dreamproit/uscode huggingface dataset:
48 U.S.C. § 1542 (TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS)
§ 1542. Voting franchise; discrimination prohibited
(a) The franchise shall be vested in residents of the Virgin Islands who are citizens of the United States, twenty-one years of age or over. Additional qualifications may be prescribed by the legislature: Provided, however, That no property, language, or income qualification shall ever be imposed upon or required of any voter, nor shall any discrimination in qualification be made or based upon difference in race, color, sex, or religious belief.
(b) The legislature shall have authority to enact legislation establishing the voting age for residents of the Virgin Islands at an age not lower than eighteen years of age, if a majority of the qualified voters in the Virgin Islands approve in a referendum election held for that purpose.
(July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 4, 68 Stat. 498; Pub. L. 91–460, Oct. 16, 1970, 84 Stat. 978.)
heading: Amendments
text: 1970—Pub. L. 91–460 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).
48 U.S.C. § 1543 (TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS)
§ 1543. United States citizenship requirement for government officials
All members of the Legislature of the Virgin Islands, the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, all judges and all officials of the government of the Virgin Islands who report directly to the Governor shall be citizens of the United States.
(July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 29, 68 Stat. 509; Pub. L. 98–213, § 5(a), Dec. 8, 1983, 97 Stat. 1460.)
heading: Amendments
text: 1983—Pub. L. 98–213 amended section generally, substituting provisions requiring United States citizenship for all members of the Legislature of the Virgin Islands, the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and all officials who report directly to the Governor for provisions requiring such citizenship for all officers of the Virgin Islands, and struck out provisions requiring written oaths and prescribing the oath.
48 U.S.C. § 1544 (TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS)
§ 1544. Reports by Governor; jurisdiction of Secretary of the Interior; exceptions
All reports required by law to be made by the Governor to any official of the United States shall hereafter be made to the Secretary of the Interior, and the President is authorized to place all matters pertaining to the government of the Virgin Islands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior, except matters relating to the judicial branch of said government which on July 22, 1954 are under the supervision of the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, and the matters relating to the United States Attorney and the United States Marshal which on July 22, 1954 are under the supervision of the Attorney General.
(July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 30, 68 Stat. 509.)
48 U.S.C. § 1545 (TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS)
§ 1545. Lease and sale of public property; conveyance of title in certain lands to the government of Virgin Islands
(a) The Secretary of the Interior shall be authorized to lease or to sell upon such terms as he may deem advantageous to the Government of the United States any property of the United States under his administrative supervision in the Virgin Islands not needed for public purposes.
(b)
(1) All right, title, and interest of the United States in the property placed under the control of the government of the Virgin Islands by section 1405c(a) of this title, not reserved to the United States by the Secretary of the Interior within one hundred and twenty days after October 5, 1974, is hereby conveyed to such government. The conveyance effected by the preceding sentence shall not apply to that land and other property which on October 5, 1974, is administered by the Secretary of the Interior as part of the National Park System and such lands and other property shall be retained by the United States.
(2) Subject to valid existing rights, title to all property in the Virgin Islands which may have been acquired by the United States from Denmark under the Convention entered into August 16, 1916, not reserved or retained by the United States in accordance with the provisions of Public Law 93–435 (88 Stat. 1210) is hereby transferred to the Virgin Islands government.
(July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 31, 68 Stat. 510; Pub. L. 93–435, § 3, Oct. 5, 1974, 88 Stat. 1211; Pub. L. 96–205, title IV, § 401(a), Mar. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 88.)
heading: References in Text
text: Public Law 93–435 (88 Stat. 1210), referred to in subsec. (b)(2), is Pub. L. 93–435, Oct. 5, 1974, 88 Stat. 1210, as amended, which enacted sections 1705 to 1708 of this title, amended this section, and repealed sections 1701 to 1703 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.
heading: Amendments
text: 1980—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–205 designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).
1974—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 93–435 substituted provisions conveying to the government of Virgin Islands title in lands now under its control with power to the Secretary of the Interior to reserve rights to the United States within 120 days after Oct. 5, 1974, with the exception of land and property being administered by the Secretary of the Interior as part of the National Park System, for provisions that the government of Virgin Islands shall continue to have control over all public property under its control on July 22, 1954.
heading: Submerged Lands, Conveyance to Territory
text: Conveyance of submerged lands to the government of the Virgin Islands, see section 1701 et seq. of this title.
48 U.S.C. § 1571 (TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS)
§ 1571. Legislature
(a) Designation and unicameral character
The legislative power and authority of the Virgin Islands shall be vested in a legislature, consisting of one house, to be designated the “Legislature of the Virgin Islands”, herein referred to as the legislature.
(b) Composition; legislative districts; method of elections
The legislature shall be composed of members to be known as senators. The number of such senators shall be determined by the laws of the Virgin Islands. The apportionment of the legislature shall be as provided by the laws of the Virgin Islands: Provided, That such apportionment shall not deny to any person in the Virgin Islands the equal protection of the law: And provided further, That every voter in any district election or at large election shall be permitted to vote for the whole number of persons to be elected in that district election or at large election as the case may be. Until the legislature shall provide otherwise, four members shall be elected at large, five shall be elected from the District of Saint Thomas, five from the District of Saint Croix, and one from the District of Saint John, as those Districts were constituted on July 22, 1954,
(July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 5, 68 Stat. 498; Pub. L. 89–548, § 1, Aug. 30, 1966, 80 Stat. 371; Pub. L. 106–364, § 1, Oct. 27, 2000, 114 Stat. 1408.)
heading: Amendments
text: 2000—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 106–364 struck out “fifteen” after “composed of” in first sentence and inserted “The number of such senators shall be determined by the laws of the Virgin Islands.” after first sentence.
1966—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 89–548 raised from eleven to fifteen the total number of senators in the legislature, substituted provision that the legislature be apportioned according to the laws of the Virgin Islands for provisions spelling out the division of the Virgin Islands into districts, the composition of each such district, and the district and at-large representation breakdown of the senators in the legislature, struck out provision for the casting of a ballot for two candidates by each elector in at-large elections and the drawing of lots to determine placement on the ballot in at-large elections, prohibited apportionment in a way which would deny equal protection of the law, and provided for temporary apportionment until the legislature provided otherwise from the districts as constituted on July 22, 1954.
heading: Effective Date of 1966 Amendment
text: Pub. L. 89–548, § 2, Aug. 30, 1966, 80 Stat. 371, provided that: “This Act [amending this section] shall be effective with respect to the legislature to be elected at the regular general election in November 1966, and thereafter.”
48 U.S.C. § 1573 (TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS)
§ 1573. Time, frequency, and duration of regular sessions; special sessions; place of holding
(a) Regular sessions of the legislature shall be held annually, commencing on the second Monday in January (unless the legislature shall by law fix a different date), and shall continue for such term as the legislature may provide. The Governor may call special sessions of the legislature at any time when in his opinion the public interest may require it. No legislation shall be considered at any special session other than that specified in the call therefor or in any special message by the Governor to the legislature while in such session. All sessions of the legislature shall be open to the public.
(b) Sessions of the legislature shall be held in the capital of the Virgin Islands at Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas.
(July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 7, 68 Stat. 500; Pub. L. 86–289, § 2(c), Sept. 16, 1959, 73 Stat. 569; Pub. L. 90–496, § 1, Aug. 23, 1968, 82 Stat. 837.)
heading: Amendments
text: 1968—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 90–496 substituted provisions that regular sessions of the legislature shall continue for such term as the legislature may provide for provisions that regular sessions shall continue for not more than sixty consecutive calendar days in any calendar year, with the proviso that the regular annual session for 1959, 1960, and 1961 shall commence on the second Monday in April and shall continue for not more than sixty consecutive calendar days, struck out provisions that any special session called by the Governor shall continue for not more than fifteen calendar days, with the aggregate of any such special sessions during any calendar year not to exceed thirty calendar days, and inserted provision opening to the public all sessions of the legislature.
1959—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 86–289 substituted “January (unless the legislature shall by law fix a different date)” for “April” and “regular annual session for each of the years 1959, 1960, and 1961, respectively, shall commence on the second Monday in April” for “annual session for 1955 shall commence on the second Monday in January 1955”.
heading: Effective Date of 1968 Amendment
text: Pub. L. 90–496, § 1, Aug. 23, 1968, 82 Stat. 837, provided that the amendment made by that section is effective on date of enactment of Pub. L. 90–496, which was approved Aug. 23, 1968.
48 U.S.C. § 1574c (TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS)
§ 1574c. Priority for payment of principal and interest of revenue bonds or other obligations
Each issue of bonds or other obligations issued under subsection (a) of section 1574a of this title shall have a parity lien with every other issue of bonds or other obligations issued for payment of principal and interest out of revenues received under section 7652(b)(3) of title 26, except that issues guaranteed under section 1574b of this title shall have priority, according to the date of issue, over issues not so guaranteed and the revenues received under section 7652(b)(3) of title 26 shall be pledged for the payment of such bonds or other obligations.
(Pub. L. 94–392, § 3, Aug. 19, 1976, 90 Stat. 1195; Pub. L. 105–83, title I, § 124(a), Nov. 14, 1997, 111 Stat. 1567.)
heading: Codification
text: “Section 7652(b)(3) of title 26” substituted in text for “section 28(b) of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands [68 Stat. 508]”, which was classified to section 3350(c) of former Title 26, Internal Revenue Code, on authority of section 7852(b) of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code, which provided that any reference in any other law to a provision of the Internal Revenue Code of 1939 be deemed a reference to the corresponding provision of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
Section was not enacted as part of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands which comprises this chapter.
heading: Amendments
text: 1997—Pub. L. 105–83 substituted “a parity lien with every other issue of bonds or other obligations issued for payment” for “priority for payment” and struck out “in the order of the date of issue” before “, except that”.
heading: Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
text: Pub. L. 105–83, title I, § 124(b), Nov. 14, 1997, 111 Stat. 1567, provided that: “The amendments made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply to obligations issued on or after the date of enactment of this section [Nov. 14, 1997].”
48 U.S.C. § 1574d (TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS)
§ 1574d. Repealed. Pub. L. 97–357, title III, § 308(g), Oct. 19, 1982, 96 Stat. 1710
text: Section, Pub. L. 94–392, § 4, Aug. 19, 1976, 90 Stat. 1195, related to grants to government of Virgin Islands for operation of such government and limitation on amount of such grants.
48 U.S.C. § 1576 (TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS)
§ 1576. General elections; time; transfer of Council functions, property, etc.
The next general election in the Virgin Islands shall be held on November 2, 1954. At such time there shall be chosen the entire membership of the legislature as herein provided. Thereafter the general elections shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, beginning with the year 1956, and every two years thereafter. The Municipal Council of Saint Thomas and Saint John, and the Municipal Council of Saint Croix, existing on July 22, 1954, shall continue to function until January 10, 1955, at which time all of the functions, property, personnel, records, and unexpended balances of appropriations and funds of the governments of the municipality of Saint Thomas and Saint John and the municipality of Saint Croix shall be transferred to the government of the Virgin Islands.
(July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 10, 68 Stat. 502.)
48 U.S.C. § 1592 (TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS)
§ 1592. Repealed. Pub. L. 89–554, § 8(a), Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 657
text: Section, act July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 20(a), 68 Stat. 505, prescribed compensation of Governor.
heading: Codification
text: Section 20 of act July 22, 1954, was amended in its entirety by section 10 of Pub. L. 90–496, Aug. 23, 1968, 82 Stat. 841, which consolidated the text of said section 20 into a single unlettered paragraph, classified to section 1641 of this title. Prior to the 1968 amendment said section 20 was comprised of subsecs. (a) to (c). Subsec. (a) was classified to this section, and subsecs. (b) and (c) were classified to sections 1598 and 1641, respectively, of this title.
48 U.S.C. § 1594 (TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS)
§ 1594. Repealed. Pub. L. 90–496, § 6, Aug. 23, 1968, 82 Stat. 839
text: Section, act July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 13, 68 Stat. 503, authorized the Governor to appoint an administrative assistant to reside in St. Croix and an administrative assistant to reside in St. John.
heading: Effective Date of Repeal
text: Pub. L. 90–496, § 6, Aug. 23, 1968, 82 Stat. 839, provided in part that the repeal of this section is effective on the date of enactment of Pub. L. 90–496, which was approved Aug. 23, 1968.
48 U.S.C. § 1596 (TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS)
§ 1596. Repealed. Pub. L. 104–186, title II, § 224(3), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1752
text: Section, act July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 15, as added May 27, 1975, Pub. L. 94–26, § 2, 89 Stat. 94, related to clerk hire allowance and reimbursement for transportation expenses of the Delegate from the Virgin Islands to the House of Representatives.
48 U.S.C. § 1598 (TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS)
§ 1598. Omitted
heading: Codification
text: Section, act July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 20(b), 68 Stat. 505, which related to compensation of the Government Secretary, department heads, and staffs of the Governor and Government Secretary, was superseded by section 10 of Pub. L. 90–496, Aug. 23, 1968, 82 Stat. 841, which amended section 1641 of this title. See Codification note set out under section 1641 of this title.
48 U.S.C. § 1599 (TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS)
§ 1599. Transfer of functions from government comptroller for Virgin Islands to Inspector General, Department of the Interior
(a) Functions, powers, and duties transferred
The following functions, powers, and duties heretofore vested in the government comptroller for the Virgin Islands are hereby transferred to the Inspector General, Department of the Interior, for the purpose of establishing an organization which will maintain a satisfactory level of independent audit oversight of the government of the Virgin Islands:
(1) The authority to audit all accounts pertaining to the revenue and receipts of the government of the Virgin Islands, and of funds derived from bond issues, and the authority to audit, in accordance with law and administrative regulations, all expenditures of funds and property pertaining to the government of the Virgin Islands including those pertaining to trust funds held by the government of the Virgin Islands.
(2) The authority to report to the Secretary of the Interior and the Governor of the Virgin Islands all failures to collect amounts due the government, and expenditures of funds or uses of property which are irregular or not pursuant to law.
(b) Scope of authority transferred
The authority granted in paragraph (a) of this section shall extend to all activities of the government of the Virgin Islands, and shall be in addition to the authority conferred upon the Inspector General by the Inspector General Act of 1978 (92 Stat. 1101), as amended.
(c) Transfer of personnel, assets, etc., of office of government comptroller for Virgin Islands to Office of Inspector General, Department of the Interior
In order to carry out the provisions of this section, the personnel, assets, liabilities, contracts, property, records, and unexpended balances of appropriations, authorizations, allocations, and other funds employed, held, used, arising from, available or to be made available, of the office of the government comptroller for the Virgin Islands related to its audit function are hereby transferred to the Office of Inspector General, Department of the Interior.
(July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 17, as added Pub. L. 97–357, title III, § 309(b), Oct. 19, 1982, 96 Stat. 1710.)
heading: References in Text
text: The Inspector General Act of 1978, referred to in subsec. (b), is Pub. L. 95–452, Oct. 12, 1978, 92 Stat. 1101, as amended, which is set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
heading: Prior Provisions
text: A prior section 1599, acts July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 17, 68 Stat. 505; Aug. 28, 1958, Pub. L. 85–851, §§ 4, 5, 72 Stat. 1094, 1095; Mar. 20, 1962, Pub. L. 87–421, 76 Stat. 43; Aug. 23, 1968, Pub. L. 90–496, § 9, 82 Stat. 840; Oct. 15, 1977, Pub. L. 95–134, title III, § 301(a), 91 Stat. 1162, related to appointment, status, and duties of the government comptroller for the Virgin Islands, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 97–357, § 309(b).
48 U.S.C. § 1611 (TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS)
§ 1611. District Court of Virgin Islands; local courts; jurisdiction; practice and procedure
(a) District Court of Virgin Islands; local courts
The judicial power of the Virgin Islands shall be vested in a court of record designated the “District Court of the Virgin Islands” established by Congress, and in such appellate court and lower local courts as may have been or may hereafter be established by local law.
(b) Jurisdiction
The legislature of the Virgin Islands may vest in the courts of the Virgin Islands established by local law jurisdiction over all causes in the Virgin Islands over which any court established by the Constitution and laws of the United States does not have exclusive jurisdiction. Such jurisdiction shall be subject to the concurrent jurisdiction conferred on the District Court of the Virgin Islands by section 1612(a) and (c) of this title.
(c) Practice and procedure
The rules governing the practice and procedure of the courts established by local law and those prescribing the qualifications and duties of the judges and officers thereof, oaths and bonds, and the times and places of holding court shall be governed by local law or the rules promulgated by those courts.
(July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 21, 68 Stat. 506; Pub. L. 98–454, title VII, § 702, Oct. 5, 1984, 98 Stat. 1737.)
heading: Amendments
text: 1984—Pub. L. 98–454 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted “established by Congress” before “and in such” and substituted “appellate court and lower local courts as may have been or may hereafter be established by local law” for “court or courts of inferior jurisdiction as have been or may hereafter be established by local law”, and added subsecs. (b) and (c).
heading: Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
text: Amendment by Pub. L. 98–454 effective on ninetieth day following Oct. 5, 1984, see section 1005 of Pub. L. 98–454, set out as a note under section 1424 of this title.
48 U.S.C. § 1613 (TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS)
§ 1613. Relations between courts of United States and courts of Virgin Islands; review by United States Court of Appeals for Third Circuit; reports to Congress; rules
The relations between the courts established by the Constitution or laws of the United States and the courts established by local law with respect to appeals, certiorari, removal of causes, the issuance of writs of habeas corpus, and other matters or proceedings shall be governed by the laws of the United States pertaining to the relations between the courts of the United States, including the Supreme Court of the United States, and the courts of the several States in such matters and proceedings.
(July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 23, 68 Stat. 506; Pub. L. 98–454, title VII, § 704, Oct. 5, 1984, 98 Stat. 1739; Pub. L. 103–437, § 17(a)(4), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4595; Pub. L. 112–226, § 1, Dec. 28, 2012, 126 Stat. 1606.)
heading: Amendments
text: 2012—Pub. L. 112–226 substituted a period for “: Provided, That for the first fifteen years following the establishment of the appellate court authorized by section 1611(a) of this title, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit shall have jurisdiction to review by writ of certiorari all final decisions of the highest court of the Virgin Islands from which a decision could be had. The Judicial Council of the Third Circuit shall submit reports to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives at intervals of five years following the establishment of such appellate court as to whether it has developed sufficient institutional traditions to justify direct review by the Supreme Court of the United States from all such final decisions. The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit shall have jurisdiction to promulgate rules necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.” at end.
1994—Pub. L. 103–437 substituted “Natural Resources” for “Interior and Insular Affairs” before “of the House”.
1984—Pub. L. 98–454 amended section generally, substituting provisions relating to the relations between local law courts and already established courts under the Constitution or laws of the United States with respect to appeals, certiorari, etc. and providing that the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit shall have jurisdiction to review all final decisions from the highest court of the Virgin Islands for fifteen years after the appellate court is established for former provisions relating to the jurisdiction of inferior courts, transfer of actions, status as committing court, bail and rules.
heading: Effective Date of 2012 Amendment
text: Amendment by Pub. L. 112–226 applicable to cases commenced on or after Dec. 28, 2012, see section 3 of Pub. L. 112–226, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1260 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.
heading: Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
text: Amendment by Pub. L. 98–454 effective on ninetieth day following Oct. 5, 1984, see section 1005 of Pub. L. 98–454, set out as a note under section 1424 of this title.