Ley 274 del 2006
Resumen
Esta ley enmienda la Ley Núm. 144 de 11 de junio de 2004 para designar el segundo domingo de diciembre de cada año como el "Día de la Recordación de los Hijos e Hijas y Familiares Fallecidos", eliminando la especificación de que la muerte haya ocurrido en actos de violencia. La ley busca incluir a aquellos que fallecieron por causas naturales o accidentes, promoviendo la solidaridad entre las familias que han sufrido la pérdida de un ser querido.
Contenido
(No. 274)
(Approved December 21, 2006)
AN ACT
To amend Sections 1 and 2 of Act No. 144 of June 11, 2004, known as the "Day of Remembrance of the Sons and Daughters and Relatives Who Died in Acts of Violence," for purposes of not specifying the reason of the demise of the persons being remembered specified.
STATEMENT OF MOTIVES
Persons who have suffered the loss of a son or daughter know that the grief of such an unfortunate situation changes the way in which the life of persons is perceived. Such losses are so great, that psychological assistance is required in order to be able to cope with the suffering. Unfortunately, our society has been greatly affected by this situation, facing the natural and violent deaths of loved ones. For such reason, groups such as the nonprofit organization Alianza Laura Aponte Por La Paz (ALAPÁS) are engaged in offering support to persons who have lost a son or daughter and need the solidarity, understanding and companionship of others.
These groups, engaged in lending a hand to those who suffer, observe the second Sunday of December of each year as the Day of Remembrance of the Sons and Daughters and Relatives Who Died in Acts of Violence, created by virtue of Act No. 144 of June 11, 2004.
Specifically, the ALAPÁS group, which was created in memory of poet Laura Isabel Aponte Rivera, a young 19 year old university student who died as a result of a stray bullet, requested that said day be recognized in
remembrance of deceased sons and daughters. For the purpose of dealing with the serious problem of criminal incidence in our society, the friends and family of this young woman created this organization to support specific projects that promote analysis, consideration, and transforming education, especially in youth groups and marginalized communities.
On June 11, 2004, the Legislature approved Act No. 144, which specifically provides for the remembrance of children and relatives who died in acts of violence. However, as claimed by ALAPÁS, the law specifically mentions those who died in acts of violence, thus excluding those who died of natural causes, such as illness and unfortunate accidents.
Through this bill, the petition of said group for the modification of the designation of said day in order for it to be known as a day of remembrance of deceased children, without making distinctions about the circumstances in which the death occurred, is hereby presented.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF PUERTO RICO:
Section 1.- Sections 1 and 2 of Act No. 144 of June 11, 2004, are hereby amended to read as follows: "Section 1.- The second Sunday of December of each year is hereby designated as the Day of Remembrance of Deceased Sons and Daughters and Relatives.
Section 2.- The Department of State of Puerto Rico, in collaboration with all those organizations it deems pertinent, shall be responsible for holding activities that would contribute to fostering the spirit of solidarity among those families that have suffered the loss of sons or daughters.
Section 3.- This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
CERTIFICATION
I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 274 (H.B. 2174) of the $4^{ ext {th }}$ Session of the $15^{ ext {th }}$ Legislature of Puerto Rico:
AN ACT to amend Sections 1 and 2 of Act No. 144 of June 11, 2004, known as the "Day of Remembrance of the Sons and Daughters and Relatives Who Died in Acts of Violence," for purposes of not specifying the reason of the demise of the persons being remembered specified, has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today $31^{ ext {st }}$ of July of 2007.
Francisco J. Domenech Director