
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 48USC1597]

 
              TITLE 48--TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
 
                       CHAPTER 12--VIRGIN ISLANDS
 
                     SUBCHAPTER IV--EXECUTIVE BRANCH
 
Sec. 1597. Reorganization of government


(a) Consolidation of departments, bureaus, etc.; popular election of 
        school board members

    The Governor shall, within one year after July 22, 1954, reorganize 
and consolidate the existing executive departments, bureaus, independent 
boards, agencies, authorities, commissions, and other instrumentalities 
of the government of the Virgin Islands or of the municipal governments 
into not more than nine executive departments except for independent 
bodies whose existence may be required by Federal law for participation 
in Federal programs. The head of each executive department other than 
the department of law shall be designated as the commissioner thereof, 
and the commissioner of finance shall be bonded. The head of the 
department of law shall be known as the attorney general of the Virgin 
Islands. Members of school boards, which entities of government have 
been duly organized and established by the government of the Virgin 
Islands, shall be popularly elected.

(b) Changes after examination from time to time

    The Governor shall, from time to time, after complying with the 
provisions of subsection (a) of this section, examine the organization 
of the executive branch of the government of the Virgin Islands, and 
shall make such changes therein, subject to the approval of the 
legislature, not inconsistent with this chapter, as he determines are 
necessary to promote effective management and to execute faithfully the 
purposes of this chapter and the laws of the Virgin Islands.

(c) Appointment of department heads; tenure; removal; powers and duties; 
        appointments to boards, etc.

    The heads of the executive departments created by this chapter shall 
be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the 
legislature. Each shall hold office during the continuance in office of 
the Governor by whom he is appointed and until his successor is 
appointed and qualified, unless sooner removed by the Governor. Each 
shall have such powers and duties as may be prescribed by the 
legislature. The chairman and members of any board, authority, or 
commission established by the laws of the Virgin Islands shall, if the 
laws of the Virgin Islands hereafter provide, also be appointed by the 
Governor with the advice and consent of the legislature, if such board, 
authority, or commission has quasi-judicial functions: Provided, That no 
law of the Virgin Islands dealing with the chairmanship, membership, or 
chairmanship and membership of any such board, authority, or commission, 
and requiring an appointment or appointments to be made with the advice 
and consent of the legislature, shall relate to more than one such 
board, authority, or commission, nor shall it relate to any other 
legislative matter.

(July 22, 1954, ch. 558, Sec. 16, 68 Stat. 504; Pub. L. 85-224, Aug. 30, 
1957, 71 Stat. 510; Pub. L. 86-289, Sec. 3, Sept. 16, 1959, 73 Stat. 
569; Pub. L. 90-496, Sec. 8(a), Aug. 23, 1968, 82 Stat. 839.)


                               Amendments

    1968--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 90-496 substituted provisions that 
members of school boards which have been duly organized by the 
government of the Virgin Islands be popularly elected for provisions 
that required the approval of the Secretary of the Interior for the 
establishment of any new department, agency, or other instrumentality by 
the Governor or the legislature, unless such department, agency, etc., 
was required by Federal law for participation in Federal programs.
    1959--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 86-289 provided that the head of the 
department of law should be known as the attorney general of the Virgin 
Islands.
    1957--Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 85-224 provided for appointments to 
boards, authorities or commissions.


                    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.
