Puerto Rico committee hears testimony in favor of 60-day firearms amnesty; orders 15-day report on inactive interagency panel

The House of Representatives' Public Safety Commission convened a hearing on Proyecto de la Cámara 1260 and Resolución Conjunta 353 to consider a proposal to create a 60-day general amnesty for the voluntary surrender of illegally held firearms and ammunition, with a possible administrative 30-day extension and new requirements for data collection and investigative responsibilities.

Inspector Marcos Martínez López, speaking on behalf of the Puerto Rico Police, told the commission the measure — which would amend Article 7.22 of Law 168 (2019), the territorial firearms law — is intended to encourage voluntary compliance, remove weapons outside the legal registry and relieve operational burdens on law-enforcement agencies. “La amnistía propuesta representa una alternativa razonable y beneficiosa para fomentar el cumplimiento voluntario de obligaciones pendientes,” he said, and the police agency formally expressed its support for passage.

Why it matters: supporters said removing unregistered or otherwise unregulated firearms from circulation can reduce risks to public safety if the program is carefully implemented and paired with uniform data collection to measure impact. The bill would also authorize the superintendent of police to adopt regulations, establish procedures for custody or institutional use of seized weapons, and require the Institute of Forensic Sciences and the police to coordinate analysis and reporting.

Industry and heirs: Víctor González García, president of the Asociación de Armeros de Puerto Rico, testified the measure could reduce illegal weapons on the street but urged the commission to allow heirs of deceased owners to register inherited firearms easily. He warned that past amnesty efforts were undermined by cumbersome documentation (wills, declarations of heirs, copies of prior licenses) that discouraged compliance; “Bajo las derogadas leyes… muchas de estas armas no pudieron ser inscritas a los descendientes… porque las trabas imponían costos y requisitos,” he told the committee.

Logistics and safety: Representative Ramón Torres, the Popular Democratic Party (PPD) spokesperson in the hearing, said he generally supports the bill but warned the details of where and how weapons are collected are crucial. Torres asked whether churches, fire stations or volunteer sites would be safe collection points. The inspector said the implementing regulation will specify locations and require a police presence during collections. He recalled the 2012 amnesty, saying officials documented about 1,900 firearms and roughly 100,000 rounds of ammunition recovered over 90 days and reported no security incidents during that campaign.

Statistics and accountability: multiple lawmakers pressed for separate accounting so amnesty recoveries are distinguishable from routine police seizures. The committee asked that the Division of Statistics and the relevant police units adopt a form and processes to track amnesty returns separately by reporting period so future evaluations can determine whether the initiative meets its objectives.

Committee governance and reporting: during discussion lawmakers flagged that the interagency committee established by the firearms law (cited during testimony) appears not to be meeting regularly and has not provided annual reports to the legislature as the statute contemplates. Representative Torres said he intends to propose an amendment clarifying who should preside over the committee and emphasized that clear lines of responsibility are needed to safeguard investigative confidentiality and to ensure agencies share information.

Formal action: attending to Torres’ petition, the commission directed the director of the Public Safety Commission to request, within 15 working days, that the Department of Public Safety and its secretary explain why the interagency committee has not complied with reporting requirements spelled out by law. The commission recorded the request and moved on without scheduling a vote on the bill itself at this session.

What happens to surrendered weapons: witnesses explained surrendered firearms not tied to crimes are processed at the Institute of Forensic Sciences; when possible they are matched to registered owners and, if the owner wishes and no crime is involved, returned. Functional firearms that are not returned have been sold at low cost to retiring officers, traded with manufacturers or transferred to other police departments and foreign partners under existing disposal and transfer protocols.

Next steps: the commission recessed after the hearing and the director was ordered to seek the requested reports. The measure would allow the superintendent 180 days to file required reports (per the project text referenced during testimony) and would require 90 days after enactment for the superintendent to issue implementing regulations, subject to the precise deadlines contained in the bill text.