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House approves calendar of bills including housing-protection measure and school epilepsy plan
Summary
After a special recognition for Autism Awareness Month, the House approved a final voting calendar (electronic vote opened 4:13 p.m., closed 4:42 p.m.) and passed multiple measures including Project Cámara 374 (retirement law amendment), Project Cámara 996 (protecting Department of Housing properties), Senate Project 417 (licensing of adult disability care facilities) and Senate Project 425 (school epilepsy action plans).
SAN JUAN — Following a mid‑afternoon recess, the Puerto Rico House of Representatives reconvened on April 7, 2026, formed a final voting calendar and approved a slate of measures by electronic vote. Leaders opened the electronic voting period at 4:13 p.m. and closed it at 4:42 p.m.; the chair announced that all measures on the calendar received a majority and were approved.
What passed: notable items on the final calendar included Project Cámara 374 (an amendment to retirement-system law, approved after in‑chamber amendments); Project Cámara 996 (presented by Representative Pedro Ortiz), which clarifies that properties owned by the Puerto Rico Department of Housing that are part of strategic housing programs cannot be declared public nuisances or expropriated by municipalities and establishes a notification and interagency coordination mechanism; Senate Project 417 (reconsidered text giving the Department of the Family authority to license and supervise establishments that care for adults with disabilities); and Senate Project 425, which requires school action plans for epilepsy crises, personnel training and reasonable accommodations.
Representative Pedro Ortiz, sponsor of Project Cámara 996, told colleagues the measure aims to protect state and federally funded housing assets and to avoid intergovernmental conflicts that could interrupt reconstruction and housing programs. "This measure...clarifies the scope of municipal power so that strategic housing projects are protected," he said on the floor.
Senate Project 425 drew floor attention for school safety and health protections. Denis Márquez, who requested time to speak on the bill, described the bill’s requirements for emergency action plans, designation of responsible personnel, standardized government forms and staff training to ensure students with epilepsy receive timely, documented care.
Procedural notes and timing: multiple other bills and resolutions were read and dispositioned on the floor during the calendar reading; several measures were adopted after in‑chamber amendments. The secretary of the House and floor leaders announced committee referrals and instructed agencies to receive and act on commission reports where appropriate.
Outcome and next steps: The House approved the listed bills and several resolutions by majority vote during the electronic session. No roll-call tallies for individual members were recorded in the transcript excerpt provided; the chair summarized the overall result: "Por el resultado de la votación final, todos los proyectos, los informes y las medidas han sido aprobados." The House recessed until Monday, April 13, 2026, at 1 p.m.
