Committee approves bill to expand 'Blue Alert' plan to aid searches for suspects who injure or kill police

Luis R Ortiz Lugo, president of the Commission of Public Safety, Science and Technology of the House of Representatives, presented Senate Bill 1404 (with amendment) during the committee's May 22, 2024 public final-consideration session and described it as legislation to reinforce the island's Blue Alert plan.

According to the transcript, the measure would establish enabling legislation to expand the Blue Alert mechanism in Puerto Rico to facilitate the search and capture of suspects who seriously wound or kill police officers in the performance of their duties and to facilitate recovery of missing police officers in connection with their official duties. The chair noted the bill would set powers and duties for government entities and would add a new subsection (n) to Article 2.03 and amend subsection I of Article 2.04 of Chapter 2 of the cited law (per the session record).

The committee moved to a final in-block vote after the director confirmed full texts were circulated and no additional amendments had been filed. Representative Mariana Galán Morinelli recorded a vote against the Senate measure and said an objection: "porque no hubo vistas públicas" ("because there were no public hearings"). The director announced the recorded tally for Senate Bill 1404 as nine votes in favor and one against in the session transcript.

Chair Ortiz Lugo directed the director to prepare the certification of the public final-consideration session and the final approved texts for submission to the House Secretary. The committee adjourned after completing the votes; the official certification and journal will record the formal vote classifications and any technical clarifications.