House hearing examines bill C-1409 to modernize Puerto Rico’s assistance-animal law

The Commission on Older Adults and Social Welfare of the House of Representatives held a public hearing on Sept. 29 on Proyecto de la Cámara 1409, a bill to amend Law 51 of May 29, 1970, to update and strengthen access rights for people who use assistance animals and harmonize the law with applicable federal standards, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Representative Santiago Guzmán Pellier sponsored the measure at the request of Fundación Luz Para Tus Ojos.

Department and advocacy witnesses described the bill’s core changes: it would prohibit requiring ‘‘tarjeta, documento, chapa, registro u otro comprobante’’ as a condition of access; explicitly extend protections to transportation (including digital platforms), employment, educational institutions, housing and hospitals; and set up complaint and enforcement mechanisms. ‘‘La eliminación de exigencias generales de tarjetas, chapas, registros o certificados como condición de acceso’’, the Department of Health’s written position stated, “armoniza la legislación local con los estándares federales” (read into the record by Wilmer Rivera).

Witnesses agreed on the bill’s purpose but differed on implementation details. Defensoría de las Personas con Impedimento recommended technical clarifications (for example adding ‘‘sensorial’’ to the disability definition) and urged excluding housing language from this bill because enforcement there is governed by HUD and the Fair Housing Act. The Department of Education opposed applying the current draft to schools without operational safeguards for minors, such as supervision, insurance, PEI/504 coordination and funding. The hearing ended with committee requests for follow-up data (ARV case breakdown and a signage report from Health) to inform next steps.

Next step: the commission has not taken a vote; members asked agencies to submit the requested information within five business days so the measure’s fiscal and operational impacts can be assessed before further legislative action.