Governor signs law regulating public restroom use

By THE STAR STAFF

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón has signed Law 26 of 2026, regulating the use and designation of multi-occupancy restrooms in agencies, public corporations, the University of Puerto Rico and municipalities.

The measure, House Bill 165, was introduced by Rep. Lisie Burgos Muñiz and co-authored by several legislators.

The new law prohibits the installation of inclusive, mixed-gender, or gender-neutral restrooms and requires that multi-occupancy restrooms be separated according to biological sex; that is, restrooms for women and restrooms for men.

It also mandates the provision of accessible or family restrooms for people with disabilities, senior citizens, minors requiring assistance, or people of either sex who wish to use them.

The legislation requires clear signage and identification of multi-occupancy restrooms by biological sex, as well as the identification of accessible or family restrooms.

Each violation carries an administrative fine of $5,000, up to a maximum of $15,000. The funds collected will be allocated to the Health Department’s Rape Victim Assistance Center.

The law stipulates that its provisions do not apply to children and pre-adolescents up to 12 years of age in regular or family restrooms.