RCFP urges Puerto Rico governor to oppose ‘anti-transparency’ bill

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is urging the governor of Puerto Rico to reject a bill that would make it more difficult to access public records and hold government officials accountable.

In a letter sent to Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón on Nov. 20, 2025, the Reporters Committee expressed concerns about Senate Bill 63, which would amend the Transparency and Expedited Procedure for Access to Public Information Act. 

The bill, which was rushed through the legislature with limited public debate, calls for doubling the amount of time the government has to respond to records requests, as well as changing the existing practice of providing information in the format requested. 

“These changes to existing law would significantly diminish government transparency in Puerto Rico and weaken public accountability,” the Reporters Committee argues. “Specifically, these changes would hamper both journalists’ and the general public’s ability to access public records swiftly and economically, which is the express goal in current law.”