House approves bill to standardize school sports eligibility by chronological age

The Puerto Rico House of Representatives approved Proyecto de la Cámara 1120 on April 30, 2026, a measure that establishes chronological age as the sole standard for school‑sport eligibility and prohibits repeating a grade for athletic advantage.

Representative Jiménez Torres, sponsor and president of the Commission on Recreation and Sport, summarized the bill’s four core elements: it sets the student’s chronological age on Jan. 1 of the year as the eligibility standard; bars requiring or incentivizing a minor to repeat a grade for athletic purposes; requires an expedited age certification based on a birth certificate; and gives the Department of Recreation and Sport authority to regulate, impose administrative fines and suspend a coach’s license if an adult manipulates eligibility. “Establece la edad cronológica al primero de enero del año en curso como el único estándar de legibilidad deportiva escolar,” Jiménez Torres said, outlining the bill’s mechanics and stressing that sanctions would fall on adults, not minors.

Opponents pressed for empirical evidence that the problem exists in Puerto Rico. Representative Barrela Fernández, who said he attended the public hearing, argued the commission’s report and the Association of Private Education’s submission lack statistical data or documented complaints and urged the chamber to return the bill to committee to summon parents, students and school directors. “No hay estadística, no hay problema; solo se hablan de casos hipotéticos,” Barrela Fernández said, framing his request as a call for concrete cases and official referrals before legislating.

Members questioned whether the commission had referred alleged cases to the Department of Education or the Department of Justice for investigation; proponents responded that agencies and stakeholders testified at the public hearing and technical recommendations were incorporated into the text, but that individual case referrals did not appear in the committee’s report.

The chamber voted on a motion to return Proyecto 1120 to committee; the motion failed. The House then approved the bill as amended on the floor, adopting both text and title changes that clarify age certification procedures and remove ambiguity in the definition of maturity. The measure proceeds to the final calendar and will follow the chamber’s established concurrence and transmission processes.

The debate also included references to public‑health rationale: sponsors cited testimony from the Department of Health and pediatric organizations about differences in biological maturation and safety risks in contact sports. Opponents warned of potential constitutional challenges from private‑school associations if the law were to regulate private‑school operations beyond eligibility rules.

The House concluded the session after approving the bill and other measures on the day’s calendar; members recessed until May 4, 2026 at 1 p.m.