Constitutional Convention of Puerto Rico

On June 8, 1950, the United States government approved Public Law 600, authorizing Puerto Rico to draft its own constitution in 1951. The Constitutional Assembly (Template:Langx) or Constitutional Convention of Puerto Rico met for a period of several months between 1951 and 1952 in which the document was written. The framers had to follow only two basic requirements established under Public Law 600. The first was the document must establish a republican form of government for the island. The second was the inclusion of a Bill of Rights.

The Constitution of Puerto Rico renamed the body politic until then known as the "People of Puerto Rico", and henceforth known as the "Commonwealth of Puerto Rico" (Estado Libre Asociado).

Members of the Constitutional Assembly

#Template:Efn	Delegate		Party	Constituency	Residence	Committee assignmentsTemplate:Efn	Cmtes.	Signing order	NotesTemplate:Efn
73		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Aguadilla	Camuy	Transitory Provisions and General Affairs	1	32
79			PEP	Guayama	Guayama	Drafting, Style and Enrolling	1	33Template:Efn
29		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	San Juan I	San Juan (Santurce)	Bill of Rights Judicial Branch Drafting, Style and EnrollingTemplate:EfnTemplate:Efn	3	34
92			PSO	Arecibo	Utuado	Accounting and Publications	1	35
42		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Ponce	Coamo	Legislative BranchTemplate:Efn Transitory Provisions and General Affairs	2	26
37		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	San Juan I	San Juan (Hato Rey)	Accounting and Publications	1	36
74		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Humacao	Naguabo	Transitory Provisions and General Affairs	1	37
77		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Ponce	Adjuntas	Transitory Provisions and General Affairs	1	38	Mayor of Adjuntas (1944,1948,1957-1968)
39		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	San Juan I	San Juan (Hato Rey)	Legislative Branch	1	39
32			PSO	At-large	Bayamón	Rules and Bylaws Scheduling	1	40
28		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	At-large	San Juan (Río Piedras)	Bill of RightsTemplate:Efn Drafting, Style and Enrolling	2	10
55		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Guayama	Comerío	Scheduling	1	41
59		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	At-large	San Juan (Hato Rey)	Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Bill of Rights	2	42
53		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Ponce	Villalba	Accounting and Publications	1	43
41		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Ponce	Jayuya	Legislative Branch	1	44	Former-mayor of Jayuya
61		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Mayagüez	Peñuelas	Judicial Branch	1	45
01		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Humacao	Yabucoa	Bill of RightsTemplate:Efn	1	19	Former-mayor of Yabucao
17		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Humacao	Humacao	Accounting and Publications	1	46
68		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	At-large	San Juan (Santurce)	Bill of Rights	1	47
25		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Aguadilla	Moca	Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Rules and BylawsTemplate:Efn Executive BranchTemplate:Efn	3	30
89			PEP	Ponce	Ponce	Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures	1	—Template:Efn	Only delegate not to sign the Constitution.Template:Efn Then-general manager of the Cooperative of Coffee Growers of Puerto Rico.
04		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Arecibo	Manatí	Accounting and PublicationsTemplate:Efn	1	31
51		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Guayama	Guayama	Judicial BranchTemplate:Efn	1	25
58		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Guayama	Cayey	Rules and Bylaws Drafting, Style and Enrolling	2	48
—Template:Efn		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	At-large	San Juan (Santurce)	—	0	01	Then-Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico
30			PEP	Ponce	Ponce	Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Transitory Provisions and General Affairs	2	49Template:Efn
75		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Aguadilla	Añasco	Transitory Provisions and General Affairs	1	50
13			PEP	At-large	Cataño	Scheduling Bill of Rights	2	51
18		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	San Juan II	Toa Baja (Carr. 2 K-19)	Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Judicial Branch	2	52
23		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	At-large	San Juan (Santurce)	Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance ProceduresTemplate:Efn Drafting, Style and EnrollingTemplate:Efn	2	24
78			PEP	Aguadilla	Hatillo	Rules and Bylaws Accounting and PublicationsTemplate:Efn	2	53
12			PEP	Mayagüez	Mayagüez	Scheduling Judicial Branch	2	54
34		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	San Juan I	Caguas (La Muda)	Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures	1	55	Then-first spouse of San Juan
38		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	San Juan I	San Juan (Río Piedras)	Bill of Rights Legislative BranchTemplate:Efn	2	18
90			PEP	San Juan I	San Juan (Santurce)	Legislative Branch	1	56
62			PEP	Mayagüez	Mayagüez	Rules and Bylaws Executive Branch	2	57
35		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Arecibo	Arecibo	Executive Branch	1	58
10		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	At-large	Utuado	Drafting, Style and EnrollingTemplate:Efn	1	02	Only female member.
46			PEP	San Juan I	San Juan (Santurce)	Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Bill of Rights	2	59
02		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Ponce	Ponce	Transitory Provisions and General Affairs	1	60	Then-mayor of Ponce
26		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	At-large	San Juan (Santurce)	Judicial Branch Drafting, Style and EnrollingTemplate:Efn	2	03
14			PEP	At-large	Cataño (Carr. Cataño)	Accounting and PublicationsTemplate:Efn Legislative Branch Judicial Branch	3	05
69		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	San Juan II	Naranjito	Drafting, Style and Enrolling	1	61Template:Efn
21		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Ponce	Ponce	Judicial Branch	1	62
91			PEP	San Juan II	Guaynabo	Transitory Provisions and General Affairs	1	63
80			PSO	Arecibo	Vega Baja	Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Transitory Provisions and General Affairs	2	64
43		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	San Juan I	San Juan	Bill of Rights	1	65
60		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	San Juan II	San Juan (Río Piedras)	Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures	1	66
56		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Aguadilla	San Sebastián	Bill of RightsTemplate:Efn	1	27
72		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Mayagüez	Yauco	Scheduling	1	67
22		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Guayama	Caguas	Rules and BylawsTemplate:Efn	1	22
45		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	San Juan II	San Juan (Santurce)	Executive Branch	1	68
09		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	At-large	San Juan	Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance ProceduresTemplate:Efn	1	04	Then-Governor of Puerto Rico
81		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	San Juan I	San Juan (Hato Rey)	Accounting and Publications	1	69
76		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Aguadilla	San Sebastián	Rules and Bylaws	1	70
07		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Mayagüez	Sabana Grande	Legislative BranchTemplate:Efn Executive BranchTemplate:Efn	2	09
84		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Guayama	Guayama	Accounting and Publications	1	71Template:Efn
48			PSO	Humacao	Juncos	Judicial Branch Drafting, Style and Enrolling	2	72
06		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	At-large	Guaynabo	SchedulingTemplate:Efn Drafting, Style and Enrolling	2	12
24		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Humacao	Humacao	Rules and BylawsTemplate:Efn Bill of Rights	1	13
15			PSO	At-large	Vega Baja	Bill of Rights Legislative Branch Judicial Branch	3	06
03		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Mayagüez	San Germán	Accounting and PublicationsTemplate:Efn	1	14
47			PEP	San Juan II	Bayamón	Accounting and Publications	1	73Template:Efn
86		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	At-large	San Juan (Santurce)	Bill of Rights	1	74
20		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Arecibo	Isabela	Judicial Branch Transitory Provisions and General AffairsTemplate:Efn	2	20
11		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	At-large	Carolina (Carr. Isla Verde)	Executive BranchTemplate:Efn Drafting, Style and Enrolling	2	07	President, Senate
49		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Mayagüez	San Germán	Legislative Branch	1	75
08		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	At-large	San Juan (Hato Rey)	Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Judicial BranchTemplate:Efn	2	08	President, House of Representatives
88			PEP	Guayama	Aibonito	Drafting, Style and Enrolling	1	76
16			PSO	At-large	Arecibo	Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Bill of Rights Executive Branch	3	77
85		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Arecibo	Utuado	Transitory Provisions and General Affairs	1	78	Then-mayor of Utuado
44		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	San Juan II	Toa Alta	SchedulingTemplate:Efn Legislative Branch	2	21
64			PSO	Humacao	Ceiba	Transitory Provisions and General Affairs	1	79
33		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Humacao	Río Grande	Bill of Rights Executive BranchTemplate:Efn	2	16
71		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Arecibo	Arecibo	Executive Branch	1	80
70		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	San Juan II	San Juan (Santurce)	Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Scheduling	2	81
36		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Humacao	Fajardo	Accounting and PublicationsTemplate:Efn	1	23
50		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Arecibo	Manatí	Rules and Bylaws	1	82	Then-mayor of Manatí (1945-1952, 1961-1968) Senator at-large (1953-1956)
54		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	At-large	San Juan (Santurce)	Bill of Rights	1	83
83		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Arecibo	Vega Baja	Transitory Provisions and General AffairsTemplate:Efn	1	28	Then-mayor of Vega Baja
52		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Aguadilla	Las Marías	Rules and Bylaws	1	84Template:Efn
05		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Guayama	Caguas	Executive BranchTemplate:Efn Transitory Provisions and General AffairsTemplate:Efn	2	11
31			PEP	At-large	Gurabo	Bill of Rights Judicial Branch	2	85Template:Efn
67		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	San Juan II	Bayamón	Executive Branch	1	86	Mayor of Bayamón
40		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Ponce	Orocovis	Scheduling	1	87	Former-mayor of Orocovis
82		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Humacao	Gurabo	Scheduling	1	88
27		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	At-large	Guaynabo	Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance ProceduresTemplate:Efn Judicial Branch	2	15
65		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Mayagüez	Mayagüez	Legislative Branch	1	89
66		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Mayagüez	Mayagüez	Rules and Bylaws	1	90	Then-mayor of Mayagüez
19		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Arecibo	Arecibo	SchedulingTemplate:Efn	1	29	Former-mayor of Arecibo
63			PEP	Aguadilla	Aguadilla	Executive Branch Transitory Provisions and General Affairs	2	91
87		bgcolor=Template:Party color|	PPD	Guayama	Caguas	Judicial BranchTemplate:Efn	1	17

Committees

Ten permanent committees and their officers and members were designated by the body's president, Antonio Fernós Isern, during the 25 September 1951 session, which was followed by the naming of additional delegates and several substations on 27 September. All presidents, vice presidents and secretaries were from the PPD. These committees were grouped by their purposes as follows:

Functions committees (3):

• Rules and Bylaw
• Accounting and Publications
• Scheduling

Constitutional committees (7):

• Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures
• Bill of Rights
• Legislative Branch
• Executive Branch
• Judicial Branch
• Transitory Provisions and General Affairs
• Drafting, Style and Enrolling

CommitteeTemplate:Efn	Membership	President	Vice President	Secretary	MembersTemplate:Efn
Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance ProceduresTemplate:Efn	15				Template:Plainlist
Rules and BylawsTemplate:Efn	11				Template:Plainlist
Accounting and PublicationsTemplate:Efn	11 (12)Template:Efn				Template:Plainlist
SchedulingTemplate:Efn	11				Template:Plainlist
Bill of RightsTemplate:Efn	17				Template:Plainlist
Legislative BranchTemplate:Efn	11				Template:Plainlist
Executive BranchTemplate:Efn	11 (12)Template:Efn				Template:Plainlist
Judicial BranchTemplate:Efn	15				Template:Plainlist
Transitory Provisions and General AffairsTemplate:Efn	15				Template:Plainlist
Drafting, Style and EnrollingTemplate:Efn	11 (12)Template:Efn			Template:Plainlist	Template:Plainlist

External links

• Resolutions and Propositions of the Constitutional Assembly (in Spanish)
• Session Diary of the Constitutional Convention (in Spanish)
• Analyses of the Constitutional Convention (in Spanish)
• 25 July 1952 Program of Events (in Spanish)
• Text of the Constitution sent by the Convention