The Senate Rules Committee got off to a slow start Wednesday but made up for lost time, approving nine bills in little more than an hour.
Several of the bills had attached amendments—including a 144-page document amending the Uniform Commercial Code—which not elaborated on by the committee. The nine bills were introduced, a motion to cancel the reading of the bill was approved, and the bills were reported out to the full Senate under closed rule, which forbids any more discussion on the bill.
The senators at times made oral corrections to the bills, and took time out to determine if an amendment had, indeed, been passed. Sen. Adelbert "Bert" Bryan took exception to the procedures, saying he had not had time to read any of the bills before him, constituting hundreds of pages. He called the procedure the committee was using "paper armed robbery." He also took the occasion to rail against certain of his colleagues in the 23rd Legislature, after which he left the meeting.
The committee passed:
– a bill appropriating $13.3 million for the 2001 Legislature Budget. This was the first time this bill had seen light, and it didn't see much. The bill wasn't discussed;
– three bills with amendments to the Uniform Commercial Code;
– a bill to create the Economic Development Authority, which will combine the Industrial Development Commission, Government Development Bank, Industrial Park Development Corporation, Small Business Development Agency and the Bureau of Economic Research. This measure contained several amendments which were not discussed;
– the 213 page Omnibus Act of 2001. The Act was generously amended, but Committee chairwoman Violet Anne Golden said it was mainly "typographical errors";
– an appropriation of $1.7 million to the Territorial Public Defenders Office;
– the Virgin Islands Technology Enterprise Act of 2000;
– an appropriation of $361.3 million for Executive Branch operating expenses.
In one, and about the only, burst of illumination, Sen. Vargrave Richards said he was proud that the $13.3 million in the FY 2001 budget for the Legislature had been cut by $1 million.
The session had begun nearly 6-1/2 hours after its scheduled 1:30 p.m. start. Various conflicting reports drifted down through the afternoon from the Post Auditor's office in the old District Court Building, where the group was ensconced.
"Postponed until further notice," was the most popular announcement, followed by "delayed" and simply "postponed." The receptionist at the Legislature building had one message, and Golden's staff had another.
The announcer at the Senate Radio Station WIUJ said at one point that the committee was back at the Senate chamber but lacked a quorum and was awaiting Sen. Judy Gomez. He followed this with the quizzical announcement that the copy machine was holding up the proceedings. The previous evening's meeting was delayed at one point for lack of copy paper.
Golden opened the session apologizing for the delay, and said she wouldn't take more time to explain.
Attending the meeting were Sens. Golden, Bryan, Gomez, Richards and Gregory Bennerson. Sens. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg and Almando "Rocky" Liburd were absent.
