Committee approves bill to create Department of Sustainable Planning and Integrated Permits

At a public final-consideration session on June 21, 2024, the House commission on Small and Medium Businesses and Permits approved Proyecto de la Cámara 654, a wide-ranging measure to create a Department of Sustainable Planning and Integrated Permits for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

The presiding member opened the session at 10:32 a.m. and read the measure’s title and scope: “para crear el departamento de planificación sustentable y permisos integrados del estado libre asociado de Puerto Rico,” assigning functions, resources and penalties and amending numerous laws and a reorganization plan. The presiding member said the bill was developed with input from technical experts and was intended to address land use, natural resources and climate-change planning.

Eddy J. Ruiz Cordero, executive director for the commission, told members that the committee had circulated the amended text on June 18 in compliance with the chamber’s rules and that no additional amendments had been received within the prescribed period. With that, the director proceeded to the final roll call and vote.

When called, multiple members indicated their support; Representative Lizzy Burgos Muñiz announced an abstention. The director announced the committee’s final tally as nine votes in favor, zero against and one abstention. The presiding member declared the measure approved and asked staff to prepare a certification of the public final-consideration session and the approved text for signature and transmission with a positive report to the House floor.

The committee closed its morning session at 10:49 a.m.

What happens next: The committee directed staff to prepare the certified minutes and the final approved text so the measure can be presented to the full House with a positive committee report. The transcript does not record a floor calendar date or a floor vote timeline.