View source for Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico

{{Short description|Territorial legislature of Puerto Rico}}
{{Use American English|date = March 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = March 2019}}
{{Infobox legislature
 | name          = Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico
 | native_name = Asamblea Legislativa de Puerto Rico
 | legislature = [[20th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico]]
 | coa_pic       = Seal of Puerto Rico Legislature.svg
 | coa-pic       = 
 | session_room  =Capitolio de Puerto Rico (28755163211) (cropped).jpg
 | house_type    = [[Bicameralism|Bicameral]]
 | houses        = [[Senate of Puerto Rico|Senate]] <br>[[House of Representatives of Puerto Rico|House of Representatives]]
 | leader1_type      = [[President of the Senate of Puerto Rico|Senate President]]
 | leader1           = [[Thomas Rivera Schatz]] ([[New Progressive Party (Puerto Rico)|PNP]])
 | election1         = January 2, 2025
 | leader2_type      = [[Speaker of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico|House Speaker]]
 | leader2           = [[Carlos Johnny Méndez|Johnny Méndez]] ([[New Progressive Party (Puerto Rico)|PNP]])
 | election2         = January 2, 2025
 | members       = 28 Senators<br />53 Representatives
 | house1 = Senate
 | structure1 = Puerto Rico Senate 2024.svg
 | structure1_res = 250px
 | political_groups1     = <br />{{Color box|#000090|border=silver}} [[New Progressive Party (Puerto Rico)|PNP]] (19) <br />{{Color box|Red|border=silver}} [[Popular Democratic Party (Puerto Rico)|PPD]] (5)<br />{{Color box|#009D00|border=silver}} [[Puerto Rican Independence Party|PIP]] (2)<br />{{Color box|cyan|border=silver}} [[Proyecto Dignidad|PD]] (1)<br />{{Color box|#FFFFFF|border=silver}} [[Independent politician|Independent]] (1)
 | house2 = House of Representatives
 | structure2 = Puerto Rico House of Representatives 2024.svg
 | structure2_res = 250px
 | political_groups2     = {{Color box|#000090|border=silver}} [[New Progressive Party (Puerto Rico)|PNP]] (36)<br />{{Color box|Red|border=silver}} [[Popular Democratic Party (Puerto Rico)|PPD]] (13)<br />{{Color box|#009D00|border=silver}}  [[Puerto Rican Independence Party|PIP]] (3)<br />{{Color box|cyan|border=silver}}  [[Proyecto Dignidad|PD]] (1)
 | last_election1    = [[2024 Puerto Rican general election|November 5, 2024]]
 | voting_system1 = [[Plurality block voting]] for 16 [[Puerto Rico senatorial districts|electoral district]] seats<br>[[Single non-transferable vote]] for 11 [[at-large]] seats | last_election2    = [[2024 Puerto Rican general election|November 5, 2024]]
 | voting_system2 = [[First-past-the-post voting]] for 40 [[Puerto Rico representative districts|electoral district]] seats<br>[[Single non-transferable vote]] for 11 [[at-large]] seats
 | meeting_place = [[Capitol of Puerto Rico]]<br />[[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan]]
 | website       ={{URL|camara.pr.gov}}<br />{{URL|senado.pr.gov}} 
}}
The '''Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico''' ({{langx|es|Asamblea Legislativa de Puerto Rico}}) is the [[state legislature (United States)|territorial legislature]] of the [[Puerto Rico|Commonwealth of Puerto Rico]], responsible for the legislative branch of the government of Puerto Rico. The Assembly is a [[Bicameralism|bicameral]] legislature consisting of an [[upper house]], the [[Senate of Puerto Rico|Senate]] (Spanish: ''Senado'') normally composed of 27 senators,{{efn|name=increased-house|Each house can increase its number of legislators when in a general election more than two-thirds of the members of either house are elected from one political party or from a single ticket.<ref>{{cite constitution |article=III |section=7, |country=Puerto Rico |url=http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Constitution_of_the_Commonwealth_of_Puerto_Rico#ARTICLE_III_THE_LEGISLATURE |date=July 25, 1952 |access-date=August 6, 2013 }}</ref>}} and the [[lower house]], the [[House of Representatives of Puerto Rico|House of Representatives]] (Spanish: ''Cámara de Representantes'') normally consisting of 51 representatives.{{efn|name=increased-house}} Eleven members of each house are elected [[at-large]] rather than from a specific legislative district with all members being elected for a four-year term without [[term limits in the United States|term limits]].

The structure and responsibilities of the Legislative Assembly are defined in Article III of the [[Constitution of Puerto Rico]] which vests all legislative power in the Legislative Assembly. Every [[bill (law)|bill]] must be passed by both houses and signed by the [[Governor of Puerto Rico]] to become law. Each house has its unique powers. The constitution also states that each house shall be the unique judge on the legal capacity of its members. The constitution also grants [[parliamentary immunity]] to all elected members of the Legislative Assembly.

The assembly currently in session is the [[19th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico]], composed of the [[27th Senate of Puerto Rico|27th Senate]] and the [[31st House of Representatives of Puerto Rico|31st House of Representatives]].

The Legislative Assembly convenes at the [[Capitol of Puerto Rico|Capitol]] in [[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan]].

==History==

The House of Representatives is the oldest legislative body in Puerto Rico. It was formed on November 25, 1897, when the [[Spanish government]] of [[Prime Minister of Spain|Prime Minister]] [[Práxedes Mateo Sagasta]] granted autonomy to the archipelago, creating a House that was composed of 32 members.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Carta Autonómica de 1897 de Puerto Rico|url=http://www.lexjuris.com/lexlex/lexotras/lexcartaautonomica.htm|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-12-06|website=www.lexjuris.com}}</ref> In addition to the House, there was also an Administrative Council of 15 members, eight of whom were elected by a "Colegio de Compromisarios" and the other seven were named by the [[List of Governors of Puerto Rico|Governor General]] in representation of the [[Monarchy of Spain|Spanish monarch]].

After Puerto Rico was ceded to the United States on July 25, 1898, as part of the [[Spanish–American War]], a military government was imposed archipelago.<ref>{{cite web |title=Military Government in Puerto Rico - The World of 1898: The Spanish-American War (Hispanic Division, Library of Congress) |url=https://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/1898/milgovt.html |website=www.loc.gov |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=11 May 2022}}</ref> This was until April 12, 1900, when the [[U.S. Congress]] approved the first civil government for Puerto Rico under the federal [[Foraker Act]]. The act granted the archipelago with a civil governor (named by the [[U.S. President]]) and a House of Delegates composed of 35 members elected by the people of Puerto Rico, as well as an Executive Council of 11 members, designated all by the U.S. president, and six sitting members consisting of the governor's [[Cabinet (government)|cabinet]].<ref name="Ency_PR_Foraker Act">{{cite web|title= Ocupación Militar y la ley Foraker|url= https://enciclopediapr.org/encyclopedia/ocupacion-militar-y-la-ley-foraker/|website= Enciclopedia PR|publisher= Fundación Puertorriqueña de las Humanidades (FPH)|language= es|first1= Yanelba Mota|last1= Maldonado|access-date= 19 February 2019|archive-date= February 20, 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190220062903/https://enciclopediapr.org/encyclopedia/ocupacion-militar-y-la-ley-foraker/|url-status= dead}}</ref>

The political arrangement under the Foraker Act continued until 1917. On March 2 of that year, president [[Woodrow Wilson]] approved the [[Jones–Shafroth Act]] ({{USStatute|64|368|39|951|1917|03|02}}), which provided for the creation of an completely separate [[legislative branch]] with regards to the Executive branch in sections 25-39 of the statute.<ref>{{cite web |title=1917 Jones Act [(H.R. 9533), Pub. L. No. 64-368] · PRCAP (PR Citizenship Archives Project) |url=https://www.scholarscollaborative.org/PuertoRico/items/show/4 |website=www.scholarscollaborative.org |access-date=30 December 2022}}</ref> It established a House of Representatives with 39 members and a Senate of 19 members, all elected directly by the people of the unincorporated territory. Puerto Rico was then divided into 7 senatorial districts and 35 house districts. The [[first Senate of Puerto Rico]] was elected in July 1917.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Nolla Acosta |first1=Juan José |title=Puerto Rico Election Results, 1899-2012 |date=25 January 2013 |publisher=Lulu.com |isbn=978-1-300-67141-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w_SaBAAAQBAJ |access-date=30 December 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

{{Politics of Puerto Rico}}
The unincorporated territory is divided into 8 senatorial and 40 House districts. On July 25, 1952, the [[Constitution of Puerto Rico]] was formally adopted, establishing the current House of Representantes and Senate as the bicameral houses of the Legislative Assembly (as stated in Article III).

==Powers==
The Constitution of Puerto Rico vests all legislative powers in the Legislative Assembly. Each house has the sole power to be the judge of the legal capacities of its members.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (as amended up to 1970) |url=https://www.refworld.org/legal/legislation/natlegbod/1952/es/29375 |access-date=2025-07-09 |website=Refworld |language=en}}</ref> The members of both houses are protected by parliamentary immunity, which Article III, Section 14 states "no member of the Legislative Assembly shall be imprisoned...", they also shall not be held accountable for anything said in the floor.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Puerto Rico Constitution :: Article III - The Legislature :: Section 14. |url=https://law.justia.com/constitution/puerto-rico/article-iii/section-14/ |access-date=2025-07-09 |website=Justia Law |language=en}}</ref>

Each House holds exclusive powers that are not given to the other. The House of Representatives has the exclusive power to initiate an [[Impeachment in the United States|impeachment]] process and the Senate the exclusive power to pass judgement. All laws dealing with the commonwealth budget or taxes must originate in the House of Representatives. The Senate retains the exclusive power to extend its consent to appointments to government offices made by the governor (judges, cabinet secretaries and others) as stated by law or Constitution.<ref name=":1" />

Puerto Rico’s Legislative Assembly can refer proposed amendments to the Constitution to a public referendum, but each proposal must be approved by a two-thirds vote in both chambers. No more than three amendments may appear on a single ballot. The legislature also determines whether the vote will occur during a general or special election, which requires a three-fourths majority vote.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Puerto Rico 2024 ballot measures |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Puerto_Rico_2024_ballot_measures |access-date=2025-07-09 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}</ref>

==Qualifications==
Under Article III, Sections 5 and 6, members of the Legislative Assembly must be fluent in either Spanish or English, must be a citizen of the United States [[Puerto_Rican_citizenship_and_nationality|and Puerto Rico]], and have resided in Puerto Rico for at least two years prior to their election. Senators must be at least 30 years old, while House representatives must be at least 25 years old. Both Senators and Representatives (except those elected [[at-large]]) must reside in their constituent district at least one year prior to their election.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Puerto Rico Constitution :: Article III - The Legislature :: Section 5. |url=https://law.justia.com/constitution/puerto-rico/article-iii/section-5/ |access-date=2025-07-09 |website=Justia Law |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Puerto Rico Constitution :: Article III - The Legislature :: Section 6. |url=https://law.justia.com/constitution/puerto-rico/article-iii/section-6/ |access-date=2025-07-09 |website=Justia Law |language=en}}</ref>

==Sessions==
{{Main|List of Legislative Assemblies of Puerto Rico}}
The following is a list of legislative assemblies, with a count starting on the legislature elected in the [[1948 Puerto Rican general election]], following the enactment of the Puerto Rico Elective Governor Act of 1947 by president [[Harry S. Truman]].

{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* 1949–1953: [[1st Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|1st]]
* 1953–1957: [[2nd Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|2nd]]
* 1957–1961: [[3rd Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|3rd]]
* 1961–1965: [[4th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|4th]]
* 1965–1969: [[5th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|5th]]
* 1969–1973: [[6th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|6th]]
* 1973–1977: [[7th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|7th]]
* 1977–1981: [[8th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|8th]]
* 1981–1985: [[9th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|9th]]
* 1985–1989: [[10th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|10th]]
* 1989–1993: [[11th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|11th]]
* 1993–1997: [[12th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|12th]]
* 1997–2001: [[13th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|13th]]
* 2001–2005: [[14th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|14th]]
* 2005–2009: [[15th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|15th]]
* 2009–2013: [[16th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|16th]]
* 2013–2017: [[17th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|17th]]
* 2017–2021: [[18th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|18th]]
* 2021–2025: [[19th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|19th]]
* 2025–2029: [[20th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico|20th]]
}}

==Moves to unicameralism==
Act No. 477 of September 23, 2004 provided for a referendum to be held on July 10, 2005, in which Puerto Rican voters were to indicate if they favored changing the Legislative Assembly to a single house, or maintain the bicameral legislature established by the 1917 Jones Act, which had been retained (with modifications) by the 1952 Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. A vote for unicameralism would constitute a mandate for the Legislative Assembly to hold a second referendum on July 9, 2007, on the constitutional amendment that would establish a unicameral legislature by 2009.

In the [[Puerto Rican unicameralism referendum, 2005|unicameral referendum]] held on July 10, 2005, Puerto Rican voters approved a mandate for the Legislative Assembly to hold a second referendum on the constitutional amendment that would establish [[unicameralism|unicameral legislature]] by 456,267 votes in favor, versus 88,720 against; [[voter turnout]] was only 22.6%, the lowest turnout figure in Puerto Rico's electoral history, vastly below the 81.7% that had gone to the polls just a few months earlier for the general election.<ref>{{cite news|author = María Vera|title = Trabajan borrador unicameralidad|publisher = [[El Vocero]]|url = http://www.vocero.com/noticias.asp?s=Locales&n=78249|access-date = 2006-10-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927182019/http://www.vocero.com/noticias.asp?s=Locales&n=78249|archive-date=2007-09-27 }}</ref><ref>[http://eleccionespuertorico.org/referencia/referendum2007_en.html Elections in Puerto Rico:No Unicameralism Referendum on July 9, 2007]</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = La Participación Ciudadana en los Procesos Electorales en Puerto Rico|work = Oficina de Asuntos Legales|publisher = Comisión Estatal de Elecciones de Puerto Rico (CEEPUR) / State Electoral Commission|url = http://www.ceepur.org/sobreCee/leyElectoral/pdf/LaParticipacicion.pdf|access-date = 2006-10-02|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061004193306/http://www.ceepur.org/sobreCee/leyElectoral/pdf/LaParticipacicion.pdf|archive-date = 2006-10-04}} (via {{cite web |url=http://www.ceepur.org/sobreCee/leyElectoral/ |title=Comisión Estatal de Elecciones |access-date=2007-03-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041206040957/http://www.ceepur.org/sobreCee/leyElectoral/ |archive-date=2004-12-06 }})</ref> Another referendum was scheduled for July 2007 to approve the specific [[constitutional amendment|amendments]] to the Constitution of Puerto Rico that are required for the change. However, the [[Supreme Court of Puerto Rico]] ruled in June that it could not force the Legislative Assembly to initiate a constitutional amendment process to become a single chamber legislature.<ref>José Córdova Iturregui y Otros vs. Cámara de Representantes del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, 2007 TSPR 133</ref> Further moves to unicameralism have been [[Table (parliamentary procedure)#Use in the United States|tabled]].

==Agencies==
Agencies of the legislative branch include:

* [[Puerto Rico Commission on Civil Rights|Commission on Civil Rights]]
* [[Comptroller of Puerto Rico|Comptroller]]
* [[Puerto Rico Office of Legislative Services|Office of Legislative Services]]
* [[Puerto Rico Ombudsman|Ombudsman]]
* Superintendency of the Capitol

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [https://www.refworld.org/legal/legislation/natlegbod/1952/es/29375 Constitution] of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (as amended up to 1970)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120327004951/http://pomarrosas.com/Elecciones_1917.html Elected Senators 1917]
* [https://www.camara.pr.gov/ House of Representatives of Puerto Rico] {{in lang|es}}
* [https://senado.pr.gov/ Senate of Puerto Rico] {{in lang|es}}
*[https://electionspuertorico.org/referencia/distritos/1917-2011.html Senatorial Districts 1917-2011]

{{Legislative branch of the government of Puerto Rico}}
{{Legislative Assemblies of Puerto Rico}}
{{United States legislatures}}
{{National bicameral legislatures}}
{{Legislatures of the Americas}}
{{Puerto Rico topics}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico| ]]
[[Category:Legislative branch of the government of Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:Territorial legislatures of the United States|Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:Bicameral legislatures|Puerto Rico]]