New laws aim to streamline citizen-agency interface, recognize scientific contributions

Sen. Brenda Pérez Soto

By THE STAR STAFF

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón has signed two bills into law: one to recognize the contributions of Puerto Ricans to science and another aimed at enhancing government efficiency by utilizing technology to streamline citizen interactions with agencies.

The governor enacted Act 116-2025 (Senate Bill [SB] 545, authored by Sen. Brenda Pérez Soto from the Arecibo District) last Friday to designate Nov. 15 of each year as “Puerto Ricans in Science Day.” The commemoration aims to celebrate both historical and contemporary figures in science and to encourage students to engage in scientific pursuits from an early age. It will enable public agencies, educational institutions, professional organizations and private entities to organize events and campaigns that promote research, innovation and critical thinking.

The Puerto Rico Department of Education already recognizes Nov. 15 as “Puerto Ricans in Science Day” in its official academic calendar. By signing SB 545, the governor seeks to elevate the significance of that celebration, ensure its continuity, and foster collaboration among educational institutions, government agencies, scientific organizations and the private sector.

González Colón on Monday also signed into law SB 117-2025, a measure authored by Sens. Héctor Joaquín Sánchez, Brenda Pérez Soto, Luis Daniel Colón La Santa, Wilmer Reyes and Rafael Santos to enact the Electronic Identity Online Access System (IDEAL).

IDEAL is an advanced information system designed to consolidate all documentation and certifications issued by the executive branch of the island government that agencies require for various procedures. The system can be utilized for any government transaction or procedure, including permits, requests for assistance or services, and contracting, among others.

All executive branch agencies will be required to share any documentation or certification requested by a citizen with the agency handling the request, as mandated by law. Once the IDEAL system is operational, agencies will no longer need to ask citizens or corporations to provide specific documents or certificates; instead, they will access the database to verify that the requested document is current and valid.

The chief executive of government innovation and informatics will be responsible for establishing the IDEAL system, which will encompass requests for documents and certifications needed for routine government transactions while ensuring interoperability among government agency systems, allowing them to communicate through an integrated cloud-based platform.