President of the Senate of Puerto Rico

The president of the Senate of Puerto Rico (Spanish: Presidente del Senado) is the highest-ranking officer and the presiding officer of the Senate of Puerto Rico. The president has voting powers as it is elected amongst the own members of the Senate as established by Article III of the Constitution of Puerto Rico. The Constitution, however, does not establish its functions and since the Senate is the only body authorized by the Constitution to regulate its own internal affairs, the functions of the president vary from session to session—save being called "President" as the Constitution establishes.[1] The president is typically elected during the Senate's inaugural session.[2]

President of the
Senate of Puerto Rico
Incumbent
Jose Luis Dalmau (PPD)

since January 2, 2021
StyleThe Honorable
diplomatic
Mister President
when presiding over the Senate
Nominatornominated internally by the Senate
Appointerelected internally by the Senate
Term length4 years
Inaugural holderAntonio R. Barceló
August 13, 1917
FormationMarch 2, 1917
Jones–Shafroth Act
Article III of the Constitution of Puerto Rico
DeputyPresident pro tempore

When absent, the president is substituted by the President pro tempore.[2] Its counterpart in the House is the speaker.

The current president is Jose Luis Dalmau, senator at-large from the Popular Democratic Party

Background

The president traces its history back to more than 104 years ago when the Jones–Shafroth Act formally established the post on March 2, 1917. Said act was eventually superseded by another law, and the post was eventually established by the Constitution of Puerto Rico, specifically Article III, which establishes that, "The Senate shall elect a President [...] from among [its] members." The Constitution, however, does not establish what a "president" is nor what its function should be.[1] Internal rules adopted by the Senate through a simple resolution establish its definition, functions, responsibilities, and legal scope.[2]

Functions

Typically the president is responsible for the observance and compliance of the Senate's internal rules. He also typically:[2]

  • presides all Senate meetings
  • resolves and decides all parliamentary situations and rules of order brought in sessions,
  • names all permanent and special commissions of the Senate,
  • signs all bills, joint resolutions, concurrent resolutions, reorganization plans, and simple resolutions approved by the Senate and the Legislative Assembly,
  • convenes special sessions of the Senate,
  • maintains order and decorum in the Senate, a responsibility typically delegated to the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate,
  • must vote in all matters presented in the Senate (can not abstain),
  • represents the Senate in all forums,
  • is responsible for all administrative matters of the Senate, a responsibility typically delegated to the Secretary of the Senate,
  • appoints an internal auditor for the Senate,
  • prepares a registry of all lobbyists that must be freely available to the public,
  • is responsible of providing free access to the public to all works generated by the Senate, and
  • offers training and continuing education opportunities to Senate members, advisors, and employees.

Presidents

  Union Party    Republican Party    New Progressive Party    Popular Democratic Party
# Portrait President Date it took office Date it left office Political party President pro-tempore
1 Antonio R. Barceló
(1868–1938)
1917 1929 Union Eduardo Georgetti
1917–1921

Juan Hernández López
1921–1924

Luis Sánchez Morales
1926–1929
2 Luis Sánchez Morales
(1867–1934)
1929 1933 Republican Celestino Iriarte Miró
3 Rafael Martínez Nadal
(1877–1941)
1933 1941 Republican Bolívar Pagán
1933–1940

Luis Padrón Rivera
1940–1941
4 Luis Muñoz Marín
(1898–1980)
1941 1949 PPD Francisco M. Susoni Abreu
1941–1944

Samuel R. Quiñones
1945–1949
5 Samuel R. Quiñones
(1904–1976)
1949 1969 PPD Luis Negrón López
6 Rafael Hernández Colón
(1936–2019)
1969 1973 PPD Juan J. Cancel Ríos
7 Juan J. Cancel Ríos
(1925–1992)
1973 1977 PPD Miguel Hernández Agosto
8 Luis A. Ferré Aguayo
(1904–2003)
1977 1981 PNP Manuel Ramos Barroso
9 Miguel Hernández Agosto
(1927–2016)
1981 1993 PPD Sergio Peña Clos
1981–1988

Miguel Deynes Soto
1989–1993
10 Roberto Rexach Benítez
(1929–2012)
1993 1997 PNP Nicolás Nogueras Cartagena
1993–1995

Luisa Lebrón de Rivera
1995–1997
11 Charles A. Rodríguez Colón
(b. 1954)
1997 2001 PNP Aníbal Marrero Pérez
1997–2000

Luz Z. Arce Ferrer
2000–2001
12 Antonio Fas Alzamora
(b. 1948)
2001 2005 PPD Velda González de Modestti
13 Kenneth D. McClintock Hernández
(b. 1957)
2005 2009 PNP Orlando Parga Figueroa
14 Thomas Rivera Schatz
(b. 1966)
2009 2013 PNP Margarita Nolasco Santiago
15 Eduardo Bhatia
(b. 1964)
2013 2017 PPD José Luis Dalmau
16 Thomas Rivera Schatz
(b. 1966)
2017 2021 PNP Larry Seilhamer Rodríguez
17 José Luis Dalmau

(b. 1966)

2021 present PPD Marially González Huertas

References

  1. Article III, Section 9 of the Constitution of Puerto Rico (July 25, 1952)
  2. R. del S. 21 del 2013, "Reglamento del Senado de Puerto Rico" (in Spanish) Senate of Puerto Rico (January 15, 2013). Retrieved on August 9, 2013.
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