2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 64 - Code of Ethics (§§ 1755 — 1761) › § 1755 - Definitions

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meaning indicated herein:
(a) Executive agencies.— The bodies and entities of the Executive Branch of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, including public corporations, departments, agencies, municipalities and instrumentalities of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(b) Conflict of interest.— A situation in which the personal or financial interests of the public servant, of persons related to him/her, or of the contractor or suppliers is, or could reasonably be in contravention of the public interest.
(c) Contract.— Pact, agreement or juridical business in which the parties are committed to give something, or do, or fail to do a specific act, and which is granted with the consent of the contracting parties, with regard to a certain object, subject of the contract, and by virtue of the cause that is established.
(d) Contribution.— Any payment, gift, subscription, commission, grant, benefit, tip, loan, advance, bribe or any promise or agreement to grant it.
(e) Public employee.— A person who holds a position or is employed in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and is not vested with part of the Commonwealth sovereignty, includes regular or irregular employees, those with transitory appointments and those in a probationary period.
(f) Former public servant.— Person who has served as a public official or employee in the executive agencies of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, in the Legislative Branch, or in the Judicial Branch.
(g) Curable Catastrophic Illnesses Service Fund.— The fund created under § 3222 of Title 24, attached to the Department of Health.
(h) Official.— Person vested with part of the sovereignty of the state, and therefore intervenes in the development and implementation of public policy, and who holds office, or is employed by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(i) Government.— The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, its corporations, instrumentalities and municipalities.
(j) Income.— Includes profits, benefits and income derived from salaries, wages or compensation for personal services (including remuneration received for services rendered as an official or employee of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, of any state of the United States of America, or of any political subdivision thereof, or of any agency or instrumentality of any of said entities) of any type and in any form they are paid, or of professions, trades, industries, businesses, commerce or sales, or of operations in properties, whether real or personal, that arise from the possession or use of the interest in said property; as well as those derived from the interest, revenues, dividends, benefit from partnerships, assets, or the operation of any business conducted for profit or use, and earnings or benefits and income derived from any source. Contributions made to political organizations or candidates pursuant to the authorization provided by the electoral laws in effect, shall not be deemed to be income or gifts.
(k) Person.— A natural or juridical person, or groups of persons or associations, that wish to establish a contractual, commercial or financial relationship with the executive agencies, or that have perfected a contract with the state to render goods or services, as well as the entities that receive or are interested in receiving an economic incentive from the executive agencies of the Government. It also includes natural or juridical persons that are or will be affected by any regulation established by the executive agencies of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(l) Judicial Branch.— The General Court of Justice and any office or dependency thereof.
(m) Legislative Branch.— Includes the House of Representatives, the Senate of Puerto Rico, the Office of the Comptroller of Puerto Rico, the Office of the Ombudsman and any joint office or dependency attached to the legislative bodies.
(n) Gift.— Payment or enrichment without equivalent consideration, or receiving one of a lesser value. A donation of lucrative value including, among others, money, goods or any object, economic opportunities, tips, grants, benefits, discounts or special considerations.
(o) Public servant.— Comprises public officials and employees.
(p) Family unit.— Includes the spouse of the public servant or former public servant, his/her dependent children, or those persons who share the legal residence of the public servant or former public servant, or whose financial affairs are under the de jure or de facto control of the public servant or former public servant.
History —June 18, 2002, No. 84, § 4; Dec. 16, 2011, No. 255, § 1.