Terms of office on the territory’s two horse racing commissions will increase from three years to four, and October will be designated as V.I. Disability History Month, if bills sent on to the Senate floor Wednesday are enacted into law.

Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen said Bill 30-0260, which she sponsored along with Sens. Shawn-Michael Malone and Tregenza Roach, was requested by the horse racing industry and would help the racing commissions function by having members’ terms expire less frequently.

The change would apply to new members and new terms in office, but would not extend the ongoing terms of members.

When the bill was considered in the Culture, Historic Preservation, Youth and Recreation Committee in May, the chairmen of both horse racing commissions testified in support of the measure, but also urged the senators to fund the two commissions.

In May, St. Croix Racing Commission Chairman Wayne Biggs said the commission is in favor of the bill, but also wants more funding "similar to other regulatory boards and commissions in the Virgin Islands."

Voting to send the bill out of the Rules and Judiciary Committee on to the floor for a final vote were Sens. Janette Millin Young, Myron Jackson, Donald Cole and Sammuel Sanes. Absent were Malone, Sens. Kenneth Gittens and Diane Capehart.

The Rules Committee also sent on Bill 30-0206, sponsored by Sanes, designating October to be V.I. Disability History Month. If enacted into law, the territory’s public schools would be directed to have educational activities concerning disability history and people with disabilities during October.

Voting to send the Disability History Month bill out of the Rules and Judiciary Committee on to the floor for a final vote were Malone, Young, Jackson, Cole and Sanes. Absent were Gittens and Capehart.

Senators held for amendment a bill sponsored by Sen. Nereida "Nellie" Rivera-O’Reilly that would make settlement claims and settlement agreements public record. If enacted, Bill 30-0257 would mean the government could generally not enter into nondisclosure agreements as part of settlements with people with claims against the government or government officials.

Introducing the bill, Rivera-O’Reilly said it began as a result of the government’s dispute with Southland Gaming over $20 million in gross receipts tax revenues. (See Related Links below) O’Reilly said the court determined the case was not yet "ripe" for trial and a settlement was reached. "And up to this day, we do not know how much Southland paid or if they paid and where the money went," she said.

The bill contains exceptions for social security numbers, medical information, trade secrets and unpublished scientific work.

Attorney General Vincent Frazer testified against the bill, saying he supported its intention but urged amendments to allow more flexibility. Because individuals and companies settling a claim with the V.I. government sometimes very much want nondisclosure, Frazer said, the Department of Justice can get monetary concessions in exchange for nondisclosure.

Asked about the Southland Gaming settlement, Frazer said there is a confidentiality agreement "but the agreement has a clause so a procedure is begun once there is a request (for the information) and there has not been a formal request."

Rivera-O’Reilly said her office had asked how much the settlement was previously and that she would have her staff make a formal request for the amount and terms of the settlement right away.

The committee voted to hold the bill until additional amendments are drafted.

Voting to hold the settlement bill for amendment were Malone, Young, Jackson, Cole and Sanes. Absent were Gittens and Capehart.