The Senate Government Operations Committee has granted the green light to one phase of the governor's Reorganization and Consolidation Act.
The panel, chaired by St. Croix Sen. Gregory Bennerson, voted Wednesday to approve the legislation moving the measure forward.
The proposed legislation would merge the V.I. Housing Authority, Housing Finance Authority and the housing functions of Housing, Parks and Recreation Department under one new agency, the V.I. Housing and Community Redevelopment Authority.
The remaining portions of Housing, Parks and Recreation would be consolidated under a Department of Sports, Recreation and Open Spaces.
The new authority would be governed by a seven-member board of directors. Two members, appointed by the governor, would represent the private sector and two would be members of the governor's Cabinet or executive staff. Three tenants of public housing communities would round out the new authority's board of directors.
During debate on the bill, the Government Operations Committee increased the mandatory number of tenants to serve on the authority's board of directors. The vote came after taking testimony from public housing residents Evelyn Webster, Gloria Haynes and Wayne Petersen.
Before the committee approved the bill, senators deleted sections of the governor's Reorganization Plan that have already been enacted in the Fiscal Year 2000 Omnibus Act and the sections that address economic development issues.
Several senators are already drafting bills to consolidate the territory's economic development agencies.
The measure goes next to the Rules Committee.
