reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 9 - Attendance and Examination of Witnesses (§§ 151 — 155) › § 154 - Penalty for failure to comply—Certification of failure to comply; filing of charges; perjury

(1) When a witness who is summoned pursuant to §§ 151 and 152 of this title does not appear to testify, or does not produce the books, papers, records, or documents, as required, or when any witness thus summoned refuses to answer any question pertinent to the matter under investigation before the Legislature, any of the Bodies, or before a joint committee or subcommittee of both Bodies, or before any committee or subcommittee of any of the Houses, said facts shall be reported to the Speaker or Vice President of the corresponding House, and it shall be the duty of the President or Vice President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, depending on the case, to certify, and said officials shall certify a statement of facts which reports what happened, a certification that must be signed by the President or the Speaker or Vice President of the corresponding House, and issued under the Seal of the House of Representatives or the Senate, depending on the case, which shall be delivered to the Secretary of Justice, who shall have the duty of bringing the corresponding charges before the Court of First Instance, San Juan Superior Part.
(2) The same procedure shall be followed in the event that any witness incurs perjury during a statement before a legislative body, and if found guilty, shall be punished pursuant to the penalties fixed by Article 225 of the Penal Code of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
History —Political Code, 1902, § 34; June 23, 1955, No. 100, p. 526, § 1; Jan. 20, 2000, No. 38, § 3.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 9 - Attendance and Examination of Witnesses (§§ 151 — 155) › § 154a - Judicial proceedings to enforce compliance; contempt

(1) Pursuant to the provisions of § 154 of this title, when a witness who is summoned pursuant to §§ 151 and 152 of this title does not appear to testify or does not produce the books, papers, records, or documents or objects, as required, or when any witness thus summoned refuses to answer any question with regard to any matter or investigation that is pending before the Legislature, or before the House of Representatives or the Senate, or before a committee or subcommittee of any of said bodies, or before a joint committee or subcommittee of both bodies, or before an investigating official, as provided in § 151 of this title, the President or Vice President of any of said legislative bodies may request the help of the Superior Part of the San Juan Court of First Instance to require the assistance and the statement of witnesses, and the production and delivery of the documents or objects requested in the matter, inquiry, or investigation that said Legislature, House of Representatives, Senate, committee, subcommittee or joint committee, or investigating official is conducting.
(2) Once the petition is filed before the Superior Part of the San Juan Court of First Instance, if it shows thereby that the witness failed to comply with the order of the Legislature, or of the House of Representatives, or the Senate, or of the committee or subcommittee of one of the bodies, or of the joint commission or subcommittee, depending on the case, said court shall issue a summons requiring and ordering the witness to appear and testify, or to produce the requested evidence, documents, or objects or both, before the Legislature, the Senate, the House of Representatives, committee, subcommittee, or joint committee, or before said investigating official, depending on the case; and any disobedience of the order issued by the court shall be punished by it as civil contempt.
(3) If the witness fails to comply with the order of the court filed under admonition of civil contempt, when the contempt hearing is held, the witness may invoke in it all the constitutional, legal, and de facto issues deemed pertinent. In no case shall there be the right to discovery of evidence in behalf of a witness summoned to appear before the Legislature.
History —Political Code, 1902, added as § 34-A on June 23, 1955, No. 100, p. 526, § 2; July 23, 1987, No. 5, p. 605, § 2; Jan. 20, 2000, No. 38, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 181 - Governor’s approval—Endorsement on receipt of bills

Every bill and joint resolution must, as soon as delivered to the Governor, be endorsed substantially as follows:
“This bill was received by the Governor this _______ day of ________ one thousand nine hundred and ________.” Said endorsement must be signed by the private secretary to the Governor or by the Governor himself, or by the official or employee to whom the Governor may delegate.
History —Political Code, 1902, § 36; June 4, 1962, No. 21, p. 38.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 182 - Governor’s approval—Bills and joint resolutions

When the Governor approves a bill or joint resolution he/she must set his/her name thereon, together with the date of his/her approval, and file the same with the Office of the Secretary of State. The Governor, or the official upon whom he/she delegates, shall number each law consecutively, for each calendar year, regardless of the session in which it was passed by the Legislative Assembly, beginning with the digits corresponding to the number of the approved law followed by a hyphen and the four (4) digits that indicate the year of its approval. For all legal purposes and in all formal documents, laws and joint resolutions shall be cited as provided herein. He/she shall proceed in the same way, but separately, with approved joint resolutions.
History —Political Code, 1902, § 37; Dec. 13, 1990, No. 34, p. 1542; July 12, 2011, No. 136, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 183 - Governor’s approval—Bills not returned by Governor within 10 days

Every bill which has passed both Houses of the Legislative Assembly, and has not been returned by the Governor within ten days (Sundays excepted), thereby becoming a law, shall be authenticated by the Governor causing the fact to be certified thereon by the Secretary of State, substantially in the following form: “This bill having remained with the Governor ten days (Sundays excepted), and the Legislative Assembly being in session, it has become a law this _____ day of _____ A.D. ____,” which certificate must be signed by the Secretary of State and deposited with the laws in his office.
History —Political Code, 1902, § 40.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 184 - Governor’s approval—Return of bill during temporary adjournment

If, on the day the Governor desires to return a bill without his approval, and with his objections thereto, to the House in which it originated, that House has adjourned for the day (but not for the session), he may deliver the bill with his message to the presiding officer, secretary or clerk, and if neither can be found upon reasonable search, then to any member of such House, and such delivery is as effectual as though returned in open session, if the Governor, on the first day the House is again in session, by message, notifies it of such delivery, and of the time when, and the person to whom, such delivery was made.
History —Political Code, 1902, § 39.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 185 - Governor’s approval—Procedure in overriding veto

When a bill has passed both Houses of the Legislative Assembly, and is returned by the Governor without his signature, and with his objections thereto, and upon reconsideration such bill pass both Houses by a two-thirds vote of the total number of members of which each House is composed as provided for in § 19 of Article III of the Constitution, the bill must be authenticated as having become a law by a certificate endorsed on or attached to the bill, or endorsed or attached to the copy of the statement of objections, in the following form: “This bill having been returned by the Governor with his objections thereto, and after reconsideration having passed both Houses by the two-thirds vote of the total number of members of which each House is composed prescribed in § 19 of Article III of the Constitution, has become a law this __ day of ____________ A.D. __;” which endorsement, signed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives is a sufficient authentication thereof. Such bill or statement must then be delivered to the Governor, and by him must be deposited with the laws in the office of the Secretary of State.
History —Political Code, 1902, § 38.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 186 - Promulgation of laws

In compliance with § 5 of Art. VI of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Secretary of State shall promulgate all the laws and joint resolutions by affixing thereto, as soon as same are approved by the Governor or have become laws pursuant to § 19 of Art. III of the Constitution, the seal of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Until such time as the seal of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico has been adopted and is in use, this provision shall be complied with by affixing to the laws and joint resolutions the Great Seal of Puerto Rico.
History —July 24, 1952, No. 8, p. 12, § 1, eff. July 25, 1952.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 187 - Promulgation of other official documents

The proclamations, regulations, and other official acts and documents whose promulgation is required by law shall be promulgated according to the procedure fixed in § 186 of this title.
History —July 24, 1952, No. 8, p. 12, § 4, eff. July 25, 1952.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 188 - Information to public; publication of laws in newspaper

In addition to promulgating the laws and joint resolutions in the manner provided in § 186 of this title, the Secretary of State shall place at the disposal of the public all information appertaining to the laws and joint resolutions approved, and shall publish in not less than two newspapers of general circulation the following information thereon: number of the law or joint resolution, date of its approval, effective date and title thereof, or a brief mention of the contents or purpose of each one. The publication in two newspapers above provided shall be made within the thirty (30) days following the date of approval of each law or joint resolution.
History —July 24, 1952, No. 8, p. 12, § 3, eff. July 25, 1952.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 189 - Printing of laws and other legislative documents; admissibility as evidence

Once promulgated in the manner provided in § 186 of this title, the Secretary of State shall cause to be printed in Spanish and English the texts of all laws and joint resolutions as well as any other legislative document he may deem proper, and the laws, joint resolutions and documents so printed shall be admitted as evidence in all courts of Puerto Rico without further authentication.
History —July 24, 1952, No. 8, p. 11 § 2, eff. July 25, 1952.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 191 - Official publications to the University of Puerto Rico

It shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to send to the University of Puerto Rico, free of all charge, twenty-seven (27) copies each of all codes, compilations, laws, pamphlets, and all other works, booklets and pamphlets heretofore or hereafter published by the Government of Puerto Rico.
History —Mar. 25, 1946, No. 190, p. 318, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 192 - Official publications to the University of Puerto Rico—Immediate delivery

The publications described in § 191 of this title shall be sent to the University of Puerto Rico as soon as they are printed.
History —Mar. 25, 1946, No. 190, p. 318, § 3.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 193 - Official publications to the University of Puerto Rico—Distribution of copies

The publications to which §§ 191—193 of this title refer shall be distributed as follows:
(a) Two (2) copies to the office of the Chancellor of the University;
(b) five (5) copies to the General Library of said institution, and
(c) twenty (20) copies to the School of Law of the same institution; Provided, That delivery of these publications shall be made by the Secretary of State directly and individually to each one of the offices of the Chancellor, the General Librarian, and the Librarian of the School of Law, respectively.
History —Mar. 25, 1946, No. 190, p. 318, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 194 - Copies of codes for police stations

The Secretary of State is hereby directed to provide the Police of Puerto Rico stations with copies of the Penal Code, and of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
History —Mar. 26, 1943, No. 1, p. 2, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 195 - Accounting for books; replacements; sale of surplus copies

The Secretary must indelibly mark each book distributed to the officials of Puerto Rico, excepting the Governor and the legislative officers, with the name of the office to which, and the official designation of the officer to whom sent. Such books remain the property of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and must be, by the officers receiving them, delivered to their successors, taking a receipt therefor and depositing such receipt with the Secretary of State. Whenever any such officer shall neglect or refuse to make delivery as aforesaid, his successor shall immediately report the case to the Secretary of State, sending him an inventory of the law books he has found in the office, and the outgoing officer shall be liable to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in an action to recover the value of any law book which may have not been delivered by said officer to his successor, or may not be found in the office if no delivery was made; which action shall, on request of the Secretary of State, be brought and prosecuted by the Secretary of Justice; Provided, That when said inventory is not forwarded by any new incumbent within a period of one month after his qualification, he shall, thereupon, become liable as hereinbefore stated, for any law book which is missing from his office.
In case that a law book furnished to an official of Puerto Rico, for public use, is lost or rendered useless by the action of time or in other way, the Secretary of State is hereby authorized to furnish another copy of the same book, if the stock thereof is not exhausted, to said official; Provided, That the Secretary of State must be informed of the cause of the loss or deterioration, with return of the book to his office in the latter case, and when the loss or deterioration of the book may be due to any negligence on the part of the officer in charge thereof, said officer shall be liable to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to the extent and in the manner provided for in the preceding paragraph.
The Secretary of State is also hereby authorized to sell the surplus copies of said law books at such price per volume as to cover the unit cost of publication. The proceeds of the sale of said volumes shall be deposited monthly in the Commonwealth Treasury, notification thereof being at the same time given to the Secretary of the Treasury in the usual form.
History —Political Code, 1902, § 47; Apr. 13, 1916, No. 55, p. 109, § 2.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 196 - Looseleaf copies of general laws and bulletins

The Secretary of State is hereby authorized to print in loose leaves the laws and administrative bulletins of general character, and to reprint the same when the first editions thereof shall have been exhausted, provided that in his judgment such reprinting be necessary.
History —June 9, 1921, No. 22, p. 160, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 197 - Looseleaf copies of general laws and bulletins—Free distribution

The Secretary of State shall furnish gratuitously the laws and joint resolutions approved by the Governor, as well as the administrative bulletins so published, to the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and to the offices of the Government of Puerto Rico and the municipalities charged with the implementation of said laws, joint resolutions and administrative bulletins or having any interest therein. No entity shall be furnished more than one copy of each of such laws, joint resolutions and administrative bulletins unless there be reasons that justify the need for obtaining more than one copy.
History —June 9, 1921, No. 22, p. 160, § 2; Sept. 16, 2004, No. 344, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 198 - Looseleaf copies of general laws and bulletins—Sale

The Secretary of State is hereby authorized to sell the remaining copies of the laws and administrative bulletins so published, at a reasonable price, which shall be fixed by him, taking into account the cost of each edition. The proceeds of said sales shall be deposited monthly in the Commonwealth Treasury to the credit of the fund created under § 199 of this title, to be again expended in the printing and reprinting of new laws and administrative bulletins. The Secretary of the Treasury shall be notified in the usual manner of each deposit made in the Commonwealth Treasury.
History —June 9, 1921, No. 22, p. 160, § 3.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 199 - Looseleaf copies of general laws and bulletins—Special fund for printing and reprinting laws and administrative bulletins

For the purpose of §§ 196—199 of this title there is hereby created a special fund of eight hundred dollars ($800) from any funds in the Commonwealth Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be known as “Special Fund for the Printing and Reprinting of Laws and Administrative Bulletins”, which shall be disposed of by the Secretary of State, whenever it be necessary, pursuant to the authority conferred on him by said sections.
History —June 9, 1921, No. 22, p. 160, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 200 - Joint resolutions—Subjects to be dealt with

All legislation which is to become ineffective upon the carrying out of the work or the fulfillment of the purpose sought by it shall be dealt with by the Legislature through joint resolution and shall not form a part of the permanent statutes of Puerto Rico. These resolutions shall follow the same legislative process as that of bills. There are excluded those cases where the subject to be dealt with as joint resolution is a necessary although incidental part of a principal subject which should be dealt with by means of a bill.
History —Mar. 4, 1953, No. 2, p. 16, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 201 - Joint resolutions—Measures improperly adopted as joint resolution or law

No legislative measure shall be void because of its having been improperly adopted as joint resolution when it should have been passed as law, or because of its having been improperly passed as law when it should have been adopted as joint resolution.
History —Mar. 4, 1953, No. 2, p. 16, § 3.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 202 - Term for consideration of bills—Introduction

Bills may be introduced in either Body at any time, but no bill introduced after the first one hundred and twenty (120) days of the opening of the first regular session and sixty (60) days after the opening of the second annual regular session shall be considered in the same session unless it is so resolved by the majority vote of the members of the Body where such a bill originated.
History —Apr. 9, 1954, No. 9, p. 124, § 2; July 22, 1988, No. 138, p. 576, § 2; Mar. 2, 1997, No. 2, § 2.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 203 - Term for consideration of bills—Subsequent sessions

Any bill on which no final action has been taken by both Houses in the session at which it was introduced, whether regular or special, may be considered in any regular session, and in any special session provided the matter is specified in the Governor’s call, that may be held subsequent to the introduction of said bill during the term of the mandate of the same Legislative Assembly in which it was introduced. Upon resuming the processing of a bill in a subsequent session, as above expressed, it shall not be necessary to repeat that part of the proceedings already completed in previous sessions.
History —Apr. 9, 1954, No. 9, p. 124, § 3.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 204 - Term for consideration of bills—Action; date limited by session

When the Bodies are assembled in regular session during the five (5) days prior to the date [that] said session is to adjourn, no bill shall be voted on unless the latter has been passed by both Bodies in a final vote.
Each Body shall inform the other of any other legislative action and of the bills passed by the Body of origin, for the sole purpose of allowing the recipient Body to refer said information to its committees for the corresponding study and consideration.
History —Apr. 9, 1954, No. 9, p. 124, § 4; July 22, 1988, No. 138, p. 576, § 3; Oct. 29, 1990, No. 2, p. 1428, § 2; Mar. 2, 1997, No. 2, § 3.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 205 - Term for consideration of bills—Extension of terms

Without prejudice to the provision of § 202 of this title regarding the consideration of specific bills, the terms set in §§ 1a and 202—207 of this title with regard to any specific annual session may be extended through a joint resolution approved in said regular session.
History —Apr. 9, 1954, No. 9, p. 124, § 5; July 22, 1988, No. 138, p. 576, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 206 - Term for consideration of bills—Bill defined

For the purposes of §§ 1a and 202—207 of this title, the term bill includes bill for law and bill for joint resolution.
History —Apr. 9, 1954, No. 9, p. 124, § 7.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 207 - Term for consideration of bills—Joint resolutions and concurrent resolutions

All that is provided herein shall apply equally to joint resolutions and those concurrent resolutions that propose Constitutional amendments.
History —Apr. 9, 1954, No. 9, p. 124, § 8; Oct. 29, 1990, No. 2, p. 1428, § 3.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 11 - Enactment, Promulgation, and Distribution of Laws and Other Documents (§§ 181 — 208) › § 208 - Parking and traffic signals on Capitol grounds

The parking and traffic signal regulations on the grounds of the Capitol of Puerto Rico shall be adopted by concurrent resolution of both Houses and as to parking it shall provide adequate facilities for the press, the citizens attending the Legislative Assembly in public actions or for matters of public character and for visitors of the Capitol of Puerto Rico.
History —June 6, 1968, No. 69, p. 119, § 2.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 13 - Revision and Codification of the Laws (§§ 221 — 229) › § 221 - Necessity for codification

A new scientifically ordered codification of all the general and permanent laws in force in Puerto Rico is indispensable, so that their search and cognizance by the courts, executive officers, attorneys, and interested persons may be easier. The purpose of §§ 221—227 of this title is to create an efficient recoding of our laws, including the annotations of the decisions of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico.
The codification work rapidly becomes worthless as an instrument of precise and efficient reference, unless the laws and annotations it contains are kept up to date at convenient intervals, which is the reason why the permanent revision of codified laws and annotations must remain under the supervision of the Secretaries of the Legislative Bodies.
The uniformity, clarity of style, and exactness of the text which is so urgently needed for the clear understanding of the laws of a country, are greatly improved by the continuity of purpose and permanent supervision of the Secretaries of the Legislative Bodies.
History —May 11, 1950, No. 395, p. 938, § 1; June 4, 1954, No. 47, p. 270, § 1; Dec. 22, 1999, No. 354, § 1, eff. 90 days after Dec. 22, 1999.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 13 - Revision and Codification of the Laws (§§ 221 — 229) › § 223 - Preparation of annotated recodification

It shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives to supervise the revision, classification, arrangement, and publication in English and in Spanish of the scientifically annotated recodification of the codes and laws in effect in Puerto Rico, carried out by a printing establishment contracted for these purposes in accordance with § 225 of this title, including the Annotations of the Decisions of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. The Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives shall establish the adequate procedure to carry out the purposes of this section.
History —May 11, 1950, No. 395, p. 938, § 3; June 4, 1954, No. 47, p. 270, § 1; renumbered as § 2 and amended on Dec. 22, 1999, No. 354, § 3, eff. 90 days after Dec. 22, 1999.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 13 - Revision and Codification of the Laws (§§ 221 — 229) › § 225 - Contracting for revision, classification, arrangement, publication, distribution, and sale of the Laws of Puerto Rico

(a) The Secretary of State of Puerto Rico is hereby authorized upon the recommendation of the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives, to contract any reputable and experienced publishing establishment, without being subjected to the provisions of §§ 731 et seq. of Title 23, as subsequently amended, for the editorial and production work needed for the revision, classification, arrangement, and publication of the codified legislation of Puerto Rico. The Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the House of Representatives shall forward to the editorial establishment an electronic copy of every bill approved by the Legislature and remitted by the corresponding Legislative Body to the Governor, no later than 15 days after they are sent. The Secretaries shall take the steps and establish the necessary procedures to carry out the purposes of this subsection.
(b) The Secretary of State shall deliver gratis copies of said works with the corresponding supplements to the offices of the Governor of Puerto Rico, the heads of Departments and executive agencies of the Government of Puerto Rico, and to the libraries of the Supreme Court, Court of First Instance, District Court and Property Registries. He shall also deliver gratis a copy of said works to each member of the Legislature of Puerto Rico and, in addition, twenty copies to the Secretary of the House of Representatives and twenty copies to the Secretary of the Senate, for the use of both bodies; five (5) copies to the Legislative Services Office of the Legislature, and five (5) copies to the School of Law of the University of Puerto Rico. Copies of said works may also be delivered to other public offices by legislative action or by direction of the Governor.
(c) For the purpose of achieving the widest possible distribution of the remaining copies of said works, the Secretary of State is hereby authorized to contract with any reputable and competent firm for the sale and distribution of said codification; Provided, That the contract to be executed must be approved by the Code Commission.
History —May 11, 1950, No. 395, p. 938, § 5; June 4, 1954, No. 47, p. 270, § 1; May 4, 1956, No. 16, p. 42; renumbered as § 3 and amended on Dec. 22, 1999, No. 354, § 4, eff. 90 days after Dec. 22, 1999.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 13 - Revision and Codification of the Laws (§§ 221 — 229) › § 226 - Laws of Puerto Rico ; supplements; citations; prima facie evidence of law

(a) The codification and annotation hereby authorized of the laws of Puerto Rico of a general and permanent character, shall be known in Spanish as “Leyes de Puerto Rico Anotadas” and in English as “Laws of Puerto Rico Annotated”, and may be cited in both languages as “L.P.R.A.”
(b) Supplements to the Laws of Puerto Rico Annotated shall be designated by the year of the last laws therein contained, and shall be cited as “L.P.R.A., 19 — Supplement,” the blank space to be filled in with the corresponding year.
(c) Each volume and supplement of the Laws of Puerto Rico Annotated shall contain a certification of the Secretaries of the Legislative Bodies to the effect that the text of the laws contained therein was prepared under their supervision and in harmony with the provisions of §§ 221—227 of this title; that, excluding the analyses of chapters and sections, marginal notes and annotations, said text shall be admitted by the courts of Puerto Rico as prima facie evidence of the laws of Puerto Rico of a general and permanent nature in effect at the beginning of the sessions of the Legislature following the one whose laws were the last to be included.
History —May 11, 1950, No. 395, p. 938, added as § 5A on June 4, 1954, No. 47, p. 270, § 2; renumbered as § 4 and amended on Dec. 22, 1999, No. 354, § 5, eff. 90 days after Dec. 22, 1999.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 13 - Revision and Codification of the Laws (§§ 221 — 229) › § 227 - New editions, substitute volumes, revisions of titles, supplements, preparation and distribution

(a) New editions of the Laws of Puerto Rico Annotated shall be prepared and published periodically as determined by the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate and under their supervision, but in no case, more than once each decade.
(b) Substitute volumes shall be prepared and published periodically under the supervision of the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate, provided that, in their judgment, the increase in the size of any supplement due to the volume of the laws and annotations makes its publication impractical.
(c) The titles of the Laws of Puerto Rico Annotated may be revised from time to time under the supervision of the Secretaries of the Legislative Bodies, in the order of preference that they consider advisable; and thus revised, may be presented to the Legislature in the form of a bill with a provision that specifically repeals, by citation, all the laws on which the revision is based, and it shall be accompanied by an extensive explanatory report of the proposed substantive changes.
(d) The Secretaries of the Legislative Bodies shall prepare and publish annually, under their supervision, cumulative supplements of the Laws of Puerto Rico Annotated containing all the laws of a general and permanent nature approved from the beginning of a regular session up to the following session, along with the amendments to the Constitution, the regulations of the courts, and the latest annotations.
(e) The new editions, substitute volumes, title revisions, and supplements of the Laws of Puerto Rico Annotated, authorized by this section, shall be prepared, sold, and distributed in the manner and way provided for the codified edition dealt with in § 225 of this title.
History —May 11, 1950, No. 395, p. 938, added as § 5B on June 4, 1954, No. 47, p. 270, § 2; renumbered as § 5 and amended on Dec. 22, 1999, No. 354, § 6, eff. 90 days after Dec. 22, 1999.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 13 - Revision and Codification of the Laws (§§ 221 — 229) › § 228 - Distribution to Legal Assistance Society

(a) The Secretary of State is hereby directed to deposit, at no cost, in the central office and in each of the local offices of the Legal Assistance Society, a set in Spanish of the Laws of Puerto Rico Annotated and supplements thereto, up to a maximum of twelve (12) sets.
(b) The sets and supplements of the Laws of Puerto Rico Annotated deposited by the Secretary of State in the offices of the Legal Assistance Society shall be returned to said Secretary of State in the event of the dissolution of the Society.
History —June 24, 1957, No. 97, p. 476, §§ 1, 2.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 13 - Revision and Codification of the Laws (§§ 221 — 229) › § 229 - Revision of the Code of Commerce of 1932; Legislative Code Commission

(a) The Legislative Code Commission is hereby created to revise the Code of Commerce of Puerto Rico of 1932, and the other commercial legislation.
(b) To designate the Secretary of Justice, the Chairman of the Bar Association, the Secretary of Commerce, one representative from the Law School of the University of Puerto Rico and the Commissioners of the Uniform Laws of Puerto Rico, as a Steering Committee for the selection of a Code Commission of the Code of Commerce of Puerto Rico. The Steering Committee shall constitute a commission of not less than nine (9) nor more than thirteen (13) members emphasizing their recognized experience in each area of the commercial law. For the appointments suggested in its report to the Governor, the Steering Committee shall include at least two (2) names for each position of the Code Commission that it may recommend; Provided, further, That it shall draft the commitment that shall be made to said Commission after it has been appointed by the Governor.
(c) To appropriate the sum of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000), so that once they are matched with contributions and donations from industrial and commercial entities and from the Puerto Rican banks, they be deposited in a special account in the Department of the Treasury to cover the initial expenses of the Commission through payments authorized by the Secretary of the Treasury against vouchers duly countersigned by the Chairman of said Commission.
(d) The appointments of the members of the Code Commission shall be made by the Governor of Puerto Rico from among the suggestions submitted by the Steering Committee designated in subsection (b). The members of the Commission shall be entitled to receive per diems at a rate of thirty-five dollars ($35) for each day of session.
The Chairman of the Code Commission shall be designated by the Hon. Governor of Puerto Rico. The Chairman of the Commission may employ and hire the personnel as may be necessary for the fulfillment of the functions of the Commission, including government personnel, without being subject to the provisions of § 551 of Title 3 and may, in the discharge of his functions, take all the steps as he may deem necessary for the qualification of the personnel and purpose of the Commission.
(e) The Code Commission shall render a preliminary report to the Governor of Puerto Rico not later than one year after same has been constituted. The report of the Commission shall contain a draft of the Code of Commerce that may implement its recommendations.
History —June 26, 1969, J.R. No. 46, p. 611, §§ 1—5.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 15 - Construction of Statutes; Definitions (§§ 251 — 258) › § 251 - Repeal of repealing act

No act or part of an act, repealed by another act of the Legislative Assembly, is revived by the repeal of the repealing act without express words reviving such repealed act or part of an act.
History —Political Code, 1902, § 43.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 15 - Construction of Statutes; Definitions (§§ 251 — 258) › § 252 - Effect of repeal—Prior violation

The repeal of any law creating a criminal offense does not constitute a bar to the indictment or information and punishment of an act already committed in violation of the law so repealed unless the intention to bar such information and punishment is expressly declared in the repealing act.
History —Political Code, 1902, § 44.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 15 - Construction of Statutes; Definitions (§§ 251 — 258) › § 253 - Effect of repeal—Prior penalty, forfeiture or liability

The repeal of any statute by the Legislative Assembly shall not have the effect to release or extinguish any penalty, forfeiture or liability incurred under such statute, unless the repealing act shall so expressly provide and such statute shall be treated as still remaining in force for the purpose of sustaining any proper action or prosecution for the enforcement of such penalty, forfeiture or liability.
History —Political Code, 1902, § 386.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 15 - Construction of Statutes; Definitions (§§ 251 — 258) › § 255 - Definitions

Words used in the Political Code in the present tense include the future as well as the present, words used in the masculine gender include the feminine and neuter; the singular number includes the plural, and the plural the singular; the word “person” includes a corporation as well as a natural person; “writing” includes printing; “oath” includes affirmation or declaration; every mode of oral statement under oath or affirmation is embraced by the term “testify”, and every written one in the term “depose”; “signature” or “subscription” includes mark when the person cannot write his name as a witness, — his name being written near it, and witnessed by a person who signs his own name as a witness. The following words also have in the Political Code the signification attached to them in this section, unless otherwise apparent in the context:
(1) The word “property” includes both real and personal property.
(2) The words “real property” are coextensive with lands, tenements, hereditaments, and possessory titles to public lands.
(3) The words “personal property” include money, goods, chattels, things in action, and evidence of debt.
(4) The word “year”, as used in the Political Code, means a calendar year and the word “month” means a calendar month unless otherwise expressed.
(5) The word “will” includes codicils.
(6) The word “writ” signifies any order or precept in writing, issued in the name of the people, or of a court or judicial officer, and the word “process” a writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings.
(7) The word “vessel” when used in reference to shipping, includes ships of all kinds, steamboats, and steamships, canalboats, and every structure adapted to be navigated from place to place.
(8) The word “State” when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories; and the words “United States” may include the districts and territories.
(9) The word “assessor” as used in the Political Code, includes also the Secretary of the Treasury or any agent in charge of the assessment.
History —Political Code, 1902, § 392; Apr. 26, 1950, No. 120, p. 310, § 8.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 15 - Construction of Statutes; Definitions (§§ 251 — 258) › § 256 - Sufficiency of seal

When the seal of a court, public officer, or person is required by law to be affixed to any paper, the word “seal” includes an impression of such seal upon the paper alone as well as upon wax or a wafer affixed thereto.
History —Political Code, 1902, § 390.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 15 - Construction of Statutes; Definitions (§§ 251 — 258) › § 257 - Joint authority

Words giving a joint authority to three or more public officers or other persons are construed as giving such authority to a majority of them unless it is otherwise expressed in the act giving the authority.
History —Political Code, 1902, § 391.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 15 - Construction of Statutes; Definitions (§§ 251 — 258) › § 258 - City and village defined

Wherever the words “city” or “village” are used in the Political Code, they shall be held to apply also to municipalities.
History —Political Code, 1902, § 206.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 21 - Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (§§ 341 — 345) › § 341 - Appointment of Board

The Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint two attorneys-at-law to hold office for a term of five years, and they and their successors are hereby constituted into a Board which shall represent the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and shall be known as the Board of Commissioners for the Promotion of Uniformity of Legislation in the States and Territories of the Union. Any vacancy in said Board by expiration of office, resignation, death or however otherwise arising, shall be filled by the appointment by the Governor in the manner aforesaid.
History —Mar. 10, 1910, No. 47, p. 146, § 1; June 13, 1966, No. 33, p. 157.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 21 - Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (§§ 341 — 345) › § 342 - Duty of Board

It shall be the duty of said Board to examine the subjects upon which uniformity of legislation in the various states and territories of the Union is desirable, but which are outside of the jurisdiction of the Congress of the United States as to states and beyond the scope of legislation usually treated by Congress with reference to territories; to confer upon these matters with the commissioners appointed by other states and territories for the same purpose; to consider and draft uniform laws to be submitted for approval and adoption by the several states and territories; and generally to devise and recommend such other or further course of action as shall accomplish the purpose of §§ 341—344 of this title.
History —Mar. 10, 1910, No. 47, p. 146, § 2.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 21 - Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (§§ 341 — 345) › § 343 - Records and reports

The said Board of Commissioners shall keep a record of all its transactions and shall, at each session of the Legislature, make report of its doings and of its recommendations to the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico.
History —Mar. 10, 1910, No. 47, p. 146, § 3.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 21 - Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (§§ 341 — 345) › § 344 - No compensation; payment of expenses

No member of said Board shall receive any compensation for his services. However, the actual and necessary expenses of said Commissioners in representing the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico at the annual conferences in the United States of Commissioners on uniform state laws shall be reimbursed by the Secretary of the Treasury.
History —Mar. 10, 1910, No. 47, p. 146, § 4; May 12, 1945, No. 247, p. 830, § 1; May 10, 1947, No. 301, p. 508, § 2.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 21 - Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (§§ 341 — 345) › § 345 - Contributions to National Conference of Commissioners

It is hereby provided that a sum be appropriated every year from the expected revenues of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to cover the dues established by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Legislation of the United States of America. Said sum shall be consigned in the Annual Expense Budget of the Government of Puerto Rico and in the item for the expenses of the Department of Justice, as the dues corresponding to Puerto Rico so that the Commonwealth may be represented by delegates to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Legislation of the United States of America designated to that effect. The Secretary of the Treasury of Puerto Rico is hereby authorized to make said funds available at the request of the Secretary of Justice, as may be proper.
History —Apr. 29, 1940, No. 94, p. 622, § 1; June 13, 1966, No. 32, p. 157; Aug. 9, 1998, No. 210, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 23 - Legislative Journal; Journal of Each House (§§ 371 — 384) › § 371 - Legislative journal established

For the purpose of publicizing the legislative proceedings, there is hereby established the Legislative Journal of the Legislature of Puerto Rico.
History —July 24, 1952, No. 24, p. 96, § 1, eff. July 25, 1952.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 23 - Legislative Journal; Journal of Each House (§§ 371 — 384) › § 372 - Supervision by Secretary of each house; Director

The Legislative Journal shall operate under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate and the Secretary of the House of Representatives and shall be in the charge of a Director, who shall be appointed by the presiding officers of both Houses.
History —July 24, 1952, No. 24, p. 96, § 2, eff. July 25, 1952.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWO - Legislature (§§ 1 — 1015) › Chapter 23 - Legislative Journal; Journal of Each House (§§ 371 — 384) › § 373 - Recording of legislative proceedings

The Legislative Journal shall record separately the proceedings of the Senate and of the House of Representatives in the manner hereinafter set forth.
History —July 24, 1952, No. 24, p. 96, § 3, eff. July 25, 1952.