“Para ordenar a las comisiones de Familia, Mujer, Personas de la Tercera Edad y Población con Diversidad Funcional; y de Juventud, Recreación y Deportes del Senado de Puerto Rico, realizar una investigación exhaustiva sobre el Plan de Trabajo del Departamento de Recreación y Deportes en relación con el Municipio de Lares, a los fines de evaluar la intervención de dicha agencia ante la ausencia de programación recreativa para la población escolar en horario vespertino, así como para personas de edad avanzada y personas con diversidad funcional; y para otros fines relacionados.”

2025-2028 Session

Directs two Senate committees to probe DPR's Lares Work Plan for gaps in after-school, elderly, and disabled recreation, enabling oversight and potential program changes.

Referido a Comisión(es)

Overview

RS 199 is a Senate resolution directing two standing committees to conduct an exhaustive investigation into the Department of Recreation and Sports’ Work Plan with respect to the Municipality of Lares. The purpose is to evaluate the agency’s intervention in response to the absence of recreational programming for certain groups, specifically the school-age population in the afternoon/evening hours, as well as elderly residents and people with disabilities.

Purpose and Intent

Direct two Senate committees to perform a thorough review of the Department of Recreation and Sports’ (DPR) Work Plan as it relates to Lares.

Assess whether DPR has intervened or should intervene due to gaps in recreational programming for:

School-age children during afternoon/evening hours
Elderly residents
Persons with functional diversity (disabilities)

Support “other related purposes” as needed by the committees to complete the investigation.

Key Provisions

Creation of an investigative mandate for two specific committees:

Comisión de Familia, Mujer, Personas de la Tercera Edad y Población con Diversidad Funcional
Comisión de Juventud, Recreación y Deportes

Focus area: Plan de Trabajo of the Department of Recreation and Sports in relation to Lares, and intervention needs in light of programming gaps.

(Note: The text provided does not specify a deadline or reporting timeline; such details would be determined by the committees during the investigation.)

Affected Parties and Impacts

Primary focus on the Municipality of Lares and DPR

Affected or consulted stakeholders could include:

Local schools and school administrators
Municipal government of Lares
Program participants: school-age youth, elderly residents, and persons with disabilities
Organizations and groups serving recreation or after-school activities

Outcomes may include a formal Senate report with findings and recommendations, potential policy or program adjustments by DPR, and increased oversight of after-school and accessible recreation programming.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Introduced: May 19, 2025

Legislative Actions:

Radicado (filed on May 19, 2025)
Aparece en Primera Lectura del Senado (First Reading on May 19, 2025)
Referido a Comisión(es) (Refer to committees on May 19, 2025)

Next steps (not specified in text): If approved by the full Senate, the resolution could authorize hearings, testimony, and preparation of a written report with recommendations. The resolution itself is a oversight and investigative tool, not an appropriation or direct policy change.

Potential Implications

Strengthens legislative oversight of DPR and public recreation programming in Lares.

May prompt DPR to reevaluate or modify its Work Plan and programming strategies for after-school hours and inclusive recreation.

Could inform future legislation or funding considerations based on identified gaps and needs.

If you’d like, I can provide a comparison with similar prior resolutions or outline a possible short-form outline for the committee’s investigative report.

Bill