Governor Jenniffer González signed into law a bill to market Puerto Rico as an accessible and inclusive destination for the benefit of people with functional diversity, La Fortaleza reported Saturday.

One in 10 visitors who came to Puerto Rico during 2024 had some special need, according to the Visitor Profile published by Discover Puerto Rico. This is a sector for which, with the new Law 43-2026, seeks to give visibility to accessible services and experiences.

The law also provides that the Tourism Company enter into collaborative agreements with non-profit or third sector entities, restaurant owners, associations and sports, recreational, cultural, medical, ecological, convention promotion entities, among others, related to the promotion, creation and celebration of tourism events aimed at the population with physical, sensory or cognitive disabilities.

La Fortaleza emphasized, through a press release, that the government program of the current administration seeks to promote activities for socialization, recreation, inclusion and improve the quality of life of people with functional diversity, and their families, to promote their full social connection.

Among the initiatives already implemented is the opening of sensory rooms at the Puerto Rico Coliseum and the Convention Center, consolidating the island as the first region in Latin America to have this certification simultaneously in its main event venues. In addition, there is sign language in all concerts at the Choliseo, making it the first venue in the Americas with permanent interpreters in its events program. Also, cadets and police officers are trained on how to handle people on the autistic spectrum, among other measures.

The new law arises from Senate Bill (PS) 357, authored by Jeison Rosa and co-authored by Jamie Barlucea, Brenda Pérez, Luis Colón La Santa and Wilmer Reyes.

On the other hand, González vetoed PS 705, which sought to amend the Organic Law of the Department of Recreation and Sports (DRD) to promote innovation, technology and artificial intelligence in sports.

The governor indicated that the challenges of administrative, operational and fiscal implementation make the effective execution of what the project proposes unfeasible. She added that, before thinking about innovation, technology and artificial intelligence in sports, “it is essential to correct and maintain the existing sports infrastructure, so that they are in adequate conditions of use and provide safety to all participants, preventing injuries and promoting a healthy environment.”

The measure - authored by Rafael Santos Ortiz and co-authored by Pérez, Barlucea and Héctor González - contemplated the use of artificial intelligence for the development of high-performance athletes, but these are not the jurisdiction of the DRD, but of the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee and sports federations.

In addition, according to the governor, implementing the measure would entail an economic investment that the DRD is not in a position to make, and the project did not contemplate the disbursement of the funds required for its execution, which “conservatively have been estimated” at $1.2 million for this fiscal year.

Gonzalez also vetoed Senate Joint Resolution 23, authored by Reyes, which required Tourism to develop marketing, promotion and support plans for the municipalities comprising the Guayama District, with their respective municipal offices and, in those towns without tourism offices, provide technical and strategic assistance for their creation, development and project planning.

The measure specifies the spaces where such promotion would be done (social networks, radio, television, digital platforms, docks and airports), but does not allocate funds.

In any case, said the governor, “these municipalities are not deprived of actions by this administration to promote themselves”, since they are covered within the campaign “Gastronomic, Tourist and Cultural Route Sea and Land”, which Tourism is currently active.

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This content was translated from Spanish to English using artificial intelligence and was reviewed by an editor before being published.