
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 48USC1595]

 
              TITLE 48--TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
 
                       CHAPTER 12--VIRGIN ISLANDS
 
                     SUBCHAPTER IV--EXECUTIVE BRANCH
 
Sec. 1595. Vacancy in office of Governor or Lieutenant Governor


(a) Temporary disability or temporary absence of Governor

    In case of the temporary disability or temporary absence of the 
Governor, the Lieutenant Governor shall have the powers of the Governor.

(b) Permanent vacancy in office of Governor; Lieutenant Governor as 
        Governor; term of office

    In case of a permanent vacancy in the office of Governor, arising by 
reason of the death, resignation, removal by recall or permanent 
disability of the Governor, or the death, resignation, or permanent 
disability of a Governor-elect, or for any other reason, the Lieutenant 
Governor or Lieutenant Governor-elect shall become the Governor, to hold 
office for the unexpired term and until he or his successor shall have 
been duly elected and qualified at the next regular election for 
Governor.

(c) Temporary disability or temporary absence of Lieutenant Governor; 
        president of legislature as Lieutenant Governor

    In case of the temporary disability or temporary absence of the 
Lieutenant Governor, or during any period when the Lieutenant Governor 
is acting as Governor, the president of the legislature shall act as 
Lieutenant Governor.

(d) Permanent vacancy in office of Lieutenant Governor; Governor to 
        appoint new Lieutenant Governor with advice and consent of 
        legislature; term of office

    In case of a permanent vacancy in the office of Lieutenant Governor, 
arising by reason of the death, resignation, or permanent disability of 
the Lieutenant Governor, or because the Lieutenant Governor or 
Lieutenant Governor-elect has succeeded to the office of Governor, the 
Governor shall appoint a new Lieutenant Governor, with the advice and 
consent of the legislature, to hold office for the unexpired term and 
until he or his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified at 
the next regular election for Lieutenant Governor.

(e) Temporary disability or temporary absence of Governor and Lieutenant 
        Governor; appointment of Acting Governor; permanent vacancies in 
        offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor; appointment of 
        Governor

    In case of the temporary disability or temporary absence of both the 
Governor and the Lieutenant Governor, the powers of the Governor shall 
be exercised, as Acting Governor, by such person as the laws of the 
Virgin Islands may prescribe. In case of a permanent vacancy in the 
offices of both the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, the office of 
Governor shall be filled for the unexpired term in the manner prescribed 
by the laws of the Virgin Islands.

(f) Additional compensation

    No additional compensation shall be paid to any person acting as 
Governor or Lieutenant Governor who does not also assume the office of 
Governor or Lieutenant Governor under the provisions of this chapter.

(July 22, 1954, ch. 558, Sec. 14, 68 Stat. 504; Pub. L. 90-496, 
Sec. 7(a), Aug. 23, 1968, 82 Stat. 839.)


                               Amendments

    1968--Pub. L. 90-496 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), 
substituted provisions that in case of the temporary disability or 
temporary absence of the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor shall have 
the powers of the Governor for provisions that in case of a vacancy in 
the office of Governor or the disability of the Governor or the 
temporary absence of the Governor, the Government Secretary shall have 
all the powers of the Governor, and added subsecs. (b) to (f).


                    Effective Date of 1968 Amendment

    Amendment of provisions of section necessary to authorize the 
holding of an election for Governor and Lieutenant Governor on Nov. 3, 
1970, effective Jan. 1, 1970, and all other amendments of provisions of 
section, unless otherwise expressly provided by Pub. L. 90-496, 
effective Jan. 4, 1971, see section 16 of Pub. L. 90-496, set out as a 
note under section 1591 of this title.
