2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-SEVEN - Public Service (§§ 1 — 2641) › PART II - Communications (§§ 265 — 539) › Chapter 29 - Public Broadcasting Corporation (§§ 501 — 513) › § 504 - General powers

(a) Public broadcasting.— The Public Broadcasting Corporation for Puerto Rico shall broadcast and promote educational, sports, artistic, musical, cultural and public interest programs, all of which shall be subject to the limitations established in the franchises granted by the Federal Communications Commission of the United States of America.
The Public Broadcasting Corporation for Puerto Rico is hereby granted all the powers that are necessary and convenient to carry out and perform its purposes and functions, including, but without being limited to the following:
(1) To exist in perpetuity as an independent public corporation, for nonprofit purposes.
(2) Adopt, alter and use a corporate seal.
(3) Adopt, amend and repeal regulations to govern its affairs and activities and to prescribe the rules, regulations and norms needed to comply with its functions and duties, pursuant to the provisions of §§ 2101 et seq. of Title 3, known as the “Uniform Administrative Procedures Act of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico”.
(4) Keep an office in the place or places it determines.
(5) To sue and be sued.
(6) Receive, administer and comply with the legal conditions and requirements regarding any gift, grant or donation of any real or personal property, financial resources and others.
(7) Make and execute agreements, leases, contracts and other instruments that are necessary or pertinent in the exercise of its powers and functions.
(8) Acquire any property or interest therein through any legal means, including, but without being limited to the acquisition by purchase, lease, bequest, legacy or gift and possess, keep, use and operate such property or interest therein.
(9) Acquire, build, rebuild, improve, extend, conserve and use to the maximum any broadcasting facilities.
(10) Fix and charge reasonable rates, fees and charges and other terms and conditions of services for the use of its broadcasting facilities or for any equipment sold or leased, in accordance with applicable regulations and federal and local laws.
(11) Appoint and contract those officials and employees and confer on them those powers and duties, and compensate them for their services according to the provisions of the Board of Directors, and in accordance with the personnel regulations that are promulgated. The personnel of the Public Broadcasting Corporation for Puerto Rico shall be excluded from the provisions of Act No. 5 of October 14, 1975, known as the “Public Service Personnel Act of Puerto Rico”. Notwithstanding the above, the Public Broadcasting Corporation for Puerto Rico shall honor the Merit Principle according to the provisions of Section 10.6 of said Act.
(12) Perform all acts that are necessary and convenient to exercise the powers conferred by this chapter or any other act.
(13) Accept, promote and stimulate the citizenry to make gifts of any sort, provided the acceptance thereof does not entail the obligation of transmitting information or material in conflict with the norms that regulate its transmissions.
Likewise, any gift made to the Public Broadcasting Corporation for Puerto Rico may be wholly claimed as a deduction from the individual gross income or from the gross income of corporations or associations, as applicable and without being subject to the provisions of Subsection (M) of paragraph (2) of clause (aa) of Section 1023 of Act No. 120 of October 31, 1994, as amended, known as the “Internal Revenue Code of Puerto Rico of 1994”.
(14) Enter into agreements, pacts or contracts with television production companies or private independent producers whose objective is the co-production of television programs of any nature, compatible with the public purpose of the Corporation’s function or for the future transmission of television programs, provided it is in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, the state or federal norms applicable to the Corporation.
(15) Carry out all the actions necessary to finance its administrative and fiscal operations, as well as its projects, which include but are not limited to: loan, mortgage, or leasing agreements, or of any other kind, with the Government Development Bank, commercial banking institutions, cooperative or mortgage institutions, or of any other kind, both governmental or private, to guarantee that the public instrumentality operates properly.
History —Sept. 12, 1996, No. 216, § 4; Feb. 14, 2008, No. 5, § 2; Sept. 21, 2010, No. 139, § 1.