Religious freedom law is subject of seminar for gov’t agencies

By THE STAR STAFF

With the purpose of strengthening legal knowledge and guaranteeing the proper application of the new Law of the Fundamental Right to Religious Freedom (Law No. 14 of 2025), the island Department of Justice, through the Office of the Secretary and the Institute for Training and Development of Legal Thought, held the seminar entitled “Law of the Fundamental Right to Religious Freedom” on Monday.

During the activity, the general principles of religious freedom as a fundamental right were addressed, along with the historical background that led to the approval of Act No. 14 of 2025, its purpose and scope, as well as its consistency with the public policy of the Puerto Rico government. The guidelines applicable to all government agencies, the constitutional scrutiny that must be followed when applying the law, and the penalties for noncompliance were also discussed.

The conference was led by Juan M. Gaud Pacheco, a well-known litigator in religious freedom and constitutional rights cases, former legislative adviser, and drafter of several bills. The training took place at Department of Justice headquarters in San Juan.

The speaker highlighted the sections that apply specifically to agencies such as the departments of Education, Health, Correction & Rehabilitation and Justice itself, including regulations on reasonable accommodations, and stressed the importance of agencies reviewing their internal regulations and policies to ensure compliance with the law.

“Respect for the religious freedom of all citizens is one of the fundamental pillars of our democracy and a right we must safeguard with rigor and sensitivity,” Justice Secretary Lourdes Gómez Torres said.