2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE ONE - The Commonwealth (§§ 1 — 5289) › Chapter 27 - Prizes and Honors (§§ 571 — 583) › § 578 - Annual Award for Outstanding Public Servant

(a) The “Annual Award of the Legislature for the Outstanding Public Servant in the Area of Protection and Welfare of the Elderly in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,” hereinafter “Award” is hereby created.
(b) A panel is hereby formed of nine (9) judges, consisting of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate of Puerto Rico, who shall co-chair the same, the President of the Committee on Social Welfare and Special Communities Affairs of the Senate of Puerto Rico, the President of the Committee on Social Welfare of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico, the spokespersons of parliamentary minorities of both committees and the Advocate of the Office of the Advocate for the Elderly.
If in the House of Representative[s], the Puerto Rico Senate or in both Bodies, a Committee on Social Welfare and Special Communities fails to exist, that Committee of each Body that has jurisdiction over legislation related to the elderly shall be a member of the panel. Said panel shall have the power to select the public servant who has distinguished himself/herself the most in the field of protection and welfare of the elderly each year. For said purpose, the regulations shall establish the rules for internal governance, which may include, among others, the procedure for submitting nominations for nominees to the award and the final term or date for such submission.
(c) The panel shall receive nominations and recommendations for this distinction, be it by public or private sector initiative.
(d) The nominees person [sic] must be employees or officers in active service in the Legislative, Judicial or Executive Branch of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, including municipal governments, public corporations and instrumentalities. Additionally, the following requirements must be met:
(1) Having rendered extraordinary work or made contributions through labor, scientific research or community services, for the protection, care or attention and welfare of the elderly.
(2) Having worked in public service for a minimum of two (2) years prior to the deadline for nominations established by the panel, specifically in the field of the protection and welfare of the elderly in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(e) The Award shall consist of a bonus of one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) and a certificate of acknowledgement signed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and of the President of the Senate of Puerto Rico. It shall be awarded in a ceremony to be held on the premises of the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, during the Day in Honor of Old Age, to be celebrated according to § 5003 of this title.
(f) Both legislative bodies shall appropriate, in equal shares, from their respective General Annual Budget, the required funds for the implementation of this section.
(g) The award received by the employee or officer shall be in addition [to] his or her compensation and in addition to any other bonus and fringe benefit to which he or she may be entitled. Such award shall not be considered as a part of said bonus or fringe benefit and shall be exempted from income tax.
History —Nov. 9, 2003, No. 291, §§ 1—7.