2019 US Virgin Islands Code
Title 2 - Legislature
Chapter 2 - Executive Budget
§ 26. Program execution

(a) Except as limited by policy decisions of the Governor, appropriations by the Legislature, and other provisions of law, the several departments and agencies of the Government shall have full authority for administering their program service assignments and shall be responsible for their proper management.

(b) Each department and agency, other than the Legislature and the courts, shall prepare an annual plan for the operation of each of its assigned programs except for programs that are exempted from this requirement by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. The operations plan shall be prepared in the form and content to be transmitted on the date prescribed by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

(c) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall:

• (1) Review such operations plan to determine that it is consistent with the policy decisions of the Governor and appropriations by the Legislature, that it reflects proper planning and efficient management methods, that appropriations have been made for the planned purpose and will not be exhausted before the end of the fiscal year.

• (2) Approve the operations plan if satisfied that it meets the requirements under paragraph (1). Otherwise the Director of the Budget shall require revision of the operations plan in whole or in part.

• (3) Modify or withhold the planned expenditures at any time during the appropriation period if the Director of the Budget finds that such expenditures are greater than those necessary to execute the programs at the level authorized by the Governor and the Legislature, or that the receipts and surpluses will be insufficient to meet the authorized expenditure levels.

(d) Appropriation transfers or changes as between objects of expenditures within a program may be made by the head of a department or agency.

(e) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall report quarterly to the Governor and the Legislature on the operations of each department and agency, relating actual accomplishments to those planned, and modifying, if necessary, the operations plan of any department or agency for the balance of the fiscal year.

(f) Notwithstanding subsection (c) of this section, 100% of any appropriation made with respect to the Virgin Islands Board of Education or any scholarship, academic award or endowment or fellowship shall be allotted by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget within 30 days of the effective date of the appropriation.

(g) Nothing in this section may be construed to authorize the Director of the Offices of Management and Budget to withhold, reduce or otherwise alter the operating budgets of or any appropriations to the Legislature or to the courts.