Puerto Rico’s New Transparency Law: A Step Back for Accountability and America’s Values

In a troubling display of government overreach, Puerto Rico's Governor Jenniffer González recently signed into law a bill that severely restricts public access to government information. While framed as an effort to reduce lawsuits and clarify procedures, the legislation actually doubles the maximum time government agencies have to fulfill information requests—from 10 business days up to 20 or even more—and introduces troubling new provisions that shield officials from scrutiny.How Much Transparency Can America Afford to Lose?For a U.S. territory already grappling with opaque governance, this measure deepens the crisis of accountability. It grants agencies longer timeframes—up to a month or...