2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY - Examining Boards and Professional Colleges (§§ 1 — 6033) › Chapter 42 - Regulatory Board of Public Relations Agents of Puerto Rico (§§ 855 — 864) › § 856 - Board—Creation and constitution of the Board; terms of appointment

(a) The Regulatory Board of Public Relations Agents of Puerto Rico, which shall be attached to the Department of State of the Government of Puerto Rico, is hereby created and shall have the responsibility of overseeing compliance with this chapter.
(b) The Regulatory Board of Public Relations Agents of Puerto Rico shall be constituted by five (5) members, appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The members of the Board must have resided in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for not less than three (3) years immediately prior to their appointment, and must have been active in the practice of public relations for at least ten (10) years. The members of the Board may not be regular employees of the Government of Puerto Rico, its public agencies or instrumentalities. No member of the Board may be the senior shareholder or Chairperson of the Board of Trustees or headmaster of a university, college or school which confers academic degrees in the public relations field.
(c) The Governor of Puerto Rico may only appoint as members of the first Board, established in this chapter, such persons that meet the requirements established for the granting of license pursuant to §§ 855(j), subsections (a), (b) and (c) of 858, and 860 of this title. The license of the members of said first Board shall be issued by the Secretary of the Department of State of Puerto Rico, once it has been confirmed that the same meet the requirements established for the granting of license. Upon the constitution of this Board, its members shall be those authorized by this chapter to grant licenses to practice this profession.
(d) The term of the appointment of each member shall be four (4) years, except for those who have been appointed at the time of approval of this act. In which case, the term of the first member shall be one (1) year; another two (2) members shall be appointed for a two (2) -year term; and the other two (2), for a three (3) -year term. The members shall continue to hold office until their term expires or until their successors are appointed and take office. Should vacancies in the Board occur, the same shall be filled in the same manner [in which] the original appointments [were] made. The member filling a vacancy shall hold office for the remainder of the term of his/her predecessor.
(e) No person may be a member of the Board for more than two (2) consecutive terms.
(f) The Governor may remove any member of the Board from his/her office due to inefficiency or negligence in the discharge of his/her functions or in the practice of his/her profession. Likewise, members may be removed from office if their license to practice the public relations agent profession has been voided, revoked or suspended for having been convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor that implies moral depravity.
(g) The Board shall elect a Chairperson and the other positions deemed necessary. It shall assemble in sessions open to the public, except in the event of an ongoing investigation.
(h) The simple majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum to make decisions.
(i) It shall adopt a seal which shall be duly notified to the corresponding authorities. The copies of the documents bearing the abovementioned seal of the Board shall be admissible as evidence by any court with competence to prove the contents thereof.
(j) It shall maintain a register of all the applications and documents submitted under oath and a record of all proceedings, as well as a register of the names and addresses of the persons who obtain the license, pursuant to this chapter.
(k) The members of the Board shall discharge their functions without receiving any compensation whatsoever, except for the reimbursement of their daily and actual expenses which they shall incur regularly in discharging their duties and obligations as established in this chapter.
(l) The Board shall remit to the Governor and the Legislature an annual report of its activities, including a breakdown of all account statements, as well as a list of the licenses issued by virtue of this chapter.
(m) The Board may appoint the personnel necessary for the administration of this chapter.
(n) The Board may file any legal action for the administration of this chapter, including the ability to sue and be sued in its official capacity. The members of the Board shall enjoy immunity in what pertains to civil liability, when acting in the discharge of the powers and obligations granted by this chapter.
History —Aug. 8, 2008, No. 204, § 3.