Legislation

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, opposes House Bill 166 because it institutionalizes discrimination against transgender people, especially transgender women. Rather than protecting anyone, this bill has the effect of punishing, excluding, and stripping people of rights.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Puerto Rico, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing civil and human rights, recommended amendments to Senate Bill 61, which proposed changes to expand the hiring of incarcerated people, due to the need for oversight to ensure safeguards against exploitation and fair working conditions.