Governor signs law expanding access to PR’s sex offender registry
By THE STAR STAFF
Gov. Jenniffer González Colón has signed legislation aimed at making it easier for residents to access Puerto Rico’s Registry of Persons Convicted of Sexual Offenses and Crimes Against Minors through QR codes and direct links on government websites.
The measure, Senate Bill 632, now Act 214-2026, amends Article 7 of Act 266-2004, the Registry of Persons Convicted of Sexual Offenses and Crimes Against Minors Act. The new law requires the placement of QR codes in public buildings operated by the central government, government agencies, public corporations and municipalities, allowing citizens to access the registry instantly by scanning the code with a mobile device.
Under the legislation, all Puerto Rico government websites must also include a direct link to the registry. Information available through the QR code will be updated simultaneously with the registry’s online version, ensuring public access to current information.
The measure was authored by Sen. Marissa Jiménez Santoni and co-sponsored by Sens. Héctor G. González López, Jamie Barlucea Rodríguez, Brenda Pérez Soto, Luis D. Colón La Santa, Wilmer Reyes Berríos, Rafael Santos Ortiz and Karen M. Román Rodríguez.
The Puerto Rico Department of Justice, which administers the registry through its Criminal Justice Information System and Sex Offender Registry Unit, supported the initiative, stating that it would broaden public awareness and access to the resource. The Puerto Rico Innovation and Technology Service and the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation also endorsed the legislation, highlighting its value in improving access to public safety information.
