Esta ley enmienda la Ley Núm. 98 de 4 de junio de 1980 para aumentar el Bono de Navidad de los pensionados o beneficiarios del Sistema de Retiro de los Empleados del Gobierno de Puerto Rico y sus Instrumentalidades, y de cualquier otra ley administrada por el Administrador de dicho Sistema, a cuatrocientos (400) dólares. Excluye a los pensionados bajo la Ley Núm. 305 de 24 de septiembre de 1999 (Programa de Cuentas de Ahorro para el Retiro). Establece que los fondos para el aumento provendrán del Presupuesto General de Gastos para el gobierno central y la judicatura, y de las corporaciones públicas y municipios para sus respectivos pensionados.
| (S. B. 2040) | ||
|---|---|---|
| (No. 159) | ||
| (Approved June 27, 2003) | ||
| AN ACT | ||
| To amend Section 1 of Act No. 98 of June 4, 1980, as amended, to increase to four hundred (400) dollars the Christmas Gift for pensioners or beneficiaries of the Employees Retirement System of the Government of Puerto Rico and its Instrumentalities and for the pensioners or beneficiaries of any other Act administered by the Administrator of the Employees Retirement System of the Government of Puerto Rico and its Instrumentalities, with the exception of pensioners under the provisions set forth by Act No. 305 of September 24, 1999, known as the "Retirement Savings Account Program Act," and to provide the source of financing for the payment of said increase. | ||
| STATEMENT OF MOTIVES | ||
| Act No. 447 of May 15, 1951, as amended, and Act No. 12 of October 19, 1954, as amended, created the Employees Retirement System of the Government of Puerto Rico and its Instrumentalities, and the "Puerto Rico Judiciary Retirement System," respectively. These Systems, administered by the Administrator of the Employees Retirement System of the Government of Puerto Rico and its Instrumentalities, were established to provide worthy and dignified means of subsistence to those employees who have dedicated their lives to public service.This administration has approved several measures for the improvement of the services that the Systems offer, and has tempered the benefits to the needs of the participants and pensioners. However, given the increase in the cost of living, the buying power of the three hundred (300) dollars of the Christmas Gift has diminished significantly. Therefore, for the sake of |
doing justice to our pensioners, it is necessary to increase said Christmas Bonus from three hundred (300) dollars to four hundred (400) dollars.
The funds to defray the Christmas Bonus increase to four hundred (400) dollars for the pensioners of the Central Government and the Judiciary set forth by this Act shall be appropriated in the General Budget of Expenses of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The public corporations and municipalities whose employees are covered by this Act shall provide the funds to defray the Christmas Bonus increase set forth in this Act for the pensioners of their corporation or municipality.
Section 1.- Section 1 of Act No. 98 of June 4, 1980, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows: "Section 1.- Any person who is receiving a pension or benefit under the provisions of Act No. 447 of May 15, 1951, as amended, or from pension plans superseded by it, or from any other Act administered by the Employees Retirement System of the Government of Puerto Rico and its Instrumentalities, including any person receiving a pension or benefits under Act No. 12 of October 19, 1954, as amended, shall be entitled to a Christmas Bonus equivalent to four hundred (400) dollars, starting December of 2003, which shall be paid no later than December 20 of each year; it is hereby set forth that pensioners under the provisions of Act No. 305 of September 24, 1999, known as the "Retirement Savings Account Program," shall be excluded from the benefits granted by this Act.
Section 2.- The resources to defray the cost of the Christmas Bonus increase, with respect to the pensioners of the Central Government and pensioned judges, shall be appropriated in the General Budget of Expenses of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The public corporations and
municipalities whose employees are covered by this Act shall provide the funds to defray the increase in the Christmas Bonus set forth by this Act for the pensioners of their corporation or municipality.
Section 3.- This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 159 (S.B. 2040) of the $5^{ ext {th }}$ Session of the $14^{ ext {th }}$ Legislature of Puerto Rico:
AN ACT to amend Section 1 of Act No. 98 of June 4, 1980, as amended, to increase to four hundred (400) dollars the Christmas Gift for pensioners or beneficiaries of the Employees Retirement System of the Government of Puerto Rico and its Instrumentalities and for the pensioners or beneficiaries of any other Act administered by the Administrator of the Employees Retirement System of the Government of Puerto Rico and its Instrumentalities, with the exception of pensioners under the provisions set forth by Act No. 305 of September 24, 1999, known as the "Retirement Savings Account Program Act," etc., has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today $15^{ ext {th }}$ of April of 2004.
Elba Rosa Rodríguez-Fuentes Director