2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE ONE - The Commonwealth (§§ 1 — 5289) › Chapter 21A - Bill of Rights for Persons with Disabilities (§§ 512 — 512m) › § 512b - Duties of the Government

The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico recognizes that the disabled population should enjoy and have access on an equal basis to the offer and demand of public services, subject to applicable Commonwealth and federal legislation and jurisprudence for the rendering of public services. In compliance with this responsibility, the departments, agencies, instrumentalities, public corporations, municipalities and entities of the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico shall:
(a) Adopt measures to ensure that society becomes aware of persons with disabilities, their rights, needs, possibilities and contributions. This duty shall be fulfilled through the distribution of information about the available programs and services, the support of information campaigns and public education programs that refer to persons with disabilities that seek to make the population aware of the need to respect and integrate this sector into the general social environment.
(b) Coordinate resources and services of the Government to guarantee that the needs of persons with disabilities are addressed in the best and most efficient manner possible.
(c) Include the views of persons with disabilities as a vital part of the short, mid and long term plans for economic development, housing, health, education and infrastructure, among others, at municipal and Commonwealth levels.
(d) To gather the best and most reliable information about the disabled population and its needs.
(e) To give priority to the requests for services of any person with disabilities. Any request for services pertaining to assisting or relieving a disability shall be addressed within a term of not more than ten (10) work days from the time of the request. Said term shall begin when the person has completed the requirements or delivered all the necessary documents for requesting the services.
(f) Ensure the rendering of efficient medical services for the person with disabilities.
(g) Develop and promote the preparation of professionals for rehabilitation, health, recreation and education systems to collaborate with persons with disabilities and their families through the public education system.
(h) Give incentives for the creation of workshops for persons with disabilities through the various government programs geared toward subsidizing and developing the establishment of enterprises, businesses and industries, and promoting the granting of subsidies to those employers who hire persons with disabilities.
(i) Include nonprofit institutions that render direct and specialized services to the disabled population in the subsidy and development programs for the establishment of enterprises, businesses and industries.
(j) Promote the development of economic incentives and offer support in services and resources for fostering the creation and strengthening of private institutions that render services to the population of persons with disabilities, especially in geographical areas with less public services to address the needs of persons with disabilities.
(k) To expedite the administrative procedures, proposals and payments for nonprofit private institutions that give service to the population of persons with disabilities. The proposals shall be addressed within not more than three (3) months from the moment in which the agency certifies that all the required documents have been delivered for evaluating the proposal. Payments shall be made based on §§ 2301—2305 of Title 3, better known as the “Act to Establish a Down Payment System for Government Purveyors of Goods and Services”, unless there is a written agreement indicating otherwise.
(l) It shall be the unavoidable duty of each department, agency, instrumentality, public corporation, municipality or entity of the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to diligently process any petition from any other department, agency, instrumentality, public corporation, municipality or entity of the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico pertaining to the coordination of services for persons with disabilities.
(m) Train public officers and employees on the responsibility of the Government toward persons with disabilities to raise awareness among the public employees about the attention due to matters that affect this population.
(n) Develop a government campaign to integrate the public sector in the efforts to benefit this population.
(o) The departments, agencies, instrumentalities, public corporations, municipalities and any entities of the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico that offer technological assistance equipment to this population shall develop and have the power to establish agreements and negotiations to transfer technological assistance equipment among themselves, thus preventing persons with disabilities from becoming affected by transition processes. In addition, the departments, agencies, instrumentalities, public corporations, municipalities and any entities of the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico who are technological assistance equipment providers shall participate and implement methods and mechanisms to expedite compliance with § 836 of Title 8.
(p) Carry out any other procedure deemed necessary to comply with the public policy and the rights acknowledged herein or established in the special laws promulgated for the benefit of persons with disabilities.
History —Aug. 31, 2004, No. 238, § 5.