Puerto Rico House commission moves final votes to referendum after lacking quorum

The commission on Economic Development, Planning, Telecommunications, Public–Private Partnerships and Energy of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives opened a public final‑consideration session at 11:41 a.m. on June 18, 2024, read six measures and then halted formal voting after determining it lacked a quorum. The chair announced the committee would carry out final votes by referendum later that day.

The president of the commission (name not stated) listed the measures for final consideration, including House Bill 173 (amending Law 60‑2019 to promote agribiotechnology and repeal Law 62‑2009), House Bill 1066 (amending Law No. 3‑1978 to clarify the definition of retailers in the petroleum producers and refiners law), House Bill 1246 (declaring October as Financial Responsibility Awareness Month and directing the Department of Education and the Puerto Rico Institute of Financial Education to run campaigns in public schools and via WIPR), and Senate Bills 242, 741 and 813 (various amendments related to the electric system). The chair framed the session under the House rules as a public forum authorized for committee amendments and advocacy.

During the session the chair asked members to "dar por ley las medidas circuladas, si no hay objeción, así se acuerda." Ariel Figueroa, identified in the record as an advisor to the commission, told the chair: "Señor presidente, no contamos con el quórum requerido para la votación final." Citing House Rule 12.21, the chair said that if there is no quorum at the time of the final vote, the chair may conclude the public consideration and carry out the final voting by referendum. He announced the session would proceed by referendum later that day and declared the committee’s morning work on the listed measures concluded at 11:50 a.m.

The measures read during the session include: House Bill 173 — to amend sections of the Puerto Rico Incentives Code to encourage agribiotechnology development and repeal earlier promotion law; House Bill 1066 — to clarify retail definitions in the petroleum producers/refiners law; House Bill 1246 — to establish a financial‑responsibility awareness campaign in public schools and WIPR; Senate Bill 242 — amendments to the electric‑system transformation law addressing payout of accrued leave and rehiring preference; Senate Bill 741 — changes to board expertise requirements for the Electric Power Authority to emphasize renewable‑energy experience and align with Law 17‑2019; and Senate Bill 813 — to create an Office of Fuel Purchase and Price Stabilization and require regulatory processes for fuel purchases, including futures markets, to reduce procurement costs.

Ariel Figueroa also placed on the record that, on June 15, 2024, the committee circulated six redlined electronic texts of the measures to members in compliance with Rule 12.21A. The chair asked whether any additional amendments had been received; Figueroa replied no.

Because the committee lacked the required quorum for final voting, no votes on the measures were recorded during the public session. The chair invoked the rules to move the final votes to a referendum to be held during the day of June 18, 2024. The session was then closed.

Next steps: the commission will conduct the final votes by referendum as announced; the record of that referendum and any vote tallies or amendments adopted will settle the measures’ committee outcomes.