Legislation

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Puerto Rico, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing civil and human rights, opposed Senate Bill 350 because of its direct impact on access to gender-affirming care for trans people, particularly trans youth and trans children, as well as on the rights of families and minors. The measure bans gender-affirming medical treatments for people under 21 years of age.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Puerto Rico, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing civil and human rights, opposed Senate Bill 1 because its implementation poses serious dangers and invites rights violations and discrimination. Measures intended to guarantee the exercise of the right to religious freedom are justifiable insofar as they ensure that the government does not interfere with the freedom to act according to one’s beliefs. However, they cease to be justifiable when their application and unlimited scope allow such exemptions to be used as a pretext for discriminatory practices and the possible denial of basic services and access to justice, in violation of civil rights and liberties.