2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 40B - Electronic Government (§§ 991 — 998) › § 998 - Rights of citizens

Under the public policy established in the purpose note under § 991 of this title, the citizens of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico shall be entitled to have government information available through the Internet and to receive Government services by means of electronic media, including but not limited to:
(1) Applications for marriage and birth certificates.
(2) Applications for criminal history and good conduct certificates.
(3) Presentation of corporate documents and reports and trademark registrations.
(4) Loan applications with the retirement system.
(5) Applications for financing with the Economic Development Bank.
(6) Job applications in all Government agencies and instrumentalities.
(7) Space reservations at the Maritime Transportation Authority.
(8) Reservations at the Government-operated vacation centers.
(9) Inclusion in the registers of eligible bidders to participate in the bids of every agency or instrumentality.
(10) All documents pertaining to the processes for publication, holding and awarding of all public works bids; all agency contracts that entail the disbursement of public funds; all documents concerning managerial transactions, except for confidential documents concerning personnel matters; and any information concerning the status of public works projects, including, but not limited to, change orders and time extensions, among others.
(11) Electronic access to all the texts of all measures introduced before the Office of the Secretary of the Senate and the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives, as well as the reports pertaining thereto, voting records, texts approved in final vote and enrolled bills.
(12) Child support payments.
(13) The submittal of applications for labor consulting or human resources management; of nominations to participate in the trainings and applications for contracting professional services in the preparation of classification and compensation plans for employees, to administer examinations, hiring standards, evaluation systems and personnel regulations.
(14) The filing of tax returns required by law, including, but not limited to, income tax, withholdings and excise tax returns.
(15) Application for unemployment benefits, health card, and assistance aids and benefits from social programs in effect.
(16) Use permits and other applications with the Regulations and Permits Administration.
(17) Applications not related to loans with the various retirement systems.
(18) Access to the video and audio transmission of the sessions held by the legislative bodies.
(19) Payment of traffic fines.
(20) Applications for driving licenses and renewal of licenses, posting of bonds.
(21) Applications for hunting, vessels and all other applications required by the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources.
(22) Participation in public hearings of legislative committees through teleconference, after having so arranged with the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the House.
(23) Electronic professional stamps.
Such services shall be rendered provided that they are practicable and [they] are [not] unreasonable, and that there is no legal impediment for doing so. Provided, That the agencies shall publish on the Internet all documents pertaining to the processes for the publication, holding and awarding of bids for all public works; all agency contracts that entail the disbursement of public funds; all documents pertaining to management transactions concerning the document object of the publication, except for confidential documents concerning personnel matters; and all information concerning the status of public works projects including, but not limited to, change orders and time extensions, among others.
To determine whether that right has been violated, the reasonable efforts and steps taken by the Government in order to offer such services electronically shall be taken into account, acknowledging that this is a program in constant progress.
Moreover, the citizens of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico shall be entitled to receive government services offered by electronic media in a manner that is in accordance with the applicable provisions relative to the protection of privacy, information security, availability of information policies and access guarantees for persons with disabilities.
History —June 22, 2004, No. 151, § 10; June 6, 2006, No. 113, § 4.