Nov. 29, 2004 — Sen. Lorraine L. Berry Monday circulated a petition calling for a full Senate session to consider overriding several bills vetoed by Gov. Charles Turnbull last week.
Berry said she circulated the petition to senators in the St. Thomas-St. John District Monday afternoon. However, the petition bears only the signature of Berry and Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg for now.
"We were the only ones at the Legislature Monday," Berry said, adding that several senators are off-island.
Berry said the petition was also faxed to St. Croix senators, but because it was afternoon she did not expect any signatures from her colleagues there as yet.
"We will continue circulating it tomorrow," Berry said.
On Friday, Turnbull announced to the media his decision to veto five major bills, two of which were Berry's.
Turnbull vetoed the Omnibus Justice Act of 2004 and the Financial Services Act, both hefty bills sponsored by Berry, which would have reformed the justice and banking systems respectively in the territory. (See "Turnbull Vetoes Five FY 2005 Bills").
The three other bills vetoed were the Animal Cruelty Bill, sponsored by Donastorg; the School Vandalism Act, sponsored by Sen. Shawn-Michael Malone; and the Determination of Death Bill, sponsored by Sen. Douglas Canton Jr.
Senate President David Jones on Saturday told the Source that he would not call a special session to consider an override of the bills, adding that the "next legislature can take care of those issues."
Berry, however, did not agree with Jones. If a petition for the special session were successful, it would be held Dec. 15.
Eight senators are needed to petition for a special session and 10 senators are needed for an override.
Berry said she believes that she will get enough signatures for a special session, but getting 10 votes for an override may pose a challenge.
At present, six of the senators in the 25th Legislatures — Sens. Canton, Jones, Carlton Dowe, Emmett Hansen II, Almando "Rocky" Liburd and Luther Renee — are lame ducks.
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