Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 100 Part 1.djvu/874

 100 STAT. 838

Loans. 48 USC 1681 "°**'

PUBLIC LAW 99-396—AUG. 27, 1986

the voters at the next general election, unless the legislature approves a special election for this purpose. The legislature may submit its own version of the initiative to the voters. Should both measures be approved by the voters, the measure receiving the higher number of votes shall prevail. The voters shall have a clear alternative of rejecting either version or the entire proposition. "(7) An initiative submitted to the voters shall take effect if the initiative is approved by a majority of persons voting and if a majority of the voters of the Virgin Islands vote on the initiative. An initiative may not be vetoed by the Governor, and when approved by the voters, may not be amended or repealed by the legislature during the 3-year period after its approval unless the legislature acts by a two-thirds majority. "(8) The legislature may provide the manner in which petitions shall be circulated, filed, certified, and the ballot question shall be submitted to the voters. "(c)(1) An elected public official of the Virgin Islands may be removed from office by a recall election carried out under this subsection. The grounds for recall are any of the following: lack of fitness, incompetence, neglect of duty, or corruption. "(2) A recall election may be initiated by a two-thirds vote of the members of the legislature or by a petition under this subsection. "(3) Prior to circulation a recall petition which identifies by name and office the official being recalled and which states the grounds for recall shall be submitted to the Supervisor of Elections. The sponsors of the recall petition shall be allowed a period of 60 days after such submission for filing with the Supervisor of Elections a list of signatures equal in number to at least 50 percent of the whole number of votes cast for that office in the last general election at which that office was filled. The Supervisor of Elections shall have 15 days in which to determine whether the minimum number of valid signatures are contained in the recall petition. "(4) A special recall election shall be held with respect to an elected public official not earlier than 30 days after a vote of the legislature under paragraph (2) or a determination of the board of elections under paragraph (3), as the case may be, and not later than 60 days after such vote or determination. "(5) An official shall be removed from office upon approval of the recall in an election in which at least two-thirds of the number of persons voting for such official in the last preceding general election at which such official was elected vote in favor of recall and in which those so voting constitute a majority of all those participating in such recall election. "(6) No recall election shall be held with respect to an elected public official— "(A) during the first year of the first term of office of the official; or "(B) less than 3 months before a general election for the office. "(d) As used in this section, the term— "(1) 'law' means a law of the Virgin Islands; and "(2) 'voter' means a registered voter who is eligible to vote on the issue or for the office involved.". SEC. 2. A total of up to $4,000,000 of funds currently reserved for use by the economic development loan fund, as established under subsection (c) of section 702 of the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the

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