Constitutional Convention of Puerto Rico

On June 8, 1950, the United States government approved Public Law 600, authorizing Puerto Rico to draft its own constitution in 1951. The Constitutional Assembly () or Constitutional Convention of Puerto Rico met for a period of several months between 1951 and 1952 in which the document was written. The framers had to follow only two basic requirements established under Public Law 600. The first was the document must establish a republican form of government for the island. The second was the inclusion of a Bill of Rights.

The Constitution of Puerto Rico renamed the body politic until then known as the "People of Puerto Rico", and henceforth known as the "Commonwealth of Puerto Rico" (Estado Libre Asociado).

Members of the Constitutional Assembly # Delegate Party ConstituencyResidenceCommittee assignmentsSigning orderNotes73 PPDAguadillaCamuyTransitory Provisions and General Affairs1 3279 PEPGuayamaGuayamaDrafting, Style and Enrolling1 3329 PPDSan Juan ISan Juan (Santurce)Bill of Rights Judicial Branch

Drafting, Style and Enrolling3 3492 PSOAreciboUtuadoAccounting and Publications1 3542 PPDPonceCoamoLegislative Branch Transitory Provisions and General Affairs2 2637 PPDSan Juan ISan Juan (Hato Rey)Accounting and Publications1 3674 PPDHumacaoNaguaboTransitory Provisions and General Affairs1 3777 PPDPonceAdjuntasTransitory Provisions and General Affairs1 38Mayor of Adjuntas (1944,1948,1957-1968)39 PPDSan Juan ISan Juan (Hato Rey)Legislative Branch1 3932 PSOAt-largeBayamónRules and Bylaws Scheduling1 4028 PPDAt-largeSan Juan (Río Piedras)Bill of Rights Drafting, Style and Enrolling2 1055 PPDGuayamaComeríoScheduling1 4159 PPDAt-largeSan Juan (Hato Rey)Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Bill of Rights2 4253 PPDPonceVillalbaAccounting and Publications1 4341 PPDPonceJayuyaLegislative Branch1 44Former-mayor of Jayuya61 PPDMayagüezPeñuelasJudicial Branch1 4501 PPDHumacaoYabucoaBill of Rights1 19Former-mayor of Yabucao17 PPDHumacaoHumacaoAccounting and Publications1 4668 PPDAt-largeSan Juan (Santurce)Bill of Rights1 4725 PPDAguadillaMocaPreamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Rules and Bylaws

Executive Branch3 3089 PEPPoncePoncePreamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures 1 —Only delegate not to sign the Constitution. Then-general manager of the Cooperative of Coffee Growers of Puerto Rico.04 PPDAreciboManatíAccounting and Publications1 3151 PPDGuayamaGuayamaJudicial Branch1 2558 PPDGuayamaCayeyRules and Bylaws Drafting, Style and Enrolling2 48— PPDAt-largeSan Juan (Santurce)—0 01Then-Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico30 PEPPoncePoncePreamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Transitory Provisions and General Affairs2 4975 PPDAguadillaAñascoTransitory Provisions and General Affairs1 5013 PEPAt-largeCatañoScheduling Bill of Rights2 5118 PPDSan Juan IIToa Baja (Carr. 2 K-19)Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Judicial Branch2 5223 PPDAt-largeSan Juan (Santurce)Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Drafting, Style and Enrolling2 2478 PEPAguadillaHatilloRules and Bylaws Accounting and Publications2 5312 PEPMayagüezMayagüezScheduling Judicial Branch2 5434 PPDSan Juan ICaguas (La Muda)Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures1 55Then-first spouse of San Juan38 PPDSan Juan ISan Juan (Río Piedras)Bill of Rights

Legislative Branch2 1890 PEPSan Juan ISan Juan (Santurce)Legislative Branch1 5662PEPMayagüezMayagüezRules and Bylaws Executive Branch25735 PPDAreciboAreciboExecutive Branch1 5810 PPDAt-largeUtuadoDrafting, Style and Enrolling1 02Only female member.46 PEPSan Juan ISan Juan (Santurce)Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures

Bill of Rights2 5902 PPDPoncePonceTransitory Provisions and General Affairs1 60Then-mayor of Ponce26 PPDAt-largeSan Juan (Santurce)Judicial Branch Drafting, Style and Enrolling2 0314 PEPAt-largeCataño (Carr. Cataño)Accounting and Publications

Legislative Branch

Judicial Branch3 0569 PPDSan Juan IINaranjitoDrafting, Style and Enrolling1 6121 PPDPoncePonceJudicial Branch1 6291 PEPSan Juan IIGuaynaboTransitory Provisions and General Affairs1 6380 PSOAreciboVega BajaPreamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Transitory Provisions and General Affairs2 6443 PPDSan Juan ISan JuanBill of Rights1 6560 PPDSan Juan IISan Juan (Río Piedras)Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures1 6656 PPDAguadillaSan SebastiánBill of Rights1 2772 PPDMayagüezYaucoScheduling1 6722 PPDGuayamaCaguasRules and Bylaws1 2245 PPDSan Juan IISan Juan (Santurce)Executive Branch1 6809 PPDAt-largeSan JuanPreamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures1 04Then-Governor of Puerto Rico81 PPDSan Juan ISan Juan (Hato Rey)Accounting and Publications1 6976 PPDAguadillaSan SebastiánRules and Bylaws1 7007 PPDMayagüezSabana GrandeLegislative Branch Executive Branch2 0984 PPDGuayamaGuayamaAccounting and Publications1 7148 PSOHumacaoJuncosJudicial Branch Drafting, Style and Enrolling2 7206 PPDAt-largeGuaynaboScheduling Drafting, Style and Enrolling2 1224 PPDHumacaoHumacaoRules and Bylaws Bill of Rights1 1315 PSOAt-largeVega BajaBill of Rights

Legislative Branch

Judicial Branch3 0603 PPDMayagüezSan GermánAccounting and Publications1 1447 PEPSan Juan IIBayamónAccounting and Publications1 7386 PPDAt-largeSan Juan (Santurce)Bill of Rights1 7420 PPDAreciboIsabelaJudicial Branch Transitory Provisions and General Affairs2 2011 PPDAt-largeCarolina (Carr. Isla Verde)Executive Branch Drafting, Style and Enrolling2 07President, Senate49 PPDMayagüezSan GermánLegislative Branch1 7508 PPDAt-largeSan Juan (Hato Rey)Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Judicial Branch2 08President, House of Representatives88 PEPGuayamaAibonitoDrafting, Style and Enrolling1 7616 PSOAt-largeAreciboPreamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Bill of Rights

Executive Branch3 7785 PPDAreciboUtuadoTransitory Provisions and General Affairs1 78Then-mayor of Utuado44 PPDSan Juan IIToa AltaScheduling Legislative Branch2 2164 PSOHumacaoCeibaTransitory Provisions and General Affairs1 7933 PPDHumacaoRío GrandeBill of Rights Executive Branch2 1671 PPDAreciboAreciboExecutive Branch1 8070 PPDSan Juan IISan Juan (Santurce)Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Scheduling2 8136 PPDHumacaoFajardoAccounting and Publications1 2350 PPDAreciboManatíRules and Bylaws1 82Then-mayor of Manatí (1945-1952, 1961-1968) Senator at-large (1953-1956)54 PPDAt-largeSan Juan (Santurce)Bill of Rights1 8383 PPDAreciboVega BajaTransitory Provisions and General Affairs1 28Then-mayor of Vega Baja52 PPDAguadillaLas MaríasRules and Bylaws1 8405 PPDGuayamaCaguasExecutive Branch Transitory Provisions and General Affairs2 1131 PEPAt-largeGuraboBill of Rights

Judicial Branch2 8567 PPDSan Juan IIBayamónExecutive Branch1 86Mayor of Bayamón40 PPDPonceOrocovisScheduling1 87Former-mayor of Orocovis82 PPDHumacaoGuraboScheduling1 8827 PPDAt-largeGuaynaboPreamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Judicial Branch2 1565 PPDMayagüezMayagüezLegislative Branch1 8966 PPDMayagüezMayagüezRules and Bylaws1 90Then-mayor of Mayagüez19 PPDAreciboAreciboScheduling1 29Former-mayor of Arecibo63 PEPAguadillaAguadillaExecutive Branch Transitory Provisions and General Affairs2 9187 PPDGuayamaCaguasJudicial Branch1 17

Committees Ten permanent committees and their officers and members were designated by the body's president, Antonio Fernós Isern, during the 25 September 1951 session, which was followed by the naming of additional delegates and several substations on 27 September. All presidents, vice presidents and secretaries were from the PPD. These committees were grouped by their purposes as follows:

Functions committees (3): Rules and Bylaw Accounting and Publications Scheduling Constitutional committees (7): Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures Bill of Rights Legislative Branch Executive Branch Judicial Branch Transitory Provisions and General Affairs Drafting, Style and Enrolling

CommitteeMembership President Vice President SecretaryMembersPreamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures15Rules and Bylaws11Accounting and Publications11 (12)Scheduling11Bill of Rights17Legislative Branch11Executive Branch11 (12)Judicial Branch15Transitory Provisions and General Affairs15Drafting, Style and Enrolling11 (12)

Notes

References

External links

Resolutions and Propositions of the Constitutional Assembly (in Spanish) Session Diary of the Constitutional Convention (in Spanish) Analyses of the Constitutional Convention (in Spanish) 25 July 1952 Program of Events (in Spanish) Text of the Constitution sent by the Convention