Esta ley enmienda la Ley para Regular la Industria Lechera para hacer obligatoria la comparecencia del Secretario del Departamento de Asuntos del Consumidor en las audiencias para fijar los precios de la leche y sus productos derivados, buscando equilibrar los intereses de la industria y los consumidores.
(Approved January 8, 2004)
To amend subsection
(d) of Section 16 of Act No. 34 of June 11, 1957, known as the "Act to Regulate the Milk Industry", as amended, to make the summoning and appearance of the Secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs mandatory at the hearings to fix prices of the Milk Industry.
The Regulation of the Milk Industry purports to develop, protect and maintain optimum and satisfactory conditions to establish a protective market for the production and distribution of Milk, and its derived products, produced in Puerto Rico.
It is the public policy of the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to promote and protect the Puerto Rico Milk Industry. At the same time, it is its duty to protect the rights and interests of the consumers.
In view of the above, it is necessary for the government to achieve an adequate balance of both interests, by establishing a fair and reasonable process to fix maximum selling prices in the market, for milk as well as for its derived products. By discharging this responsibility, both public policy objectives are achieved.
On the other hand, it is the responsibility of the Legislature of Puerto Rico to attend to this matter so that it will not impair any of the interests involved, whether those of the Milk Industry or the consumers rights. This objective is achieved by making the summon and appearance of the Secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs to the hearings to set the prices of the Milk Industry compulsory.
Section 1.- Subsection
(d) of Section 16 of Act No. 34 of June 11, 1957, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows: "Rules
(a) (b)
(c) (d) The Administrator shall fix maximum prices for milk, including surplus, and its derived products, in all and any of the distribution channels. Any determination of prices shall be the product of a process of duly convoked public hearings. In the hearings to establish maximum prices for milk the Administrator shall summon the Secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs, who shall appear in representation of the consumers. Said Department shall also render a report and its recommendations to the Administrator on said hearings. The Administrator shall take into consideration the recommendations of the Department of Consumer Affairs in its determination on the fixing of maximum prices.
(e) (f)
Section 2.- This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 26 (H.B. 3978) of the $6^{ ext {th }}$ Session of the $14^{ ext {th }}$ Legislature of Puerto Rico:
AN ACT to amend subsection
(d) of Section 16 of Act No. 34 of June 11, 1957, known as the "Act to Regulate the Milk Industry", as amended, to make the summoning and appearance of the Secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs mandatory at the hearings to fix prices of the Milk Industry, has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today 2nd of May of 2005.
Luis E. Fusté-Lacourt Director