In This Issue

On the Calendar

GARVEEs

Katie's Law

Project Triage

A Crucian Welcome

PayPal

Connect With Me

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. It was nice to have a little break from the hustle and bustle to visit with family and friends, wasn't it? My husband and I took some time to take a short road trip to visit both sides of the family. Our trip was delayed a bit due to an unexpected adventure. Our beloved Hyacinth Macaw, Amadeus, flew the coop! Many thanks to those of you who went out of your way to get the word out on Social Media, via email and even went out looking for him. Special thanks to my colleague Senator Nellie Rivera-O'Reilly who really pitched in! To the left is a picture of my husband, Colonel Buckley, right after we were able to coax Amadeus out of the tree our neighbors finally found him in. We are so thankful to have him home.

After we recovered from the bird drama, we went to the US for 8 days and saw most of our families...we landed in Miami and did a big road trip all the way up the coast and into the mountains in North Georgia. It's a beautiful part of the country, but cold! We put a total of 2000 miles on that poor little rental car, just to give you an idea.

Now that I've been back in the office for over a week, I am excited to be working on some important legislation and initiatives in 2014. Please read below for details on just some of the things we are working on.

I look forward to continuing to serve you all in the coming year.

With Love,

Senator Judi Buckley

Click to View Calendar

On the Calendar

Refer to my calendar for upcoming Senate Sessions, Committee Hearings and more.

January:

Jan 20: MLK Day (Holiday)
Jan 22: Committee Meeting: Homeland Security, Justice, and Public Safety (St John)
Jan 24: Committee Meeting: Homeland Security, Justice, and Public Safety (St Thomas)
Jan 27: Governor's State of the Territory Address

February:

Feb 5 &6: Committee of the Whole Meeting (St Croix)
Feb 10 & 11: Committee of the Whole (St Thomas)
Feb 17: President's Day (Holiday)
Feb 19 & 20: Committee Meeting: Education & WorkForce (St Thomas) Ban on Corporal Punishment sponsored by Senator Buckley to be heard again on the floor.

Click Here to learn the difference between a Committee Meeting, Committee of the Whole and Full Session.

Legislation

Protecting Officers

On January 24th during the Meeting of the Committee on Homeland Security, Justice and Public Safety, I will be introducing Bill No. 30-0047 An Act to repeal and reenact with amendments title 14, chapter 75, section 1508 of the Virgin Islands Code in order to provide a clearer definition for the crime of interfering with an officer discharging his duty. This legislation provides a clearer definition for the crime of interfering with a Peace Officer while in the process of discharging his or her duty.

Review the proposed legislation: Bill No. 30-0047

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Katie's Law

While attending a session at the NCSL Conference in Atlanta this past August, I was made aware of "Katie's Law" a Federal Law signed in January 2013 by President Obama that aims to expand DNA collection nationwide. The Federal Law creates incentives for states and U.S. territories to implement DNA collection of felons upon arrest by authorizing the Department of Justice to award grants that cover up to 100% of a state or territory's first-year cost of implementing a collection program. In June 2013 the Supreme Court ruled the collection of DNA upon arrest Constitutional.

Upon learning of this Federal Law and incentive Program, I returned from the conference and submitted legislation to amend title 5, subtitle 3, part II, chapter 345, sections 4201 and 4203 of the VI Code by permitting collection of a DNA sample from any person charged with a felony. This collection will also aid inmates who have been wrongfully convicted to have an opportunity to be exonerated. Currently, the VI Code allows for DNA collection upon conviction and sentencing which can be years after an arrest. I hope for the Amendment to come before the Committee of Public Safety, Homeland Security & Justice within the next couple of months.

Katie Sepich was raped and brutally murdered in New Mexico in August 2003. Katie's attacker's DNA was found under her fingernails, however there were no DNA matches at that time. In December of 2006, the New Mexico DNA database finally matched the unknown profile to Gabriel Avilla who had been convicted for several other crimes. If New Mexico had required a DNA sample for Avilla's felony arrest in November of 2003, investigators might have solved Katie's murder sooner and caught Avilla before he was able to roam the streets for three years.

Click to read a letter from Katie's Mother | Learn more: www.dnasaves.org

Safer Roads for St Croix

The fact that our roads are in disrepair and are riddled with dangerous potholes has not gone unnoticed. We too drive the roads on St Croix and our vehicles are affected just as are yours. As legislators, we also recognized that this creates, in many cases, a public safety hazard. Senator Nellie O'Reilly was recently made aware of a Federal Grant Program that would allow the VI to be paid in advance Federal Dollars for repairing our main highways and arteries. Both myself and Senator Hansen quickly joined her as Co-Sponsors of this legislation. Act 30-0299 is an Act that would authorize the Government of the Virgin Islands and the Department of Public Works to apply for no more than $75,000,000 in Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicles pursuant to the requirements of 23 USC section 122. The Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicles (GARVEEs) are bonds that are backed by anticipated annual Federal Highway Administration funding. Thus, this would not be a loan but an advance on monies already coming to the Territory and would allow St Croix to make significant repairs to the Melvin Evans Highway and other main arteries and Federal roads on the island.

GARVEEs were last utilized by the USVI in 2002 by St Thomas for the Enighed Pond parking Project and the Red Hook passenger Terminal.

Review the proposed legislation: Act 30-0299

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>> For a full list of legislation that I have submitted Click Here
Choose Legislature: 30 and Sponsor: Judi Buckley then click "Submit"

Initiatives

Project Triage

I have had a long history working with the VIPD as a volunter for both the Community Integration Team (CIT) and Crime Stoppers VI. During that time, I have come to know and respect many of the officers that work hard each day to keep our community safer.

When Chief Chris Howell approached me with the idea to create an organization that would not only provide St Croix officers, but officers throughout the Territory and the entire United States with life-saving Trauma Management Packs (TMPs), I immediately agreed to get on board. Our office has worked with Chief Howell to design a website that is getting the word out about this exciting project and helping to secure online donations, as well as train officers in the importance and the usage of TMPs.

Project Triage works soley on private donations in order to avoid budget constraints and red-tape and get the TMPs to officers almost immediately. Each $50 donation provides a TMP for an officer in the specific Police Department of your choice or a Department that has requested donations as they become available. To date, Chief Howell has supplied TMPs for every officer on St Croix via Project Triage private donations.

Click here to learn more about donating to Project Triage.

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A Real Crucian Welcome

My office has teamed up with Senator Sanes's office to beautify the intersection of East Airport Road. Our vision is to landscape the area, and erect a large sign that says "Welcome to St. Croix". While Home Depot, Aggregate Inc and James Benton Construction are willing to donate materials and labor, we still need a few things in order to begin this project. Please see the list below, and let us know if you can help make this project a reality! Call our office at 712-2379 or email me directly at judi@judibuckley.com if you can provide any of the needed materials. Thank you in advance!

Materials:

- 140 LF of #4 rebar

- 2 sheets of plywood to form cap or to precast

- 2 sheets of plywood and 50 LF of 2' x 4's or metal panels to form the footings

- 18 SY of plaster material

- 160 SF of primer and paint

Equipment:

- Backhoe and operator for 1 day

- Concrete pump

- Stucco Mixer

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PayPal for Small Business in the USVI

This past October I attended the CTIA Wireless U Conference in California on a scholarship. As part of the conference we toured the PayPal offices and our tour guide was the Manager of State and Government Relations. I expressed to him the challenges that USVI small businesses have faced in using both PayPal Small Business Accounts and the PayPal Here Wireless App. He shared with me that PayPal had recently been authorized for business in the USVI officially and since that time our office has been working along with PayPal to trouble-shoot their system as they come online to offer all of these services to the USVI. It is our understanding that local small businesses should be able to utilize all of these services within the next month. We continue to work with PayPal to trouble-shoot from our end and will let you know when things are working fully to offer Small Business solutions for the USVI.

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No. 1 Lagoon Street, Suite 6 | Frederiksted, VI 00840

Office: 340-712-2379 | Fax: 340-712-2340