House passes a package of bills and resolutions including stricter residence limits for sex offenders and recognition for military branches

The Puerto Rico House of Representatives completed final votes on a set of bills and joint resolutions Sept. 4, approving measures that range from criminal-justice changes to housing regulation and energy-policy guidance.

Key outcomes

- Project of the House 7-33 (amended): Passed 41-0. The measure, authored by Representative Torres Cruz and described in the calendar as expanding existing distance restrictions, increases the prohibited residential distance for certain convicted sex-offense offenders from 500 feet/meters (text used both ways in the floor read) to 1,000 meters (one kilometer) from victims, witnesses and educational or licensed child-care facilities. The sponsor told the House the change responds to victim concerns where a convicted offender lived on the same street as a complainant after release. The final text read in the chamber replaces the prior 500 metric figure with 1,000 meters and adds language expressly listing schools and licensed child-care facilities.

- Project of the House 7-81 (amended): Passed 38-3. The bill amends Article 2 of Law 8 (professional combatant statute) to recognize members of the U.S. Space Force among combatant categories covered by the statute and to clarify application of benefits to humanitarian activations and domestic missions. Sponsors argued the statute should explicitly cover Space Force personnel and clarify coverage for domestic humanitarian activations.

- Project of the…