SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Governor Jenniffer González of Puerto Rico has signed a bill that has drawn significant criticism for potentially restricting access to public information in a territory already noted for its lack of government transparency. The governor stated that the bill amends existing legislation to clarify rules, reduce confusion, and address what she described as a "considerable number of lawsuits." The new law introduces penalties for non-compliance.

Opposition to the bill has come from over a dozen journalism organizations and civil rights groups, who argue that the legislation undermines democracy and the public's right to information. Clayton Weimers, executive director for Reporters Without Borders in North America, expressed disbelief that Puerto Rican leaders would enact measures that could harm constituents' access to information and diminish press freedom on the island.

Under the new law, government agencies are now allotted 20 business days, an increase from the previous 10, to provide documents that are fewer than 300 pages or created within the last three years. For documents exceeding 300 pages or older than three years, agencies have up to one month to release them, with a possible 20-day extension.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Puerto Rico criticized the governor's decision to sign the bill, asserting that it reflects a lack of commitment to government transparency. The ACLU stated that the law serves the interests of public officials who may wish to obstruct the public's access to information.

Earlier in the month, a coalition of journalism organizations and civil society groups urged the governor to veto the bill, labeling it a "dangerous infringement on the public’s right to know." They highlighted that the bill not only extends the time frame for information release but also allows the government to classify information as confidential without judicial oversight and removes personal privacy protections for information requesters.

The legislation also eliminates the government's previous obligation to provide information in the requested format, complicating data analysis, and permits the government to deny valid requests if the information is dispersed across multiple documents or agencies. Accessing public information in Puerto Rico has historically been challenging, often requiring local media to resort to legal action despite the existence of a 2019 law intended to facilitate access to public information held by state agencies. This law acknowledged that citizens and the press face discretionary court processes that can be costly and time-consuming.

The 2019 law emphasized that many governments have pledged transparency but have failed to deliver, contributing to a decline in public trust in government institutions, which are often perceived as complex and opaque. In recent years, a local newspaper has routinely published its requests for public information and the duration of time taken to receive responses from state agencies. The bill was approved by Puerto Rico's Senate in mid-October with 18 votes in favor and nine against, and subsequently passed the House in November after only one day of hearings, with 29 votes in favor and 24 against.