House approves $13.95 billion FY2026 budget, bans sale of some energy drinks to minors and clears broad package of measures

The Puerto Rico House of Representatives approved a $13.95 billion general‑fund budget for fiscal 2026 and a package of more than 30 bills on Thursday, June 19, including a measure to restrict sales of energy drinks to people under 18 and regulatory steps for state use of artificial intelligence.

The budget measure — filed as the joint resolution of the House 136 — passed in final vote 34–17 after several hours of debate and amendments. The chamber also approved a set of unrelated bills on matters ranging from domestic‑violence victim guidance to municipal spending limits and coastal emergency powers.

Why it matters: the budget sets the island’s spending priorities for the next fiscal year and includes contingency reserves and targeted allocations for education, health care, municipal assistance and post‑disaster recovery. The energy‑drink measure drew sustained debate from legislators and public‑health witnesses and was one of the more contentious standalone policy votes in the package.

Budget and fiscal details

Legislative leaders and the House Committee on Finance presented the budget as a package negotiated with the governor’s office and the Financial Oversight and Management Board. Committee remarks summarized the resolution’s headline numbers: a consolidated government budget of roughly $32.0 billion across all funds and a general‑fund (state) component the House speaker identified as about $13.95 billion. Committee remarks and the record cite line items that include approximately $3.0 billion for the Department of Education, $1.6 billion for health services, $1.2 billion for public safety and $561 million for the University of Puerto Rico (partly designated for operations and scholarship programs).

The House also noted reserves intended to cover potential federal funding changes: the committee said it raised the general‑fund contingency (reserve) to about 5% to prepare for possible federal reductions tied to Medicaid and pandemic‑era funding streams. The record shows allocations for municipal support (including a $51 million extraordinary municipal fund and $35 million for municipal services), $15 million for home care 'amas de llave,' $26 million for flood control and other CAPEX lines for roads and storm recovery. The budget text circulated in session included numerous line edits and reallocations submitted and approved in the House during debate.

Representative Gabriel Rodríguez Aguiló and the energy‑drink bill

Representative Gabriel Rodríguez Aguiló, sponsor of House Bill 233, led floor debate on the measure that would prohibit retail sales of certain energy drinks to people under 18 and require consumer warnings (the bill passed in final vote 50–1). Rodríguez Aguiló framed the bill as a public‑health protection for minors and athletes, citing cardiology and pediatric testimony taken in committee.

"No es que se deje de vender este producto en Puerto Rico; lo que queremos es proteger a los menores," Representative Gabriel Rodríguez Aguiló said on the floor, arguing for age limits, warning language and a QR‑code option to provide product information without mandatory new labeling on cans.

Supporters on the floor cited testimony from cardiologists who described emergency‑room cases and cardiac events they link to excessive consumption of high‑caffeine energy drinks. Opponents — largely from business and distribution interests referenced in committee hearings — warned of economic impacts but did not prevent final passage.

Other debated bills and measures

- House Bill 97 (domestic‑violence guidance): amended and approved; sponsors said the bill clarifies the information courts and social services must provide to survivors when a protection order is issued. - House Bill 200 (timelines for precautionary administrative removals in public education): approved after floor amendments. Representative Nelly Lebrón described it as a measure to limit the time educators can remain removed from duties during investigations. - House Bill 281 (coastal emergency response): approved after debate. Representative Nieves Rosario said the measure would allow the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources to act more quickly where erosion threatens life or property. "El mar no espera," Nieves Rosario said on the floor. - House Bill 347 (Puerto Rico Innovation and Technology Service): amended and approved to give the agency clearer rule‑making authority and, in the version adopted, limited administrative fines for noncompliance with AI‑use policy. The bill authorizes the Puerto Rico Innovation and Technology Service to adopt rules and to impose administrative fines — up to $10,000 for agencies and up to $2,500 for designated officials — after promulgation of implementing regulations.

Votes at a glance (final tallies reported on the House floor)

- Joint Resolution, House 136 (FY2026 budget): Approved 34 yes, 17 no. - House Bill 93: Approved 47 yes, 4 no. - House Bill 97: Approved 51 yes, 0 no. - House Bill 100: Approved 48 yes, 3 no. - House Bill 200: Approved 51 yes, 0 no. - House Bill 225: Approved 50 yes, 0 no, 1 abstention. - House Bill 233 (energy‑drink restrictions): Approved 50 yes, 1 no. - House Bill 277: Approved 46 yes, 5 no. - House Bill 281: Approved 47 yes, 4 no. - House Bill 317: Approved 48 yes, 3 no. - House Bill 318: Approved 39 yes, 11 no, 1 abstention. - House Bill 347: Approved 51 yes, 0 no. - House Bill 522: Approved 51 yes, 0 no. - House Bill 543: Approved 51 yes, 0 no. - House Bill 612: Approved 34 yes, 17 no. - House Bill 622: Approved 51 yes, 0 no. - House Bill 712 (in concurrence with Senate): Approved 48 yes, 3 no. - Senate Bill 12 (received from Senate): Approved 48 yes, 3 no. - Senate Bill 18: Approved 51 yes, 0 no. - Senate Bill 55: Approved 51 yes, 0 no. - Senate Bill 59: Approved 50 yes, 0 no, 1 abstention. - Senate Bill 82: Approved 51 yes, 0 no. - Senate Bill 93: Approved 50 yes, 1 abstention (reported as 50 yes, 1 abstain in roll calls). - Senate Bill 165: Approved 51 yes, 0 no. - Senate Bill 277: Approved 51 yes, 0 no. - Senate Bill 401: Approved 51 yes, 0 no. - Senate Bill 446: Approved 35 yes, 16 no. - Senate Bill 454: Approved 38 yes, 13 no. - Joint resolutions and naming measures: multiple approved (see official Journal for line‑item titles and authorizations).

What the House record shows about next steps

The bills approved by the House that originated in that chamber will be sent to the Senate, where some are already in concurrence. The budget resolution will proceed under its statutory process; budget line items that require administrative rulemaking or federal approvals remain subject to future executive or federal actions. The energy‑drink law and the AI‑use provisions require implementing regulations and administrative steps before enforcement.

Meeting context and process notes

The session included extended committee reports, floor amendments submitted and approved during debate, and several measures set aside for later consideration before being returned to the floor. Public‑policy and technical testimony informed several measures during committee work reported on the floor; the House also recorded a large block of final roll‑call votes at the end of the day.

Ending

The House recessed at the close of the afternoon session with plans to reconvene on the next scheduled floor day. The bills and budget approved on June 19 now move to the next stages of the legislative process (Senate consideration, governor’s action, or regulatory implementation) as required by each measure’s legal path.