2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 7 - Committees and Commissions (§§ 111-114 — 140u) › § 140s - Legislative Award to the Public Servant in the area of children

(a) The “Annual Legislative Award for Outstanding Public Employee in the Field of Child and Family Welfare in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico”, hereinafter the “Award”, is hereby created.
(b) A panel is hereby constituted, consisting of nine (9) judges, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the President of the Senate of Puerto Rico, who shall be co-chair [of] the same, the Chairperson of the Committee on Social Welfare and Special Community Affairs of the Senate of Puerto Rico, the Chairperson of the Committee on Health and Social Welfare of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico, the Floor Leaders of the parliamentary minorities in both Committees and the Secretary of the Department of the Family.
If there is no Committee on Social Welfare and Special Community Affairs in the House of Representatives, the Senate of Puerto Rico or either Chamber, the Chairperson of that Committee of each Chamber with jurisdiction over legislation concerning child and family welfare shall be a member of the panel. Every year, the panel herein provided shall be empowered to select the most outstanding public employee in the field of child and family welfare. Its bylaws shall provide the rules for its internal operations which shall include, among others, the procedure for submitting nominations for candidates to the Award and the term or deadline for submitting said nominations.
(c) The panel shall receive nominations and recommendations regarding those candidates who deserve to receive this distinction, whether at the initiative of the public or the private sector.
(d) The nominee shall be an public employee or officer in active service at the Legislative, Judicial or Executive Branch of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, including its municipal governments, public corporations and instrumentalities.
In addition, he/she shall meet the following requirements:
(1) To have performed work or made an extraordinary contribution through work, scientific research or community services toward the protection, care, concern and welfare of children and families.
(2) To have worked in the public service for a minimum of five (5) years prior to the deadline for the nominations established by the panel, specifically in the field of child and family protection and welfare in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(e) The Award shall consist of a monetary bonus in the amount of one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) and a document of recognition signed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate of Puerto Rico, to be awarded at a ceremony to be held in the premises of the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico during the annual “Childhood and Child Abuse Prevention Month”, pursuant to § 5166 of Title 1.
(f) Both Legislative Chambers, equally, shall set aside the funds required for the implementation of this section from their respective Annual General Expenses Budget.
(g) The award received by the employee or officer shall be in addition to his/her regular compensation and any other bonus or fringe benefit to which he/she may be entitled. The Award shall not be considered as part thereof, nor shall it be subject to the payment of income tax.
History —Sept. 16, 2004, No. 326, §§ 1—7.