68 S T A T. ]
PUBLIC LAW 517-JULY 22, 1954
499
votes shall be declared elected up to the number to be elected at that election. The order of names upon the ballot for each office shall be determined by lot among the candidates: Provided, That the Government Secretary or his designee is authorized to draw for a candidate who does not appear in person, or by authorized representative, at the drawing of lots. SEC. 6. (a) The term of office of each member of the legislature shall Term* of office, be two years. The term of office of each member shall commence on the second Monday in April following his election: Provided, however. That the term of office of each member elected in November 1954 shall commence on the second Monday in January 1955 and shall continue until the second Monday in April 1957. (b) No person shall be eligible to be a member of the legislature qu^emlnts!**^ '"" who is not a citizen of the United States, who has not attained the age of twenty-five years, who is not a qualified voter in the Virgin Islands, who has not been a bona fide resident of the Virgin Islands for at least three years next preceding the date of his election, or who has been convicted of a felony or of a crime involving moral turpitude and has not received a pardon restoring his civil rights. Federal employees and persons employed in the legislative, executive or judicial branches of the government of the Virgin Islands shall not be eligible for membership in the legislature. (c) All officers and employees charged with the duty of directing n^eis Vtc.'*^ ° ' ' the administration of the electoral system of the Virgin Islands and its representative districts shall be appointed in such manner as the legislature may by law direct. Sena (d) No member of the legislature shall be held to answer before any munity» to r i a l imtribunal other than the legislature for any speech or debate in the legislature and the members shall in all cases, except treason, felony, or breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the sessions of the legislature and in going to and returning from the same. (e) Each member of the legislature shall be paid the sum of $600 compensauon. annually, one-third on the second Monday in April, one-third on the second Monday in May, and one-third at the close of the regular session: Provided, however, That each member of the legislature shall be paid for the regular session commencing on the second Monday in January 1955, the sum of $600 annually, one-third on the second Monday in January, one-third on the second Monday in February, and one-third at the close of that session. Each member of the legis- ^«' ^^^ lature who is away from the island of his residence shall also receive the sum of $10 per day for each day's attendance while the legislature is actually in session, in lieu of his expenses for subsistence, and shall be reimbursed for his actual travel expenses in going to and returning T r a v e l a l l owfrom each session, or period thereof, for not to exceed a total of eight ance* round trips during any calendar year. The salaries, per diem, and travel allowances of the members of the legislature shall be paid by the Government of the United States. (f) No member of the legislature shall hold or be appointed to any LimitaUons. office which has been created by the legislature, or the salary or emoluments of which have been increased, while he was a member, during the term for which he was elected, or during one year after the expiration of such term. (g) The legislature shall be the sole judge of the elections and Powers, qualifications of its members, shall have and exercise all the authority and attributes, inherent in legislative assemblies, and shall have the power to institute and conduct investigations, issue subpena to witnesses and other parties concerned, and administer oaths. The rules of the Legislative Assembly of the Virgin Islands existing on the date of
�
