Article III, Puerto Rico Constitution

Puerto Rico Constitution
Preamble
Articles
I • II • III • IV • V • VI • VII • VIII • IX

Article III of the Puerto Rico Constitution is entitled The Legislature and consists of 22 sections.

Section 1

	Text of Section 1: “ Legislative power is vested in a Legislative Assembly, which consist of two houses - the Senate and the House of Representatives - whose members shall be elected by direct vote in each general election. ”

Section 2

	Text of Section 2: “ The Senate shall consist of twenty-seven Senators and House Representatives of fifty-one representatives, except as these be increased in accordance with what is provided in Section 7 of this Article. ”

Section 3

Text of Section 3: “ For the purpose of election of members to the Legislative Assembly, Puerto Rico will be divided into eight senatorial districts and forty representative districts. Each senatorial district shall elect two senators and one representative each district Representative. It also elected eleven Senators and eleven Representatives. No elector may vote for more than one candidate for Senator at Large or by more than one candidate for Representative at Large. ”

Section 4

Text of Section 4: “ During the first and subsequent elections under this Constitution shall govern the division into senatorial and representative districts as provided in Article VIII. Bliss division will be reviewed after each decennial census from 1960, by a Board which will consist of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court as Chair and two additional members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of Senate. The two additional members may not belong to the same political party. Any revisions will maintain the number of senatorial districts and representative here created, which shall be composed of contiguous and compact and organized, even where possible, on the basis of population and media communication. Each senatorial district always include five representative districts. The Board shall act by majority vote and shall for general elections to be held after each revision. The Board shall cease after each revision. ”

Section 5

Text of Section 5: “ No person shall be a member of the Legislature unless can read and write any of the two languages, Spanish and English; is a citizen of the United States and Puerto Rico and has resided in Puerto Rico for at least the two years preceding the date of election or appointment. They may not be members of the Senate who has not attained age thirty, nor may be members of the House of Representatives who is not twenty-five age. ”

Section 6

	Text of Section 6: “ To be elected or appointed by a Senator or Representative district will be I required to have resided there for at least one year prior to election or appointment. When there is more than one representative district in municipality, this residency requirement will be met in the town. ”

Section 7

Text of Section 7: “ When a general election more than two-thirds of the members of either house for a party or just under one application, as both are defined by law, will increase the number of its Member in the following cases: (A) If the party or candidate that elected more than two thirds of the members of either or both cameras have obtained less than two-thirds of total the votes cast for the office of Governor, will increase the number of members Senate or the House or both bodies, as the case, declaring party candidates elected or minority parties in sufficient numbers until all the members of the minority party or parties reach number nine in the Senate and seventeen in the House of Representatives. When there is more of a minority party, the additional members will be in the proportion which the number of votes cast for the office of Governor for each one of these parties to vote for the office of Governor deposited in total these minority parties. When one or more minority parties have obtained representation in ratio equal to or greater than the proportion of votes received by their candidate Governor, will not participate in the additional members until they had complete representation inures under these provisions, each other minority parties. (B) If the party or candidate that elected more than two thirds of the members of either or both cameras have obtained more than two thirds of total votes cast for the office of Governor, and one or more parties chose not mnoría the number of members they deserved in the Senate or in the House of Representatives or both bodies, as the case may be, in proportion to the votes deposited by each of them for the office of Governor, shall be declared elected further candidates to complete this ratio as possible, Senators but all minority parties will never be, under this provision more than nine nor more than seventeen Representatives. To select additional members of a minority party, in compliance with these provisions will be considered, first, its candidates at large there Were not they elected a result, in order of the votes they have obtained, and in Second District candidates, without having been elected, there Were obtained in their respective districts the highest proportion in the number of votes deposited in relation to the proportion of votes cast in favor of other unelected candidates from the same party for the same position in other districts. Additional Representatives and Senators whose election is declared under this section will be considered for all purposes as Senators and Representatives Accumulation. The Legislature shall take the necessary measures to regulate these guarantees, and provide for the method of attributing fractions result from the application the rules contained in this section as well as the minimum number of votes to be depositing a minority party for its candidate for Governor of entitlement the representation that is provided herein. ”

Section 8

Text of Section 8: “ Section 8. The term of office of Senators and Representatives shall begin on day two January next following the date on which the general election is held in which it was elected. When a vacancy occurs in the office of Senator or Representative by a district before the fifteen months immediately preceding the date of next general election, the Governor shall convene within thirty days the date on which the vacancy occurs, a special election in that district, which will be held no later than ninety days after the call, and the person will result in that special election elected shall hold office until the expiry of the term of his predecessor. When such a vacancy occurs trancurso a Session legislative, or the Legislative Assembly or the Senate have been called for a prior to the certification of the results of the special election date, the president of the corresponding camera appoint the recommended person for the governing body Party Central belonged to Senator or Representative in charge was vacancy, to fill the office until the election of the candidate certifying that is elected. When the vacancy occurs within fifteen months prior to a general election, or when it occurs in the office of Senator or Representative for Accumulation, the chairman of the appropriate house, will be covered on the proposal of political party to which he belonged Senator or Representative in charge were vacancy with a candidate selected in the same way as was his predecessor. The vacancy in office of Senator or Representative at Large elected candidate independent, shall be filled by election in all districts. ”

Section 9

Text of Section 9: “ Each house shall be the sole judge of the qualifications of its members, the validity of the proceedings and scrutiny of their choice; choose its own officers, adopt own legislative bodies for their internal governance procedures and rules; and with the concurrence of three-fourths of the total number of members of that made, it may order the expulsion of any of them for the same reasons that point for authorizing impeachments in Section 21 of this Article. Each House shall elect a chairperson from among their respective members. ”

Section 10

Text of Section 10: “ The Legislature will be a continuous body during the end of his term and will meet in regular session each year from the second Monday in January. The duration of regular sessions and deadlines for filing and consideration of projects shall be prescribed by law. When the Governor calls the Legislature into special session may only be considered in it matters specified in the notice or special message that you send to the Governor course of the session, which may not extend more than twenty calendar days. ”

Section 11

	Text of Section 11: “ Sessions of each house shall be public. ”

Section 12

	Text of Section 12: “ A majority of the total number of members of which each house constitute a quorum, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to it day and have authority to compel the attendance of absent members. ”

Section 13

	Text of Section 13: “ Legislative chambers will meet in the Capitol of Puerto Rico and any of them may adjourn for more than three consecutive days without consent of the other. ”

Section 14

	Text of Section 14: “ No member of the Legislative Assembly shall be arrested while in Sign chamber which is part, and for the past fifteen days or any meeting, except for treason, felony or breach of the peace; and all Member of the Legislative Assembly shall enjoy immunity for their helpful and expressions in either House or any of its committees. ”

Section 15

Text of Section 15: “ No Senator or Representative may be appointed during the term for which he was elected or appointed to fill the Government of Puerto Rico, its municipalities or instrumentalities, any civil office created or improved their salary during that term. No person may hold office in the government of Puerto Rico, its municipalities or instrumentalities and simultaneously be a Senator or Representative. These provisions do not prevent a legislator is appointed to perform duties bono. ”

Section 16

	Text of Section 16: “ The Legislature shall have the power to create, consolidate or reorganize executive departments and to define its functions. ”

Section 17

Text of Section 17: “ No bill shall become law unless it is printed, read, be referred to a committee and return it with a written report; but the camera concerned may discharge a committee study and report any project and proceed to the consideration of the same. The cameras will record books which shall state as regards the processing of projects and the feedback they issued a for and against them. Publicity will be given to the legislative procedures a daily session in the manner determined by law. Not approve any bill, except general appropriation bills, containing more than one subject, which shall be clearly expressed in its title, and any part of case law which has not been expressed in the title is void. The budget law General shall contain only appropriations and rules for the disbursement of the same. No bill shall be amended so as to change its original purpose or strange incorporate the same materials. In amending any article or section of a statute, this article or section be promulgated in its entirety as it has been amended. Every bill to raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives, but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments as in the case of any other draft law. ”

Section 18

	Text of Section 18: “ Shall be determined by law matters that may be under consideration by joint resolution, joint resolution but all follow the same process of a bill. ”

Section 19

Text of Section 19: “ Any bill that is approved by a majority of the number total members of which each house shall be submitted to the Governor and will become law if he signs it or if it returns with his objections to the House of origin within ten days (Sundays excepted) counted from the date they had received. When Governor returns a bill, the chamber receives it shall Governor's objections in the minutes and both houses may reconsider project, which if approved by two thirds of the total number of members that make up each one of them will become law. If the Legislature adjourns before the expiry of ten days of project have been submitted to the Governor, he is relieved of the obligation to return it with his objections, and the draft will become law only signing the Governor within thirty days of receipt. Any final approval or review of a project will be voting list. ”

Section 20

	Text of Section 20: “ In approving any bill to allocate funds in more than one item, the Governor may remove one or more items or reduce them, while reducing the totals. ”

Section 21

Text of Section 21: “ The House of Representatives shall have the exclusive power to initiate processes residence and with the concurrence of two thirds of the total number of Member indictment. The Senate shall have the sole power to try and dictate judgment in any process of residence; and for that purpose to meet the Senators act to behalf of the people and under oath or affirmation. No failure shall act conviction in an impeachment trial without the concurrence of three-fourths of the total number of the Members of the Senate and the judgment is limited to the removal. The person impeached shall be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgment and punishment according to law causes of residence will be treason, bribery, other felonies and those misdemeanors involving moral turpitude. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall preside at the impeachment trial Governor. The two houses may impeachment proceedings in the ordinary sessions or extraordinary. The presidents of the chambers on the written request of two-thirds of the total number of the Members of the House of Representatives, must convene to deal with such proceedings. Section 22. Comptroller to be a shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the majority of total number of the Members of each House. The Controller shall meet the requirements prescribed by law; shall hold office for a term of ten years and until his successor is appointed and qualifies. The Controller shall audit all income accounts and expenditures of the State, its agencies and instrumentalities and municipalities, to determine whether they have done according to the law. It will report annual and any special reports as may be required by the Assembly Legislature or the Governor. ”

Section 22

Text of Section 22: “ Be a Comptroller who shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of a majority of the total number of members of which each House. The Controller shall meet the requirements prescribed by law; shall hold office for a term of ten years and until his successor is appointed and qualifies. The Controller shall audit all revenues, accounts and expenditures of the State, its agencies and instrumentalities and municipalities to determine if they have made accordance with the law. He shall render annual reports and any special reports that are required by the Legislature or the Governor. In performing their duties, the Controller shall be authorized to administer oaths and evidence and compel, under pain of contempt, to the appearance of witnesses and the production of books, letters, documents, papers, records, and all other items necessary for a complete understanding of the matter under research. The Controller may be removed from office for cause and by the method established in the preceding section. ”

See also

Suggest a link

• State constitution
• Constitutional article
• Constitutional amendment
• Constitutional revision
• Constitutional convention
• Amendments
  • Initiated constitutional amendment
  • Legislatively-referred constitutional amendment
  • Publication requirements for proposed state constitutional amendments
  • Rules about constitutional conventions in state constitutions
  • State constitutional articles governing state legislatures

External links

• Oficina de Servicios Legislativos - Puerto Rico, "Constitución del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico"
• Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico - English translation via Google.com