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PS 123

Para enmendar los Artículos 262 y 263 de la Ley 146-2012, según enmendada, conocida como “Código Penal de 2012” a los fines de incluir el requerimiento de ocasionar daños a una persona como elemento esencial de los delitos de omisión o negligencia en el cumplimiento del deber.

2025-2028 Session

Puerto Rico bill requiring criminal negligence/omission charges to prove actual harm occurred, narrowing liability for officials and professionals who fail duties.

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Bill Summary · PS 123

Legislative bill overview

Bill PS 123 proposes amending Articles 262 and 263 of Puerto Rico's 2012 Penal Code to require that actual harm to a person must occur as an essential element for prosecuting crimes of omission or negligence in duty fulfillment. Currently, these articles may allow conviction based on the failure to act itself, regardless of whether demonstrable injury resulted.

Why is this important

This change would significantly narrow the scope of criminal liability for public officials, healthcare workers, and others with legal duties to act. It could affect prosecutions of negligent behavior in contexts like emergency response, medical care, and child welfare—requiring prosecutors to prove concrete harm rather than just gross negligence or dereliction of duty.

Potential points of contention

  • Public safety concerns: Requiring proof of actual harm may allow negligent officials to escape prosecution when their failures create dangerous situations but happen not to cause injury in specific instances
  • Burden of proof complexity: Establishing causation between omission and specific harm is more difficult than proving duty violation alone, potentially reducing accountability for systemic negligence
  • Professional accountability: May weaken oversight of regulated professions (healthcare, social services) where duty-based standards currently protect vulnerable populations from preventable harm

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

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