022
Recreational-marijuana legalization measureOtherBackground
The legislature considered changes to territorial cannabis policy.
Action taken
The Senate approved Bill No. 34-0345 by an 11–1 vote to legalize recreational marijuana use in the territory.
Aftermath
The supplied material does not specify the full enactment or implementation outcome.
2021
Electronic permitting and utility oversight reformsStrategyBackground
The legislature addressed delays and administrative requirements in building permits while reviewing the regulatory structure for utilities and public services.
Action taken
It required implementation of an electronic permitting system, changed related fee allocations, restructured aspects of the Public Services Commission, and addressed oversight of WAPA and the Waste Management Authority.
Aftermath
The measures created new administrative responsibilities and regulatory arrangements within the territory.
Sources1 sources
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