2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 33 - Office of Superintendent of the Capitol (§§ 651 — 660) › § 655 - Functions and duties

The Superintendent shall buy, by title, real estate property, in the name of the Government of Puerto Rico, for the use, enjoyment, and benefit of the Legislature; he shall direct and supervise the upkeep and maintenance of the Capitol Building, as well as any work performed therein, with the purpose of maintaining the buildings in optimum condition, and anticipating future needs. Also, the Superintendent shall represent the Office of the Superintendent of the Capitol Building before the General Court of Justice of Puerto Rico and in any court of the United States in cases filed against the Office of the Superintendent of the Capitol Building, its duties, and functions. Likewise, it shall launch in the name of the Office of the Superintendent of the Capitol Building the necessary legal actions, or he/she shall intervene in those it believes may affect the powers, duties, or obligations of the Office of the Superintendent of the Capitol Building. For these purposes, the Superintendent may contract the necessary services of lawyers, experts, technicians, or other services needed for the adequate compliance with this obligation. The Superintendent shall notify the Presidents of both Bodies of every legal action. In every civil action in which damages are sought against the Office of the Superintendent of the Capitol Building, in any case in which there is a sentence for acts committed by employees and functionaries of the Office of the Superintendent of the Capitol Building, the Office of the Superintendent of the Capitol Building shall be subject to the limits of responsibility and conditions imposed by §§ 3077 et seq. of Title 32, to demand responsibility from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in similar circumstances.
To accomplish its objectives, the Office of the Superintendent shall have the following duties and functions:
(a) To make recommendations for the upkeep and development of the Capitol Building.
(b) To exercise control over the upkeep, ornamentation, and decoration of the buildings and grounds that compose the Capitol, and to supervise the cleaning of the common areas of the buildings.
(c) To recommend the preparation of plans and designs, for any improvements, remodeling or construction work to be performed inside the Capitol Building.
(d) To recommend to the Legislature the acquisition of real property adjoining the Capitol.
(e) To anticipate the Legislature’s short- and long-term needs for space and other facilities and to submit a report to the Presidents of both bodies before the beginning of the Fourth Regular Session of the Eighth Legislature. Said report shall contain recommendations and an action plan to be followed.
(f) To supervise the construction, works, maintenance, and repair of the furniture of the chambers of the legislative bodies, hearing rooms, drawing rooms and hallways of the buildings comprising the Capitol Building.
(g) To prepare and submit to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House, detailed estimates of all improvements and works which he considers should be performed in the Capitol Buildings, itemizing the proposed modifications and the cost thereof.
(h) To prepare plans and to recommend the adoption of measures he deems pertinent for the conservation of energy.
(i) [To] comply with the suggestions made by the Commonwealth Police with regard to public order and security within the Capitol building, in the measure its resources will allow.
(j) To study, periodically, the use of space belonging to the Senate and the House and to submit reports with its recommendations to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House.
(k) To compile and keep the plans and designs of the Capitol in a safe place.
History —July 21, 1977, No. 4, p. 542, § 5; Dec. 24, 1998, No. 313, § 2; Dec. 24, 1998, No. 321, § 2; Oct. 1, 1999, No. 307, § 2.