
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document affected by Public Law 106-364 Section 1]
[CITE: 48USC1571]

 
              TITLE 48--TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
 
                       CHAPTER 12--VIRGIN ISLANDS
 
                   SUBCHAPTER III--LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
 
Sec. 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 fifteen members to be known as 
senators. 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, Sec. 5, 68 Stat. 498; Pub. L. 89-548, Sec. 1, 
Aug. 30, 1966, 80 Stat. 371.)


                               Amendments

    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.


                    Effective Date of 1966 Amendment

    Section 2 of Pub. L. 89-548 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.''
