Gov. Jenniffer González has signed a controversial law extending response times for public-record requests in Puerto Rico, increasing deadlines from 10 to 20 business days for smaller or newer records and up to one month for larger or older files, with a 20-day extension allowed. Critics — including the ACLU of Puerto Rico and Reporters Without Borders — say the bill permits broader confidentiality claims without judicial review and removes format requirements that aid data analysis. Advocates also complained about limited public hearings and warned the law could roll back transparency gains from a 2019 statute.
Puerto Rico Governor Signs Controversial Records Law Critics Say Will Curtail Transparency
FILE - A Puerto Rican national flag flies in front of the Capitol building in San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 29, 2015. (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo, File)
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Gov. Jenniffer González on Sunday signed a contentious bill that critics say weakens public access to government records and undermines press freedom in a U.S. territory already criticized for limited transparency.
González defended the measure, saying it clarifies procedures in the existing public-records statute, reduces confusion and will cut down what she described as a "considerable number of lawsuits." She added the law establishes penalties for agencies that fail to comply.
“It is inconceivable that Puerto Rico’s leaders would go out of their way to harm their constituents’ access to information and degrade the quality of press freedom on the island,”
said Clayton Weimers, executive director for Reporters Without Borders in North America.
What the Law Changes
The new law extends agency response deadlines for public-record requests. Under the revisions:
- Agencies have 20 business days (up from 10) to produce records that are under 300 pages or were created within the past three years.
- For requests involving more than 300 pages or records older than three years, agencies may take up to one month to comply. The statute preserves a possible 20-day extension.
critics and advocacy groups warn the bill also includes other significant changes that could limit access. A coalition of journalism organizations and civil-society groups said the measure would allow the government to classify information as confidential without independent judicial review, eliminate certain privacy protections for people who request records, and remove the government’s prior obligation (established in a 2019 law) to provide records in the format requested — a change that could hinder data analysis.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Puerto Rico condemned the law, saying,
“By signing this measure into law, despite widespread opposition, the governor makes it clear that her interest is not in government transparency.”
Background And Reaction
Accessing public information in Puerto Rico has long been difficult. The 2019 law aimed to create enforceable procedures after courts and journalists reported costly, discretionary processes that delayed or blocked information. Critics say the new changes reverse some of that progress.
Earlier this month, a coalition of newsrooms and civil-society groups asked González to veto the bill, calling it a "dangerous infringement on the public's right to know." They also criticized the legislature for holding minimal public hearings: the Senate approved the measure in mid-October, 18-9, with no public hearings; the House passed it in November, 29-24, after a single day of hearings on short notice.
Supporters in the government argue the law will bring clarity and reduce litigation, while opponents say it will make it easier for officials to delay, limit or withhold information that belongs in the public record. Journalists, civil-rights groups and transparency advocates have pledged to monitor how the law is implemented and to challenge provisions that they say violate the public’s right to know.
