(a) The Virgin Islands Industrial Hemp Commission is established within the Department of Agriculture and consists of at least nine members as follows:
(1) The President of the University of the Virgin Islands or the President’s designee;
(2) The chair of the Legislature’s Committee on Economic Development, Agriculture & Planning or its successor:
(3) The Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture or the Commissioner’s designee;
(4) The Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Police Department or the Commissioner’s designee;
(5) The Attorney General or the Attorney General’s designee;
(6) Four members appointed by the Governor, of whom one must be a resident of the district of St. Croix, and one a resident of the district of St. Thomas and St. John. The four members appointed by the Governor must be one from each of the following groups:
(A) Virgin Islands farmers with an interest in growing industrial hemp;
(B) Retailers of industrial hemp products;
(C) Wholesalers of industrial hemp products; and
(D) Manufacturers of industrial hemp products.
(b) A majority of the members of the Commission constitutes a quorum. The members shall elect one member to serve as chair.
(c) The Commission shall meet quarterly and may meet more often upon the call of the chair or by the request of the majority of the members.
(d) The Commission must be appointed by and shall conduct the first meeting 45 days after its formation.
(e) Members of the Commission are entitled to receive $75.00 for each day or part of a day spent in the attendance of official meetings or performing official duties, plus actual travel expenses when the member must travel from the island of the member’s residence to attend official meetings or perform official duties.
(f) The Department of Agriculture shall provide staff services for the Commission.
(g) The Commission shall develop recommendations on industrial hemp legislation and recommendations and legislation on the establishment and operation of a paper mill by the Government and annually thereafter report the recommendations to the Governor and to the Legislature’s standing committee having jurisdiction over agricultural matters, with respect to industrial hemp policies and practices that will result in the proper, legal, growing, management, use, and marketing of the Territory’s potential industrial hemp industry. These policies and practices must, at a minimum, address the following:
(1) Federal laws and regulatory constraints;
(2) The economic and financial feasibility of an industrial hemp market in the Virgin Islands and state-side businesses that utilizes industrial hemp;
(3) Examination of research on industrial hemp production and utilization;
(4) The potential for globally marketing Virgin Islands industrial hemp;
(5) Feasibility study of private and federal funding for the Virgin Islands industrial hemp research program;
(6) Law enforcement concerns;
(7) Statutory and regulatory schemes for growing of industrial hemp by private producers; and
(8) Technical support and education about industrial hemp.
(h) The Commission shall also continue to monitor the research and development of industrial hemp in the United States and the Virgin Islands industrial hemp research program.