Legislation

House Bill 1421 seeks to create the “Act for Protection Against Mass Surveillance Systems” for the purpose of prohibiting the use and procurement of mass surveillance systems that violate the fundamental freedoms and rights guaranteed by the Constitution of Puerto Rico, and for other related purposes.

Senate Bill 974 seeks to define cybercrimes and amend the Penal Code of Puerto Rico. It was introduced on January 22, 2026, by Senator Carmelo Ríos Santiago. We oppose Senate Bill 974 because it seeks to enact legislation without adequately considering the serious implications its provisions could have on citizens' fundamental rights—in addition to imposing disproportionate penalties. Protecting the public from cybercrime cannot mean indiscriminately criminalizing the ways in which people interact in the digital environment.

House Bill 897 seeks to amend Act 187-2016, known as the “Mayra Elías ‘Hit & Run’ Alert Act,” as well as Act 83-2025, known as the “Puerto Rico Police Act.” The bill was filed on October 7, 2025, by Representatives Ramón Torres Cruz and Félix Pacheco Burgos. Public safety is a shared goal. However, a legislative measure such as this—which contemplates the use of technologies like automated license plate reader (ALPR) systems—requires a broad discussion that includes consideration and acknowledgment of the threats and potential violations of constitutional rights associated with this type of technology. In the United States, there is no shortage of examples regarding the misuse of such cameras by officers, as well as errors concerning the operation and management of these systems.

Senate Joint Resolution 198 seeks to mandate that the Puerto Rico Department of the Treasury require the installation and operation of security camera (video surveillance) systems in establishments applying for or renewing a license for the retail sale of alcoholic beverages. It was filed on July 14, 2026, by Senator Carmelo Ríos Santiago.

House Bill 1278 seeks to exclude from the right to vote people sentenced for one or more felonies whose sentence is 10 years or more. It was filed on May 14 by Representative Lisie Burgos Muñiz of Proyecto Dignidad and Representative Ensol Rodríguez Torres of the New Progressive Party, PNP. The proposed bill was referred to the Government Committee, chaired by Representative Víctor Parés Otero. The House of Representatives brought the bill to a vote and defeated the measure without prior discussion. While the ACLU of Puerto Rico argued against the bill, the organization reiterated the importance of discussing legislative proposals before a vote, including holding public hearings.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Puerto Rico, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing civil and human rights, does not support House Bill 25, which seeks to address property rights by amending the definition of a constitutionally protected natural resource.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Puerto Rico, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing civil and human rights and defending access to public information, warns that Senate Bill 63—which proposes, among other changes, extending from 10 to 20 working days the period agencies have to respond to information requests, lengthening the extension period up to 40 days, and adding additional technical requirements—constitutes in practice a setback to the constitutional right of access to information and to citizen oversight. The ACLU of Puerto Rico believes that these amendments unjustifiably delay access to data of high public interest, open the door to greater opacity and bureaucracy, and could even strip this right of its substance, and therefore urges the rejection of SB 63. Status: https://sutra.oslpr.org/medidas/152452

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Puerto Rico, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to defending civil and human rights and access to public information, opposes Senate Bill 331, which seeks to amend the Demographic Registry Act to declare all certificates issued by that office confidential and to restrict who may access them by redefining the concept of an “interested party.” The ACLU of Puerto Rico argues that this measure effectively attempts to overturn judicial decisions that recognized the right of the press and the public to access death certificates of high public interest, thereby undermining freedom of expression, freedom of the press, transparency, and government accountability. It further warns that SB 331 constitutes an attack on the separation of powers by trying to legislatively undo what the courts have already decided, promotes censorship under the pretext of protecting privacy, and, by limiting access to essential data, weakens journalistic and scientific investigations as well as democratic processes, and therefore the organization urges its rejection. Status: https://sutra.oslpr.org/medidas/153837

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Puerto Rico, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing civil and human rights, warns that Senate Bill 504—which proposes recognizing the nasciturus as a natural person endowed with legal personality and legal capacity through amendments to the 2020 Civil Code—relies on broad, ambiguous, and biased definitions that open the door to interpretations that could undermine the reproductive and health rights of women and pregnant people, as well as create legal uncertainty across multiple areas of law. The ACLU of Puerto Rico urges the rejection of SB 504. Status: https://sutra.oslpr.org/medidas/155081