,,ib ,union ,calendar ,no4 #gh #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #he ,report ,no4 #aac-aaj ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #c1 #bjac ,mrs4 ,christensen introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources ,june #ag1 #bjac ,committed to the ,committee of the ,whole ,house on the ,state of the ,union and ordered to be printed ,a ,,bill ,to create the ,office of ,chief ,financial ,officer of the ,government of the ,virgin ,islands1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,chief financial officer of the virgin islands 7a7 ,appointment of chief financial officer 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,governor of the ,virgin ,islands shall appoint a ,chief ,financial ,officer1 with the advice and consent of the ,legislature of the ,virgin ,islands1 from the names on the list required under section #b7;d74 ,if the ,governor has nominated a person for ,chief ,financial ,officer but the ,legislature of the ,virgin ,islands has not confirmed a nominee within #ij days after receiving the list pursuant to section #b7;d71 the ,governor shall appoint from such list a ,chief ,financial ,officer on an acting basis until the ,legislature consents to a ,chief ,financial ,officer4 7#b7 ,acting chief financial officer ,if a ,chief ,financial ,officer has not been appointed under paragraph 7#a7 within #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,virgin ,islands ,chief ,financial ,officer ,search ,commission1 by majority vote1 shall appoint from the names on the list submitted under section #b7;d71 an ,acting ,chief ,financial ,officer to serve in that capacity until a ,chief ,financial ,officer is appointed under the first sentence of paragraph 7#a74 ,in either case1 if the ,acting ,chief ,financial ,officer serves in an acting capacity for #ahj consecutive days1 without further action the ,acting ,chief ,financial ,officer shall become the ,chief ,financial ,officer4 7b7 ,duties of chief financial officer ,the duties of the ,chief ,financial ,officer shall include the following3 7#a7 ,develop and report on the financial status of the ,government of the ,virgin ,islands not later than #f months after appointment and quarterly thereafter4 ,such reports shall be available to the public4 7#b7 ,each year prepare and certify spending limits of the annual budget1 including annual estimates of all revenues of the territory without regard to sources1 and whether or not the annual budget is balanced4 7#c7 ,revise and update standards for financial management1 including inventory and contracting1 for the ,government of the ,virgin ,islands in general and for each agency in conjunction with the agency head4 7c7 ,documents provided ,the heads of each department of the ,government of the ,virgin ,islands1 in particular the head of the ,department of ,finance of the ,virgin ,islands and the head of the ,internal ,revenue ,bureau of the ,virgin ,islands shall provide all documents and information under the jurisdiction of that head that the ,chief ,financial ,officer considers required to carry out his or her functions to the ,chief ,financial ,officer4 7d7 ,conditions related to chief financial officer 7#a7 ,term ,the ,chief ,financial ,officer shall be appointed for a term of #e years4 7#b7 ,removal ,the ,chief ,financial ,officer shall not be removed except for cause4 ,an ,acting ,chief ,financial ,officer may be removed for cause or by a ,chief ,financial ,officer appointed with the advice and consent of the ,legislature of the ,virgin ,islands4 7#c7 ,replacement ,if the ,chief ,financial ,officer is unable to continue acting in that capacity due to removal1 illness1 death1 or otherwise1 another ,chief ,financial ,officer shall be selected in accordance with subsection 7a74 7#d7 ,salary ,the ,chief ,financial ,officer shall be paid at a salary to be determined by the ,governor of the ,virgin ,islands1 except such rate may not be less than the highest rate of pay for a cabinet officer of the ,government of the ,virgin ,islands or a ,chief ,financial ,officer serving in any government or semiautonomous agency4 7e7 ,referendum ,as part of the closest regularly scheduled1 islands-wide election in the ,virgin ,islands to the expiration of the fourth year of the five-year term of the ,chief ,financial ,officer1 the ,board of ,elections of the ,virgin ,islands shall hold a referendum to seek the approval of the people of the ,virgin ,islands regarding whether the position of ,chief ,financial ,officer of the ,government of the ,virgin ,islands shall be made a permanent part of the executive branch of the ,government of the ,virgin ,islands4 ,the referendum shall be binding and conducted according to the laws of the ,virgin ,islands1 except that the results shall be determined by a majority of the ballots cast4 #b4 ,establishment of commission 7a7 ,establishment ,there is established a commission to be known as the ,virgin ,islands ,chief ,financial ,officer ,search ,commission4 7b7 ,duty of commission ,the ,commission shall recommend to the ,governor not less than #c candidates for nomination as ,chief ,financial ,officer of the ,virgin ,islands4 ,each candidate must have demonstrated ability in general management of1 knowledge of1 and extensive practical experience at the highest levels of financial management in governmental or business entities and must have experience in the development1 implementation1 and operation of financial management systems4 7c7 ,membership 7#a7 ,number and appointment ,the ,commission shall be composed of #h members appointed not later than #cj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act4 ,persons appointed as members must have recognized business1 government1 or financial expertise and experience and shall be appointed as follows3 7,a7 #a individual appointed by the ,governor of the ,virgin ,islands4 7,b7 #a individual appointed by the ,president of the ,legislature of the ,virgin ,islands4 7,c7 #a individual1 who is an employee of the ,government of the ,virgin ,islands1 appointed by the ,central ,labor ,council of the ,virgin ,islands4 7,d7 #a individual appointed by the ,chamber of ,commerce of ,st4 ,thomas-,st4 ,john4 7,e7 #a individual appointed by the ,chamber of ,commerce of ,st4 ,croix4 7,f7 #a individual appointed by the ,president of the ,university of the ,virgin ,islands4 7,g7 #a individual1 who is a resident of ,st4 ,john1 appointed by the ,at-,large ,member of the ,legislature of the ,virgin ,islands4 7,h7 #a individual appointed by the ,president of ,,aarp ,virgin islands4 7#b7 ,terms 7,a7 ,in general ,each member shall be appointed for the life of the ,commission4 7,b7 ,vacancies ,a vacancy in the ,commission shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made4 ,any member appointed to fill a vacancy shall be appointed for the remainder of that term4 7#c7 ,basic pay ,members shall serve without pay4 7#d7 ,quorum ,five members of the ,commission shall constitute a quorum4 7#e7 ,chairperson ,the ,chairperson of the ,commission shall be the ,chief ,justice of the ,supreme ,court of the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands or the designee of the ,chief ,justice4 ,the ,chairperson shall serve as an ex officio member of the ,commission and shall vote only in the case of a tie4 7#f7 ,meetings ,the ,commission shall meet at the call of the ,chairperson4 ,the ,commission shall meet for the first time not later than #ae days after all members have been appointed under this subsection4 7#g7 ,government employment ,members may not be current government employees1 except for the member appointed under paragraph 7#a77;,c74 7d7 ,report2 recommendations ,the ,commission shall transmit a report to the ,governor1 the ,committee on ,natural ,resources of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources of the ,senate not later than #fj days after its first meeting4 ,the report shall name the ,commission's recommendations for candidates for nomination as ,chief ,financial ,officer of the ,virgin ,islands4 7e7 ,termination ,the ,commission shall terminate upon the nomination and confirmation of the ,chief ,financial ,officer4 #c4 ,definitions ,for the purposes of this ,act1 the following definitions apply3 7#a7 ,chief financial officer ,in sections #a and #b1 the term ,chief ,financial ,officer means a ,chief ,financial ,officer or ,acting ,chief ,financial ,officer1 as the case may be1 appointed under section #a7;a74 7#b7 ,commission ,the term ,commission means the ,virgin ,islands ,chief ,financial ,officer ,search ,commission established pursuant to section #b4 7#c7 ,governor ,the term ,governor means the ,governor of the ,virgin ,islands4 7#d7 ,removal for cause ,the term removal for cause means removal based upon misconduct1 failure to meet job requirements1 or any grounds that a reasonable person would find grounds for discharge4 ,june #ag1 #bjac ,committed to the ,committee of the ,whole ,house on the ,state of the ,union and ordered to be printed