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PS 1170

Para crear la “Ley para la Reintegración y Rehabilitación del Confinado mediante la Eliminación de Antecedentes Penales”, estableciendo un término máximo de treinta (30) días, contado a partir del cumplimiento total de la sentencia impuesta por el Estado, para que se remueva de manera automática la información delictiva del certificado de antecedentes penales del confinado, en cumplimiento con el mandato constitucional de la rehabilitación; y para otros fines relacionados.

2025-2028 Session

Puerto Rico bill requires automatic removal of criminal records 30 days after sentence completion to facilitate rehabilitation and reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals.

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Bill Summary · PS 1170

Legislative bill overview

This Puerto Rico bill establishes an automatic criminal record expungement process that removes conviction information from an individual's criminal certificate within 30 days of completing their full sentence. The law is framed as fulfilling a constitutional mandate for criminal rehabilitation and reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals.

Why is this important

Criminal records create significant barriers to employment, housing, education, and social services for people who have served their sentences. Automatic expungement after sentence completion could substantially improve reintegration outcomes and reduce recidivism by removing permanent collateral consequences. This directly affects thousands of formerly incarcerated individuals in Puerto Rico seeking to rebuild their lives.

Potential points of contention

  • Victim and public safety concerns: Critics may argue that automatic removal limits public access to conviction information and prevents citizens from making informed decisions about interactions with formerly convicted individuals
  • Implementation and data management: The 30-day timeline requires significant administrative infrastructure to process expungements across all judicial and law enforcement databases, raising questions about feasibility and funding
  • Scope ambiguity: The bill's language doesn't clearly specify which offenses qualify for automatic expungement (violent crimes, sexual offenses, financial crimes may warrant different treatment) or whether it applies retroactively to past sentences
  • Law enforcement access: Unclear whether removal is complete or if law enforcement retains background access for legitimate purposes, creating potential conflicts with public records and transparency principles

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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