reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 25a (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 25a. Annual assessment of utilities

 (a) As used in this section: “gross operating revenues” means the gross operating revenues of a public utility derived from intraterritorial regulated operations in the last preceding calendar year except as it relates to the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority, gross operating revenue calculations do not include fuel charges, referred to as the “LEAC” (Levelized Energy Adjustment Charge). “territorial gross operating revenues” means the aggregate sum of all of the gross operating revenues of all of the public utilities regulated by the Commission. “public utility” includes public utilities and cable television companies. (b) Each public utility shall, prior to September 30, of each year, pay a fee, as determined under subsection (c) of this section, to the Commission except that the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority shall pay a quarterly fee of the annual assessment by the utilities, consistent with the quarterly allotment to the Public Services Commission by the Office of Management and Budget. The fees shall be deposited into the Public Services Commission Revolving Fund; provided, however, that there is hereby established a ceiling of $1,800,000 for the amount of said fees to be deposited into the Fund, any excess to be covered into the General Fund. (c) The annual fee for a particular public utility shall be an amount equal to the product of the Commission's total current year assessments and the public utility's revenue ratio. The revenue ratio of a public utility shall be equal to its gross operating revenues divided by the territorial gross operating revenues. The Executive Director of the Commission shall, prior to September 1 of each year, calculate each public utility's fees under this section, and after approval by the Commission, shall notify each such public utility of the amount due. (d) The Commission shall, prior to August 1 of each year, submit a report to the Committee on Finance of the Legislature detailing the total amount of appropriations needed by the Commission for the following fiscal year.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 26 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 26. Complaints by utilities

 Any public utility may make complaint as to any matter affecting its own product or service with like effect as though made by the Commission or upon reasonable complaint as hereinbefore provided.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 27 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 27. Power to administer oaths

 Each of the members of the Commission and every agent provided for in section 19 of this title [sic] for the purposes mentioned in this section, shall have power to administer oaths, certify to official acts, issue subpoenas, compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of books, accounts, papers, records, documents, and testimony. In case of disobedience on the part of any person or persons to comply with any order of the Commission or any member thereof, or any subpoena, or on the refusal of any witness to testify to any matter regarding which he may be interrogated before the Commission or its agent authorized, it shall be the duty of the District Court of the Virgin Islands on application of a member of the Commission, to compel obedience by attachment proceedings for contempt, as in the case of disobedience of the requirements of a subpoena issued from such court or a refusal to testify therein.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 28 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 28. Depositions

 The Commission or any party may, in any investigation, cause the depositions of witnesses residing within or without the Virgin Islands to be taken in the manner prescribed by law for like depositions in civil actions in the District Court.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 29 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 29. Records of proceedings

 A full and complete record shall be kept of all proceedings had before the Commission or its agents on any formal investigation had, and all testimony shall be taken down by a stenographer appointed by the Commission, unless otherwise directed by the Commission.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 30 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 30. Transcript as evidence

 A transcribed copy of the evidence and proceedings, or any specific part thereof, in any investigation taken by a stenographer appointed by the Commission, being certified by such stenographer to be a true and correct transcript of all the testimony in the investigation or of a particular witness, or of other specific part thereof, carefully compared by him with his original notes, and to be a correct statement of the evidence and proceedings had in such investigation so purporting to be taken and transcribed, shall be received in evidence with the same effect as if such reporter were present and testified to the fact so certified.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 31 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 31. Compliance with Commission rate orders

 All public utilities to which an order of the Commission applies shall make such changes in their schedules on file as may be necessary to make the same conform to said order, and no change shall thereafter be made by any public utility in any such rates, tolls, or charges, or in any joint rate or rates, without the approval of the Commission, except as provided in section 24 of this title. Certified copies of all other orders of the Commission shall be delivered to the public utility affected thereby in like manner, and the same shall take effect within such reasonable time thereafter as the Commission shall prescribe.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 32 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 32. Changes of Commission orders

 The Commission may, at any time, upon notice to the public utility and after opportunity to be heard as provided in section 22 of this title, rescind, alter, or amend any order fixing any rate or rates, tolls, charges, or schedules, or any other order made by the Commission, and certified copies of the same shall be served and take effect as herein provided for original orders.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 33 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 33. Petitions for reconsideration

 Any public utility or any other person or corporation affected by any final order or decision of the Commission may, within thirty days after publication thereof, file with the Commission an application in writing requesting a reconsideration of the matters involved, and stating specifically the errors claimed as grounds for such reconsideration. No public utility, or other person or corporation, shall in any court urge or rely on any ground not so set forth in said application. The Commission, within thirty days after the filing of such application, shall either grant or deny it. Failure by the Commission to act upon such application within such period shall be deemed a denial thereof. If such application be granted, the Commission, after giving notice thereof to all interested parties, shall, either with or without hearing, rescind, modify, or affirm its order or decision. The filing of such an application shall act as a stay upon the execution of the order or decision of the Commission until the final action of the Commission upon the application: provided, that upon written consent of the utility such order or decision shall not be stayed unless otherwise ordered by the Commission. No appeal shall lie from any order of the Commission unless an application for reconsideration shall have been first made and determined.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 34 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 34. Appeals

 (a) The District Court of the Virgin Islands shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine any appeal from an order or decision of the Commission. Any public utility, or any other person or corporation affected by any final order or decision of the Commission, may, within sixty days after final action by the Commission upon the petition for reconsideration, file with the clerk of the District Court of the Virgin Islands, a petition of appeal setting forth the reasons for such appeal and the relief sought; at the same time such appellant shall file with the Commission notice in writing of the appeal together with a copy of the petition. Within twenty days of the receipt of such notice of appeal the Commission shall file with the clerk of the said court the record, including a transcript of all proceedings had and testimony taken before the Commission, duly certified, upon which the said order or decision of the Commission was based, together with a statement of its findings of fact and conclusions upon the said record, and a copy of the application for reconsideration and the orders entered thereon: provided, that the parties, with the consent and approval of the Commission, may stipulate in writing that only certain portions of the record be transcribed and transmitted. Within this period the Commission or any other interested party shall answer, demur, or otherwise move or plead. Thereupon the appeal shall be at issue and ready for hearing. All such proceedings shall have precedence over any civil cause of a different nature pending in said court, and the District Court shall always be deemed open for the hearings thereof. Any such appeal shall be heard upon the record before the Commission, and no new or additional evidence shall be received by the said court. The said court may require and direct the Commission to receive additional evidence upon any subject related to the issues on said appeal concerning which evidence was improperly excluded in the hearing before the Commission or upon which the record may contain no substantial evidence. Upon receipt of such requirement and direction the Commission shall receive such evidence and without unreasonable delay shall transmit to the said court the findings of fact made thereon by the Commission and the conclusions of the Commission upon the said facts. (b) Upon the conclusion of its hearing of any such appeal the court shall either dismiss the said appeal and affirm the order or decision of the Commission or sustain the appeal and vacate the Commission's order or decision. In either event the court shall accompany its order by a statement of its reasons for its action, and in the case of the vacation of an order or decision of the Commission the statement shall relate the particulars in and the extent to which such order or decision was defective.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 35 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 35. Questions on appeal

 In the determination of any appeal from an order or decision of the Commission the review by the court shall be limited to questions of law, including constitutional questions; and the findings of fact by the Commission shall be conclusive unless it shall appear that such findings of the Commission are arbitrary, capricious or procured through fraud.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 36 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 36. Orders to remain in effect

 All orders and decisions of the Commission shall remain in full effect, except as provided in section 33 of this title, unless and until they are suspended or rescinded by the Commission or are vacated by lawful order of the District Court of the Virgin Islands: provided, that if in any petition made to the said court appealing from an order or decision of the Commission it be alleged that substantial and irreparable financial or property loss would be occasioned to the petitioner by the operation of the said order pending the determination of the said appeal, the court shall set a time and place for hearing upon the said allegation after not less than three days' notice to the Commission (during which period the execution of the order or decision shall be stayed), and the said court may then, upon a clear showing of irreparable and substantial financial or property loss as alleged, suspend the effective date of the said order. No such suspension shall be for a greater period than sixty days without further order after notice or hearing by the court. In the event of the issuance of an order suspending the operation of any order of the Commission, the court may include therein such provision as it deems advisable for the preservation of records or accounts and the impounding or otherwise securing of moneys necessary to give effect to the order of the Commission in the event the said order is sustained.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 37 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 37. Immunity of witnesses

 No person shall be excused from testifying or from producing books, accounts, and papers in any proceeding based upon or growing out of any violation of the provisions of this chapter, on the ground or for the reason that the testimony or evidence, documentary or otherwise, required of him may tend to incriminate him or subject him to penalty or forfeiture; but no person having so testified shall be prosecuted or subjected to any penalty or forfeiture for or on account of any transaction, matter, or thing concerning which he may have testified or produced any documentary evidence: Provided, That no person so testifying shall be exempted from prosecution or punishment for perjury; Provided further, That the immunity hereby conferred shall extend only to a natural person who, in obedience to a subpoena gives testimony under oath or produces evidence, documentary or otherwise under oath.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 38 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 38. Penalty for refusal to supply information

 Any officer, agent, or employee of any public utility who shall fail or refuse to fill out and return any blanks, as required by this chapter, or shall fail or refuse to answer any question therein propounded, or shall knowingly or wilfully give a false answer to any such question, or shall evade the answer to any such question where the fact inquired of is within his knowledge, or who shall, upon proper demand, fail or refuse to exhibit to the Commission or any member thereof, or any person authorized to examine the same, any book, paper, account, record, or memoranda of such public utility which is in his possession or under his control, or who shall fail to properly use and keep his system of accounting, or any part thereof as prescribed by the Commission under this chapter, or who shall refuse to do any act or thing in connection with such system of accounting when so directed by the Commission or its authorized representative shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 for each offense, and when such officer, agent, or employee acted in disobedience [sic] to the direction, construction, or request of the public utility involved, said public utility in addition, shall pay a penalty of not more than $2,000 for each offense.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 39 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 39. Penalty for violations

 (a) If any public utility shall violate any provision of this chapter, or shall do any act herein prohibited, or shall fail or refuse to perform any duty enjoined upon it, or shall fail, neglect, or refuse to obey any lawful subpoena, requirement or order made by the Commission, or any judgment or decree made by any court upon its application, for every such violation, failure, or refusal, such public utility shall forfeit and pay to the Government of the Virgin Islands the sum of $100 for each such offense. In construing and enforcing the provisions of this section, the act, omission, or failure of any officer, agent, or other person acting for or employed by any public utility acting within the scope of his employment and instructions shall in every case be deemed to be the act, omission, or failure of such public utility. (b) The Attorney General of the Virgin Islands, at the request of the Public Services Commission, or its designated agent therefor, shall forthwith bring appropriate action to compel adherence to, or enjoin violations of, any lawful orders of the Commission issued pursuant to this chapter, and to recover in the name of the Government of the Virgin Islands the penalties herein provided, and the Court shall give priority to any such actions. (c) The provisions of this section shall not apply to departments or agencies of the Government of the Virgin Islands furnishing public utility services, however, this provision shall not exempt the Government of the Virgin Islands from claims made pursuant to Title 3, chapter 118 of the Code.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 40 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 40. Separate offenses

 That every day during which any public utility, or any officer, agent, or employee thereof, shall fail knowingly or wilfully to observe and comply with any order or direction of the Commission, or perform any duty enjoined by this chapter, shall constitute a separate and distinct violation of such order, or direction, or of this chapter as the case may be.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 41 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 41. Liberal interpretation

 The provisions of this chapter shall be interpreted and construed liberally in order to accomplish the purposes thereof, and where any specific power or authority is given the Commission by the provisions of this chapter the enumeration thereof shall not be held to exclude or impair any power or authority otherwise in this chapter conferred on said Commission. The Commission hereby created shall have, in addition to the powers in this chapter specified, mentioned, and indicated all additional, implied, and incidental power which may be proper and necessary to effect and carry out, perform and execute all the said powers herein specified, mentioned, and indicated. A substantial compliance with the requirements of this chapter shall be sufficient to give effect to all the rules, orders, acts, and regulations of the Commission, and they shall not be declared inoperative, illegal, or void for any omission of a technical nature in respect thereto.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 42 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 42. Existing franchises

 Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to alter or amend the terms of any contracts or franchises governing the provisions of public utility services, issued or entered into prior to January 1, 1965.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 43 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 43. New franchises

 When authorized by law, the Governor shall grant franchises, including rights of way, licenses, and easements, which may be exclusive, over public property, to a public utility doing business within the Virgin Islands.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 43a (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 43a. Acquisition or control of public utility: approval of Commission

 (a) No person or corporation, whether or not organized under the laws of the Territory, shall sell, acquire or transfer control, either directly, or indirectly of any public utility organized and doing business in this Territory, without first securing authorization from the Commission. Any such acquisition or control without prior authorization shall be void and of no effect. (b) No public utility incorporated under the laws of this Territory shall sell, nor shall any such public utility make or permit to be made upon its books any transfer of any share or shares of its capital stock, unless authorized to do so by the Commission. Nor shall any public utility incorporated under the laws of this Territory sell any share or shares of its capital stock or make or permit any transfer to be made upon its books, to any corporation, domestic or foreign, or any person, the result of which sale or transfers in itself or in connection with other previous sales or transfers shall be to vest in such corporation or person a majority in interest of the outstanding capital stock of such public utility corporation unless authorized by the Commission. (c) Where, by the proposed transfer of control, sale, assignment, contract, or agreement for assignment or transfer of capital stock, as set forth in this section, it appears that a public utility or a wholly owned subsidiary of a public utility may be unable to fulfill its obligation to any employee with respect to pension benefits previously enjoyed, whether vested or contingent, the Commission shall not grant its authorization unless the public utility, and/or the prospective stockholders thereof, seeking the Commission's authorization, assume such responsibility and provide such assurance as will be sufficient to insure that all such obligations to employees will be satisfied as they become due.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 44 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter I - Public Utilities|§ 44. Effective date

 The provisions of this chapter shall become effective July 1, 1965.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 45 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Generally|Subchapter II - Public Services Commission|§ 45. Director

 The administrative management of the duties and responsibilities of the Public Services Commission under this chapter shall be vested in a Director who shall be appointed by the Governor, upon recommendation of this Commission, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislature. The Commission is authorized, subject to the provisions of chapter 25 of Title 3 of this Code, to select, employ and recommend for appointment such officers, employees, and agents as the Commission shall deem necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter. However, the Commission shall, in accordance with the provisions of this section, recommend for employment an Assistant Executive Director for the St. Croix District.
V.I. Code tit. 30, § 61 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 30 - Public Service|Chapter 3 - Water Supply|Subchapter II - Rain Water Supply|§ 61. Scope of chapter

 The provisions of this chapter apply only in the areas described in section 62 of this title.