House approves faster health facility permits and specialized labor courts

On September 14, 2026, during a regular session at the Capitol, the Puerto Rico House of Representatives approved two measures that change how the government processes health permits and how courts handle labor disputes ¹². House Bill 28, authored by Representative Carlos "Johnny" Méndez Núñez, amends the Certificate of Necessity and Convenience Law (Law 2-1975) to simplify the process any business faces when opening a health services facility in Puerto Rico ¹².

What changes with House Bill 28

Under the current 1975 law, anyone applying for a Certificate of Necessity and Convenience (CNC) must provide, from the start, proof that they own the property or have a lease commitment for the site where they will establish the health facility ¹². House Bill 28 reverses that order: applicants will only need to identify the subregion where they plan to locate the business, and it will be the Secretary of the Department of Health who evaluates and approves the application before requiring documentation of ownership or lease ¹².

Méndez Núñez defended the measure as an economic development tool, arguing that at a moment when job creation is a government priority, the administration cannot keep bureaucratic structures that delay the opening of health businesses ¹². Opposition came from two lawmakers: Denis Márquez Lebrón, who warned the measure eliminates planning factors such as demographic and economic-impact analyses that currently weigh into the Health Department's decision, and Lisie Burgos Muñiz, who argued the bill doesn't address the main problem facing health businesses trying to succeed in Puerto Rico ¹².

Specialized courtrooms for labor cases

The House also approved House Bill 965, sponsored by House Vice President Ángel Peña Ramírez, which creates "Specialized Labor Affairs Courtrooms" within the Court of First Instance through a pilot program capped at three years ¹². The measure aims to handle, more quickly and fairly, the high volume of labor cases that currently pile up in regular courts, including workplace accidents, wrongful termination, maternity leave, nursing periods, minimum-wage disputes and employment discrimination based on sex or disability, among other matters ².

In the same session, the House ratified Senate Bill 205, which amends the Trade and Export Program Law to assign the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC) the task of organizing an annual "Made at Home" fair during Small Business Week in June ¹. Lawmakers also passed joint resolutions to secure funding to protect the Río Herrera ecosystem in Río Grande, allocate $74,000 for improvements to Robert Junghanns Park in Bayamón, and name a stretch of PR-5538 in Santa Isabel after Víctor Zayas Pedrogo ¹.

What it means for you

If you own or plan to open a health business — a clinic, a diagnostic center, a care facility — House Bill 28 would let you start the CNC process without first having to secure a specific location, which in theory shortens how long it takes to open a new business ¹². If you work and have ever had to fight in court over a firing, a workplace accident or employment discrimination, House Bill 965 aims to get your case resolved faster in a courtroom dedicated exclusively to those matters, instead of competing for time on the court's general docket ². Neither measure is law yet: both originated in the House and still need to pass the Senate and be signed by Governor Jenniffer González Colón to take effect.

How to / Checklist

1. If you're planning a health business, track House Bill 28's status on the Legislature's tracking system (sutra.oslpr.org) by searching "P. de la C. 28" to see if it has moved to the Senate.
2. Before filing a CNC application today, confirm with the Department of Health whether the current process (Law 2-1975, with existing ownership/lease requirements) still applies while the bill isn't yet law.
3. If you have an active labor case, ask your attorney or the Labor Department's Anti-Discrimination Unit whether your type of claim — accident, termination, discrimination, minimum wage — would qualify for the future specialized courtrooms under Bill 965.
4. Follow hearings and votes at camara.pr.gov or through the press accounts of Representative Méndez Núñez or Vice President Peña Ramírez to know when the Senate acts.
5. If the bill affects you as a business owner or employee, you can write to your senator to express support or opposition before the Senate votes.

What's next

Both bills now move to the Senate, where they could face additional public hearings before a final vote. If approved in the Senate without changes, both measures would land on Governor Jenniffer González Colón's desk for her signature or veto. House Bill 965 would launch as a pilot program capped at three years, meaning its continuation will depend on a later evaluation of results before it could become permanent ². Meanwhile, the House already has more economic-development and municipal measures on its calendar, including a meeting scheduled for September 17 with seven municipalities on public lighting agreements.

Sources

¹ Cámara aprueba medida para agilizar certificados de necesidad y avala creación de salas especializadas en asuntos laborales - WIPR

² Cámara avala dar agilidad a los Certificados de Necesidad y Conveniencia - Foro Noticioso Puerto Rico

³ Ley de Certificados de Necesidad y Conveniencia, Ley Núm. 2 de 1975 - Oficina de Gerencia y Presupuesto