Esta ley establece la política pública de Puerto Rico para que las agencias y corporaciones públicas que proveen servicios básicos (agua, luz, transporte, etc.) implementen programas de información y educación para los ciudadanos sobre proyectos de mejora que puedan afectar la prestación de servicios. La ley especifica las agencias sujetas a la misma (AEE, AAA, AMA, DTOP) y detalla los requisitos para los programas de educación, incluyendo el uso de medios de comunicación, la especificación de zonas afectadas, el tiempo de duración de las obras y la antelación con la que se debe notificar a los ciudadanos.
(Approved July 2, 2002)
To create the Government Service User Information and Education Act; define the Public Policy on Information and Education in Government Agencies that render basic services to the citizenry; define the participating corporations and agencies; and establish a guidance program for citizens.
In a modern society such as ours, the availability of basic utilities such as water, electric power, transportation, telephone services and Internet are fundamental in guaranteeing the quality of life of citizens. The quality and stability in the rendering of basic services are an indicator of the level of progress achieved by a country.
This infrastructure, in addition to being an important factor in the economic development of Puerto Rico, is essential for the citizens and clients, who should know the manner in which these agencies operate and how improvements to these services affect them.
Periodically, government agencies and privatized public agencies, such as the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, perform improvements to their infrastructure and to the manner in which they render their services, without there being a campaign to educate and inform the citizens.
The absence of uniformity in the criteria for citizen education and information increases the risk for some sectors of the population of being
adversely affected by these processes, which gives rise to financial and social problems.
Section 1.-This Act shall be known as the Government Service User Information and Education Act.
Section 2.-Public Policy.- It shall be the public policy of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico that the public agencies and corporations that render basic services to the citizenry institute information and education programs concerning improvement plans and projects so as to avoid dislocations or causing major problems to the citizenry.
Section 3.-Agencies and Entities Subject to this Act.- The following agencies and corporations shall be subject to the provisions of this Act: the Electric Power Authority; the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority; the Metropolitan Bus Authority; and the Department of Transportation and Public Works.
Section 4.-Education and Information Program.- An education and information program is hereby created, to the effect that the agencies and entities included under Section 3 of this Act conduct education and information programs concerning their improvement projects that affect the rendering of basic services to the citizens.
Each agency shall employ the public broadcasting media, according to their resources and capabilities, to inform citizens and clients of the various improvement and/or new infrastructure development projects that could affect the stability of the services and affect the citizens, and they shall be subject to the provisions of Act No. 4 of December 20, 1977, as amended, known as the "Puerto Rico Electoral Act."
In employing fiscal resources to defray the cost for diffusing the information, all agencies concerned shall circumscribe to what constitutes a public purpose, as defined in the applicable statutory and jurisprudence standards.
This information and education program shall specify the nature of the project to be undertaken, specify zones in terms of municipality, urbanization, barrio and street, as well as the radius of impact or potential impact of these improvements, and the time the works to be performed will take. This citizen guidance and education program shall begin, if possible, thirty (30) days in advance, but fifteen (15) days in advance at the very least, of the performance of the improvements. In the case of exceptional situations in which it has not been possible to program the works to be performed with enough time so as to comply with the notice terms stated above, the government entity or corporation shall offer public guidance to those persons that will be affected by the works to be performed through the communications media with at least forty-eight (48) in advance of undertaking the improvements. During the implementation of the improvements or project, the agency or entity shall maintain a direct assistance system for citizens and shall monitor the effects of the improvements being made on citizens.
Section 5.-This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 98 (H.B. 1380) of the $\underline{3}^{ ext {rd }}$. Session of the $\underline{14}^{ ext {th }}$ Legislature of Puerto Rico:
AN ACT to create the Government Service User Information and Education Act; define the Public Policy on Information and Education in Government Agencies that render basic services to the citizenry; define the participating corporations and agencies; and establish a guidance program for citizens, has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today $4^{ ext {th }}$ of March of 2004.
Elba Rosa Rodríguez-Fuentes Director