Esta ley establece la celebración de un referéndum en Puerto Rico para que los ciudadanos expresen su preferencia entre mantener un sistema legislativo bicameral (dos cámaras: Senado y Cámara de Representantes) o cambiar a un sistema unicameral (una sola cámara). La ley detalla los procedimientos para la organización, dirección y supervisión del referéndum por parte de la Comisión Estatal de Elecciones, incluyendo la preparación de las papeletas, la participación de partidos políticos y grupos ciudadanos, el voto ausente y adelantado, y la campaña de información y orientación a los votantes. También establece prohibiciones relacionadas con la propaganda política en los centros de votación y regula las contribuciones a la campaña del referéndum. La ley asigna fondos para cubrir los gastos del referéndum y estipula que, si el sistema unicameral es favorecido, se realizará otro referéndum en 2007 para aprobar las enmiendas constitucionales necesarias para implementar el cambio a partir de 2009.
(Approved September 23, 2004)
To adopt the Legislative Unicameral or Bicameral System Referendum Act; to provide for holding a referendum in which the People of Puerto Rico shall be given a proposal to express their preference with respect to maintaining a Bicameral System or changing to a Unicameral System in the Legislature of Puerto Rico; to provide for all matters pertaining to said Referendum; to impose penalties; and to appropriate funds.
Prior to the approval of our Constitution, the legislative system in Puerto Rico was governed by the provisions of the Charter of Autonomy of 1897, the Foraker Act of 1900, and the Organic Act for Puerto Rico of 1917, known as the Jones Act. The first established a system of government on our Island that consisted of an insular parliament divided into two Houses-the House of Representatives and the Administration Council—and a Governor General who answered directly to the King of Spain. The House and the Council consisted of 15 members plus those designated by the Electoral Boards, pursuant to the laws in effect at the time and in the proportion of one for every 25,000 residents.
Upon the enactment of the Foraker Act in 1900, the legislative powers rested upon a Legislature that consisted of the Executive Council or Higher House, and the House of Delegates or Lower House. The first was comprised of 11 members and the second consisted of around 35 representatives of the seven districts into which the Island was divided.
The Jones Act of 1917 brought a system to Puerto Rico in which the legislative power rested upon a Legislature divided into two Chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The first consisted of 19 members, two for each senatorial district and five senators at-large. The House had 39 representatives, five for each of the seven representative districts and four representatives at-large.
On July 3, 1950, the United States of America approved Public Law 600, which allowed us to organize under a republican system of government, with reliance upon a Constitution that we wrote ourselves. Afterwards, by means of a referendum held on June 4, 1951, the People of Puerto Rico endorsed the provisions of the aforementioned Law and thus authorized the Legislature to summon a constitutional convention to write the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The latter provided for a political organization based upon a fully democratic foundation, the promotion of the general wellbeing and the assurance of the full enjoyment of human rights.
As provided in Section 2 of Article I of our Constitution, which adopted a republican government system, the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Powers are equally subordinated to the sovereignty of the People of Puerto Rico. The first of these is exercised currently by a Legislature comprised by two Chambers-the Senate and the House of Representatives-and their members are elected by direct vote in each general election.
The composition of each House is defined by the division of the Island into eight senatorial districts and 40 representative districts for which two Senators and one Representative are elected, respectively. Furthermore, our constitutional system provides for the election of 11 Senators and 11 Representatives-at-large. The House of Representatives, in addition to the faculties and powers that were conferred upon the Legislature in general, is the Chamber in charge of initiating all bills for obtaining revenue, for convening and initiating impeachment procedures,
and, with the vote of two thirds of its members, for bringing charges against the Governor, the Comptroller and the judges of the Supreme Court. On the other hand, the Senate gives its advice and consent for the appointment of Government Secretaries, other agency heads and Supreme Court judges, and judges and passes sentence in all impeachment procedures initiated by the House of Representatives.
As can be seen, the periods that encompass the changes in the different forms of government in Puerto Rico historically vary between 3, 17 and 35 years, the second taking place with the transition from Spanish rule to the arrival of the North American government on the Island. Today, 52 years after the enactment of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rican society is considering whether or not it is advisable to reform the legislative model as a necessary element for addressing its needs and problems effectively, as part of the Government endeavor.
In its report to the Constitutional Convention, the Legislative Committee cites the arguments in favor of one or the other system. With respect to the Bicameral System, it states that: (1) it allows for a more careful consideration of the bills by demanding their double discussion and approval, also preventing hasty resolutions made under the heat of passion; (2) a single chamber may perhaps produce thoughtless and hasty resolutions; (3) it is much more difficult to influence or corrupt than a single chamber; and (4) it makes the organization of one house based on small districts possible, while the other alternative entails broader districts.
With respect to the Unicameral System, the report states that: (1) a single chamber prevents that time be wasted and the rise of artificial conflicts caused by rivalries between the two Chambers; (2) the Unicameral System is the most economical. Therefore, to provide the latter with better and more complete services and technical advice through appropriations is less costly than to do so for two
Chambers; (3) in a democratic society, the Bicameral System unnecessarily doubles the representation of the people. Since each Chamber lacks a social base of its own, its members shall tend to differentiate each purely by manifesting their esprit de corps based on personal or particular interests, rather than on the common good; and (4) with a single Chamber, it is also possible to combine the representation of small districts with that of other larger districts without intensifying the difference of the represented interests by isolating them into two different Chambers. Unicameralism tends to achieve the harmonization of the local interests of the small districts with the more general interests of the whole community.
After carefully considering these arguments, the Committee deemed it appropriate to maintain the two Chamber system in our country, alleging that this had been the legislative organization system used in Puerto Rico for the last fifty years, and that valuable traditions and practices that should not be destroyed had been created. The Committee also indicated that both the indispensable processing of legislative measures of one Chamber by the other and the double examination of said measures that the Bicameral System entails demand a more careful study thereof and prevent actions stemming from thoughtlessness.
In that regard, the House of Representatives presented in November of 1984 a Final Report on H.R. 537, which ordered the then Constitutional and Civil Rights Review Commission to analyze whether the Legislative Power of Puerto Rico should consist of one or two Chambers. Subsequently, in 1995, the Governor of Puerto Rico created a Special Commission for the study of the need and convenience of a Unicameral Legislature. Both reports analyze the arguments for and against both systems and the different mechanisms provided by the Constitution in case of a decision to change to a Unicameral System, such as the Special Referendum or the Constitutional Convention.
However, neither study addresses the preference of the people for one system over the other, a matter that is crucial prior to embarking on the task of establishing a new system to govern the procedures and powers of a Government Branch, in this case, the Legislature, the one that represents the People.
In Puerto Rico, the adoption of a Unicameral System entails the amendment of several provisions of the Constitution, among others, Article III, Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, $5,6,7,8,9,11,12,13,15,17,18,19,21$ and 22; Article IV, Sections 4 and 5; Article V, Section 8; Article VII, Section 1; and Article VIII. This means that this is not a simple matter of changing from two Chambers to one. It is about providing for representativity, composition, distribution of districts, advice and consent for appointments, procedures for the impeachment of the Governor as well as of the Comptroller and the judges of the Supreme Court, the process for approving measures; and above all, it necessarily constitutes a reformulation of the balance of power among the three Government Branches.
It needs to be said, in the first place, that the fundamental purpose pursued by the fathers of our Constitution in designing the procedure for amendments was to ensure the stability of our Supreme Law, but at the same time, to allow sufficient flexibility to respond to the changes in Puerto Rican society.
Section 1 of Article VII of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico regulates the manner in which amendments to the Constitution should be made. On the other hand, the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, pursuant to its power as highest interpreter of the Constitution conferred upon it by Article V of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, in the case Berríos Martínez vs. Rosselló González, 137 DPR 195, interpreted the constitutional requirements established by said Section. From the analysis of these constitutional requirements arises the fact that the current law complies with each and every requirement.
Regarding the concrete fact that a proposed amendment may affect more than
one Section or Article of the Constitution, Berríos Martínez vs. Rosselló González established that a single amendment does not cease to be a single amendment because it affects more than one Section or Article of the Constitution. Neither does it cease to be a single amendment because it may be subject to being divided into parts, provided said parts are of such a nature that they should be either favored or rejected as a whole in order to prevent affecting the coherence of the Constitution.
According to the above, this refers to a single proposition if the text contains the necessary details to achieve a "sole purpose," so that in order to achieve this goal it is essential that all parts be either approved or rejected at the same time.
Prior to engaging in an analysis of these essential aspects of our public life and democratic representation that entails a large investment in terms of resources as well as in terms of the attention given by the public institutions and the citizenry, it is fundamental to know in advance whether the people want their Government to pursue such a transcendental task.
This measure provides the mechanisms for first consulting the People as to their preference with respect to how the Legislative Power is exercised. If the Unicameral System is favored, it shall constitute a mandate to the Legislature for the latter to hold a special referendum to propose to the People, for their approval or rejection, the constitutional amendments necessary to establish a Unicameral System to take effect as of January 2, 2009.
Based on the current Administration's programmatic commitment to review the structure and operations of the Legislative Power, and in an attempt to obtain an initial expression by a majority of the voters on this matter, the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico hereby approves this legislation in order to continue to serve with excellence, according to the opinion expressed through the Referendum.
Section 1.- This Act shall be known as the "Legislative Unicameral or Bicameral System Referendum Act."
Section 2.- A referendum shall be held on July 10, 2005, in which a proposal shall be submitted for the People of Puerto Rico to vote in order to express their preference with respect to the use of either the Bicameral or the Unicameral System in the Legislature of Puerto Rico. The Commonwealth Elections Commission shall announce the Referendum by means of a proclamation to be published not less than sixty (60) days in advance of the Referendum in four (4) newspapers of general circulation in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Section 3.- The proposals shall be submitted for qualified voters of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to express their preference in a ballot of uniform size, printed in black ink and on thick paper, so that the print does not show through on the reverse. The Commonwealth Elections Commission shall design and print the ballots to be used, which shall include, at least, the following information:
In the upper left of the ballot, the phrase "Papeleta Oficial" shall be printed in upper case, the official logo of the Commonwealth Elections Commission in the center, and the word "Referéndum" in upper case in the upper right. The date of July 10, 2005, shall be printed in the next line under the logo of the Commonwealth Elections Commission. Below, the following shall be printed across the ballot: "REFERENDUM SOBRE PREFERENCIA ENTRE SI LA ASAMBLEA LEGISLATIVA DEBE PERMANECER COMPUESTA POR DOS CAMARAS O SI DEBE CAMBIAR A UNA SOLA CAMARA."
Two columns shall be printed underneath. The following sentence shall be printed on the top part of the first column:
The following sentence shall be printed on the top part of the second column: "FAVOREZCO SE MANTENGA LA ASAMBLEA LEGISLATIVA COMPUESTA POR DOS CAMARAS."
A rectangular box for the voter's mark that shall form a vertical column shall be printed below each of the preceding sentences. Said two columns shall be parallel and of equal size. The following instructions to the voters on how to cast their vote shall be printed on the bottom of the ballot: UN VOTO A FAVOR DEL NÚMERO 1 SIGNIFICARÁ UN MANDATO A LA ASAMBLEA LEGISLATIVA PARA QUE SE CELEBRE UN REFERÉNDUM EL NUEVE (9) DE JULIO DE 2007 CON EL FIN DE PROPONER AL ELECTORADO QUE SE ENMIENDE LA CONSTITUCIÓN DEL ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO, DE FORMA TAL QUE A PARTIR DEL DOS (2) DE ENERO DE 2009 LA ASAMBLEA LEGISLATIVA DE PUERTO RICO ESTÉ CONSTITUIDA POR UNA SOLA CÁMARA. SIGNIFICARÁ ADEMÁS, QUE LA PROPUESTA DE ENMIENDA A LA CONSTITUCIÓN DEL ESTADO LIBRE ASOCIADO DE PUERTO RICO SE PRESENTARÁ MEDIANTE EL REFERÉNDUM DISPUESTO EN LA SECCIÓN 1 DEL ARTÍCULO VII DE LA CONSTITUCIÓN Y NO POR LO DISPUESTO EN LA SECCIÓN 2 DE DICHO ARTÍCULO. UN VOTO A FAVOR DEL NUMERO 2 SIGNIFICARA UN MANDATO A LA ASAMBLEA LEGISLATIVA PARA QUE SE MANTENGA A LA RAMA LEGISLATIVA DE DOS CAMARAS.
Section 4.- The Commonwealth Elections Commission shall be responsible for organizing, directing, implementing and supervising the referendum procedures set forth herein, and for any other functions conferred upon it by virtue of this Act.
Section 5.- Act No. 4 of December 20, 1977, as amended, known as the
"Puerto Rico Electoral Act," and the regulations approved by virtue thereof, unless they are incompatible with the provisions of this Act or the regulations adopted hereunder, shall be deemed as supplemental to this Act and its provisions shall apply to all procedures related to holding the Referendum, in all matters necessary, pertinent and compatible with the purposes of this Act and for which no other system has been provided. The Commonwealth Elections Commission shall have the authority to adopt the regulations or resolutions necessary to carry out said procedure and to comply with the purposes of this Act in an efficient and impartial manner. Moreover, the established local electoral entities shall carry out the functions proper to their responsibilities according to the special characteristics of this Referendum.
Section 6.- The voters who are duly qualified as such, pursuant to the Puerto Rico Electoral Act, shall be entitled to vote in the referendum provided by this Act. The Commonwealth Elections Commission shall include in the list of voters on the referendum all active voters in the General Register of Voters as of the date of approval of this Act, those voters that as of July 10, 2005, have reached the age of 18, and those voters who register or become active as such on the date of the last Electoral Register closure, pursuant to Section 13 of this Act. The presentation of the Puerto Rico Electoral Identification Card and finger inking during the voting process shall be required pursuant to the Puerto Rico Electoral Act.
Section 7.- The Commonwealth Elections Commission shall prepare an information and orientation campaign for Puerto Rican voters with respect to the contents of the proposals regarding the Unicameral System and the Bicameral System for the Legislature which are being submitted to vote, the manner in which the ballot shall be marked to consign the vote therein, and to urge the voters to register and participate in the process, using all the communications media and public broadcasting techniques within its reach. Said campaign shall begin not less
than sixty (60) days prior to the Referendum. Section 8.- Duly registered political parties may participate in the Referendum provided their central governing bodies report said intention to the Commonwealth Elections Commission within fifteen (15) days following the date of effectiveness of this Act stating the option they shall support. Likewise, any bona fide citizen groups may participate as observers provided they comply with the requirements to such effects provided by the Commission by means of regulations. The Electoral Commission shall provide, by means of regulations, the level of participation of these groups in the Referendum process, as provided in Act No. 4 of December 20, 1977, as amended. Citizen groups that wish to participate shall report to the Commonwealth Elections Commission as to their intention within fifteen (15) days following the notice issued by the President of the Commonwealth Elections Commission to such effects. All parties that notify the Commission of their intention of participating in the Referendum shall be entitled to representation in the polling sites, as provided by the Puerto Rico Electoral Act. If within the term established herein no party notifies its intention to participate in the Referendum, the Commission, by means of regulations, shall establish a procedure to grant to some civic or political group, the representation of any of the proposals in the polling sites on the day the Referendum is to be held. The Commission shall also establish the procedure to be followed, so that on the day of the Referendum, any voter may represent in his/her polling sites the proposal of his/her preference or his/her political party, if the same lacks representation therein.
Section 9.- Voters who, as provided in Act No. 4 of December 20, 1977, as amended, shall be entitled to absentee vote shall file their application to vote in writing and under oath not less than thirty (30) days in advance of the date of the Referendum. For the purpose of adjudicating the absentee votes received, a term of not less than thirty (30) days as of the date the Commission sends the ballots to the
voters shall be granted. Section 10.- The Commonwealth Elections Commission shall establish by resolution the maximum number of officers or employees of the agency or Puerto Rico Police assigned to perform indispensable functions on the day of the Referendum who shall be entitled to advance vote.
Section 11.- The Commonwealth Elections Commission shall adopt Regulations, at least ninety (90) days before the Referendum, which shall include the rules for holding said Referendum, to be adopted pursuant to the Puerto Rico Electoral Act. Any amendments to these regulations shall be made by a majority of votes in the Commission. Provided, that any amendment shall be made between the last ten (10) days and the end of the canvassing by the unanimous vote of the Commission.
Section 12.- On the day the Referendum is held, the Puerto Rico Police shall provide sufficient regular personnel to oversee that public order is maintained. In those municipalities in which there are Municipal Police Corps, said corps shall collaborate with the Puerto Rico Police in maintaining order and security in the polling sites. The Commonwealth Elections Commission shall establish by means of resolution the maximum amount of public officers, employees or members of Government agencies, the Municipal Police or the Puerto Rico Police to be assigned to perform essential tasks on the day the Referendum is held who shall be entitled to advanced voting ballots.
Section 13.- The Commission shall determine the time for the delivery of the voter lists and of the closing of the lists. The date of the last closing of the Electoral Register shall never be more than fifty (50) days prior to the holding of the Referendum. The Commission shall provide the measures and remedies to guarantee the right to vote of any voter who is unduly excluded from the Electoral Register for reasons not attributable to him/her.
Section 14.- The President of the Commonwealth Elections Commission shall send a certification of the returns of the Referendum to the Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and to the Secretary of State not later than fortyeight (48) hours after the end of the general canvassing. The Secretary of State shall publish said certification within forty-eight (48) hours as of its remittance in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation in Puerto Rico.
Section 15.- It shall be understood that the People of Puerto Rico have expressed their will in favor of the proposal that obtains more than fifty (50) percent of the total amount of valid votes cast.
Section 16.- The Commonwealth Elections Commission shall maintain all the ballots and tally sheets corresponding to the Referendum for a term of ninety (90) days as of the certification of the returns, after which they shall be destroyed, unless there is a judicial recourse pending, in which case they shall be kept until a final and binding judgment is delivered.
Section 17.- For purposes of this Act, the President of the Commonwealth Elections Commission is hereby authorized to order the purchase or leasing of printed matter, machinery and equipment directly from the suppliers without the intervention of the Procurement Service of the General Services Administration. Likewise, the President of the Commission is authorized to contract the use of machines, electronic or any other type, in order to carry out the purposes of this Act.
It shall be the obligation of the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, its agencies, instrumentalities, municipalities, public corporations, and subsidiary corporations thereof, to cede free of charge during a reasonable term and provided the public activities carried out therewith are not unduly hindered, the use, any type of office, mechanic, electronic or transportation equipment, or personnel or other resources at their disposal that are necessary to carry out
adequately the duties imposed by this Act to the Commonwealth Elections Commission.
Section 18.- It is hereby prohibited to maintain open to the public on the day the referendum is held any locations for political propaganda or persuasion in favor of one or other proposal in the referendum within a radius of one hundred (100) meters from any building or structure wherein a polling site is installed, counting the distance from any point of the building or structure in which the propaganda location has been established.
Section 19.- No locations for propaganda or persuasion in favor of one or the other propositions in the referendum may be established less than fifty (50) meters from each other or from any previously established political propaganda establishment or any Permanent Registration Board. The implementation of this Section shall be carried out pursuant to the provisions of the Puerto Rico Electoral Act.
Section 20.- In addition to the aforementioned prohibitions, the provisions regarding prohibitions and offenses established in the Puerto Rico Electoral Act that are necessary, pertinent and applicable for the purposes of this Act shall remain in full force and effect.
Section 21.- The referendum to express the preference of the People of Puerto Rico with respect to maintaining a Bicameral System or changing to a Unicameral System in the Legislature forms part of the People of Puerto Rico's exercise of their right to self-determination. This right shall be exercised by the voters of Puerto Rico freely and democratically, without the undue intervention of persons who are foreign to the Puerto Rican Electorate.
Section 22.- No natural or juridical person shall make any contributions, directly or indirectly, to the referendum campaign of a major political party, group, organization, entity or independent groups in favor or against of any of the
proposals in excess of the amounts listed below:
a) Natural or juridical persons may make voluntary contributions to a political party or group in favor or against of any of the proposals in the referendum of up to one thousand $(1,000)$ dollars for each of the proposals for a maximum of two thousand $(2,000)$ dollars.
Section 23.- The Commonwealth Elections Commission, by means of regulations to such effects, shall provide for matters pertaining to the reports on the raising of funds. a) Any person or group of persons that is not attached to any political party, group, organization or entity that participates in favor of or against any of the proposals in the referendum who receives contributions or incurs independent expenses over five hundred (500) dollars for the campaign in favor of or against one of the proposals shall register at the Commission within three (3) days following the date of having organized as a group or the date on which the contribution was received or the expense in excess of the amount herein provided was incurred. The Commission shall provide the procedures to register such groups or persons by regulation. b) All broadcasting media that sell time or space, or otherwise render services related to the referendum provided in this Act to any natural or juridical person, organization, group or political party, shall be bound to render monthly reports under oath before the Commonwealth Elections Commission, as of the date of approval of this Act up to June, 2005, and a final report which spans from July 1 to July 10, 2005. Such reports shall be rendered using the official forms adopted by the Commission by means of regulations. In the reports, the media shall state the purpose of the expense, the cost of the time and space sold and the services they rendered. The reports shall include as attachments photocopies of the contracts pertaining to the time and space sold
and the services described in the reports. c) If a broadcasting medium does not sell time or space or render services to a natural or juridical person, organization, group or political party during any of the periods stated in this Section, it shall render a negative report under oath before the Commonwealth Elections Commission using the form adopted by the Commission by means of regulations. d) The reports required under this Section shall be submitted not later than the fifth day of the month following the month covered by the report being rendered. If a report is sent by mail, the date on the official cancellation shall be considered as the date it was rendered.
Section 24.- The sum of $1,525,000 is hereby appropriated to the Commonwealth Elections Commission to defray the expenses for holding the referendum provided by this Act, which shall be distributed as follows:
a) To organize and hold the referendum $500,000 b) To defray the expense of the transportation of voters that need to vote within the same precinct or municipality in which they are registered, including the organization and supervision of such transportation, for which the Commission shall adopt by means of regulation the mechanisms to distribute this money. $500,000 c) To defray the expenses for the information and orientation campaign provided in Section 7 of this Act, for which it is hereby provided that the Commonwealth Elections Commission shall divide such funds equally among those who are in favor of and those who oppose the proposal that have notified to the Commonwealth Elections Commission of their intention to participate in the Referendum. $500,000
(d) Twenty-five thousand $(25,000)$ dollars are hereby appropriated to begin the implementation of Section 7 of this Act, so that the President of the
Commonwealth Elections Commission may conduct a study on the eventual content of the information and orientation campaign and the final approval thereof.
For these purposes, each of the political parties and participating entities shall designate a representative to form an Advisory Committee for the President of the Commonwealth Elections Commission for carrying out said study.
A copy of said study shall be forwarded to the participating political parties and entities for their comments not later than January 31, 2005. They shall have ten (10) days as of the notification of the campaign to submit their comments and the President of the Commonwealth Elections Commission shall have five (5) days to approve the same.
The amount appropriated by this Act for the study shall be available not later than thirty (30) days after this bill takes effect.
The monies hereby appropriated shall be obtained from the item appropriated and accounted under the custody of the Office of Management and Budget in the Joint Resolution of the General Budget under the item said Office shall designate as "To Defray the Costs of Holding the Referendum." The $25,000 item shall be obtained from unencumbered Commonwealth Treasury funds.
All funds used in this Act for information and orientation campaigns shall be for the exclusive use of the Commonwealth Elections Commission. No political party, group or individual shall receive the funds provided in this Act for purposes of information and orientation for the voters.
Section 25.- If the Commonwealth Elections Commission certifies that the returns of the referendum favored the Unicameral System in the Legislature of Puerto Rico, a special referendum shall be held on July 9, 2007, to accept or reject the constitutional amendment proposals approved by the Legislature by means of a Concurrent Resolution to establish the Unicameral System in the Legislative
Branch as of January 2, 2009. Section 26.- If any part of this Act were declared unconstitutional by a competent court, said ruling shall not affect or invalidate the remaining provisions thereof.
Section 27.- This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 477 (S.B. 2672) of the $7^{ ext {th }}$ Session of the $14^{ ext {th }}$ Legislature of Puerto Rico:
AN ACT to adopt the Legislature Unicameral or Bicameral System Referendum Act; to provide for holding a referendum in which the People of Puerto Rico shall be given a proposal to express their preference with respect to maintaining a Bicameral System or changing to a Unicameral System in the Legislature of Puerto Rico; to provide for all matters pertaining to said Referendum; to impose penalties; and to appropriate funds, has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today $15^{ ext {th }}$ of October of 2008.
Francisco J. Domenech Director