AARP Virgin Islands Looks Back on 2025 with Major Legislative Successes for Older Adults

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As 2025 draws to a close, AARP Virgin Islands proudly celebrates a year of meaningful advocacy, delivering strong protection and support for older adults and their families. Through strategic collaboration with lawmakers and community partners, AARP VI advanced key legislation that enhances safety, health, and caregiving across the territory.

“We need to ensure that our aging population can live their remaining years safely and with dignity,” said Troy De Chabert-Schuster, State Director, AARP VI. “This year’s legislative victories reflect our commitment to improving quality of life for older Virgin Islanders.”

KEY LEGISLATIVE MILESTONES IN 2025

· January 7, 2025 – Act No. 8981: Land and Water Use Plan – Governor Albert Bryan Jr. signed into law the territory’s first Comprehensive Land & Water Use Plan, ending decades of fragmented zoning and establishing a framework for sustainable development and conservation.

· April 28, 2025 – Act No. 8985: Infuse Cash in Hospitals – Allocated $20 million from the Epstein settlement to stabilize public hospitals, fund staffing, supplies, and infrastructure upgrades.

· June 6, 2025 – Joint Letter: United Against Elder Abuse – AARP VI joined the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Department of Human Services, Disability Rights Center, and St. Thomas Federal Credit Union to call for stronger protections, including an Adult Abuse Registry and expanded mandatory reporting.

· June 13, 2025 – Act No. 8987: Opioid Notification – Requires healthcare providers prescribing opioids to counsel patients on risks and alternatives, with documentation of the discussion.

· July 9, 2025 – Act No. 9000: ABLE Act – Implements the federal ABLE program, allowing residents with disabilities to save in tax-advantaged accounts without losing Medicaid or SSI eligibility.

· July 9, 2025 – Act No. 9002: Social Work Regulation Modernization Act – Updates licensing categories, education requirements, and disciplinary procedures for social workers, and defines governance for the Social Work Licensure Board.

· August 14, 2025 – Proclamation: Social Security Day – Honors the 90th anniversary of Social Security and its impact on over 22,000 Virgin Islanders.

· October 31, 2025 – Act No. 9047: SNAP Funding – Authorized $2.77 million from the Budget Stabilization Fund to ensure SNAP recipients received benefits during a federal shutdown.

· November 3, 2025 – Proclamation: National Family Caregivers Month – Recognizes unpaid caregivers and their vital role in supporting families.

· November 10, 2025 – Act No. 9053: Re-naming of Limpricht Park – Renames Peter Carl Limpricht Park to “Ten Sleepless Knights Park” to honor cultural contributions.

· November 10, 2025 – Act No. 9051: Anti-Elder Abuse – Creates an Anti-Elder Abuse Task Force and Registry, mandates training, and strengthens background checks.

· November 25, 2025 – Caregiver Leave Act – Provides full-time government employees with four hours of paid leave per month to care for seriously ill family members or dependents.

Throughout 2025, AARP VI championed reforms to protect seniors from financial exploitation, including mandatory training for financial professionals, civil immunity for good-faith reporting, and authority for banks to halt suspicious transactions.

LOOKING FORWARD TO 2026

· Expanded caregiver support programs
· Guardianship reform under UGCOPAA
· Revitalizing the Commission on Aging
· Enhancing housing and healthcare access
· Promoting age-friendly communities
· Expanding Elder Justice Summits to strengthen collaboration and education
· Expanding the workforce as it relates to Social Workers