No Action Taken on Free Tuition Measure During USVI Senate Session
ST. THOMAS — Lawmakers who makeup the 32nd Legislature on Friday met at the Earl B. Ottley Legislative Hall for a special session called by Governor Kenneth Mapp, for potential action on a measure Mr. Mapp sent to the Legislature on September 11, that seeks to provide free college tuition for students attending the University of the Virgin Islands.
But senators, stating that the governor’s measure was preempted by Senator Tregenza Roach’s free tuition bill, which was first introduced in 2013, took no action on Mr. Mapp’s initiative, currently labeled BR 18-1229. Instead, the senators deliberated the measure for about two hours before Senate President Myron Jackson said it would be assigned to the Committees on Education and Finance for further discussion.
Testimony from UVI President David Hall, which included an urgent plea for immediate action, was not enough to sway lawmakers.
“The Workforce Development Scholarship Bill seeks to take effect for the Fall of 2019 and has a deadline of February 1 for applications. That may seem like a long way off and the Legislature may feel that there is no urgency to act now. However, many high school seniors are already making decisions about where they plan to apply for college,” Mr. Hall said in his testimony. “Those who left the territory because of the hurricanes are also making choices as we speak. We need this policy enacted so it can serve as an incentive for students to come back home and to stay in the territory for higher education. In addition, the University needs time to effectively market and promote the policy so that it can achieve its intended outcomes. We also must have time to put in place an administrative structure to ensure that the program is administered properly and consistent with the law passed by this legislative body. Therefore, I urge you to approve this bill or a similar policy today.”
Read more: https://viconsortium.com/education/no-action-taken-on-free-tuition-measure-during-senate-session/
