Senate president proposes creation of board to oversee PRITS

Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz

By THE STAR STAFF

Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz introduced Senate Bill 746 on Monday, a proposal to amend the Puerto Rico Innovation and Technology Service (PRITS) Act in order to establish the Technology Adjudication Board, a collective body responsible for evaluating and approving government technology projects and contracts.

Rivera Schatz emphasized that the modernization of the state’s technology requires decisions based on verifiable technical criteria and transparent processes.

“The public demands that every dollar invested in technology projects be managed with rigor, transparency, and accountability,” he said. “With this measure, we decentralize the authority that has previously rested with a single individual and transfer it to a collegial body, ensuring collaborative deliberation and processes that are subject to public scrutiny.”

The new board would be affiliated with PRITS and would consist of three full-time members, all appointed by the governor, the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives. Each member must possess experience in innovation, cybersecurity, data infrastructure, or related fields. Their decisions would be public and documented in written resolutions.

“This change ensures that technology contracts are evaluated based on clear criteria of security, feasibility, and utility, ultimately protecting the public interest and strengthening trust in our institutions,” Rivera Schatz added.

According to the proposal, the Technology Adjudication Board would enhance the legitimacy of its decisions by requiring written and published resolutions that explain the rationale behind each decision. Those deliberations would take into account criteria such as security, technological feasibility, utility and adaptability.