The Puerto Rico Commission on Civil Rights (Spanish: Comisión de Derechos Civiles de Puerto Rico) is an official entity within the Legislative Assembly of the government of Puerto Rico, charged with investigating violations of citizens' civil rights. Its five members are appointed by the Governor of Puerto Rico, subject to the advice and consent of the Senate of Puerto Rico. Created in 1965 under Governor Roberto Sánchez Vilella, it was originally an independent agency under the Puerto Rico Department of Justice. In 1996, during former governor Pedro Rosselló's administration, it was made a part of the Legislative Branch.
It is empowered to educate citizens about their civil rights, investigate alleged civil rights violations, and carry out studies and investigations. The 1996 amendments to its organic law also empowers it to appear as amicus curiae in court cases that it deems may have an important effect on civil rights in Puerto Rico.
It also annually selects the recipients of the Thurgood Marshall Award, an initiative of current Senate President Kenneth McClintock, which recognizes the commitment to civil rights of one law student from each of Puerto Rico's four law schools.
Many prominent Puerto Ricans have served over the years as members of the Commission, including former Sen. Luis Muñoz Rivera (senator), newspaper publisher Antonio Luis Ferré and former Resident Commissioner Baltasar Corrada del Río.
Its current members, appointed to a six-year term, include its Chair, Dr. Palmira N. Ríos González, attorneys Héctor Pérez, José Irizarry Yordán and René Pinto Lugo and Dr. Nelson Colón Tarrats.
In spite of complaints that it is chronically underfunded, the Puerto Rico Civil Rights Commission has had a significant influence in Puerto Rico's government operations.
Famous quotes containing the words civil, rights and/or commission:
“Both of us felt more anxiety about the South—about the colored people especially—than about anything else sinister in the result. My hope of a sound currency will somehow be realized; civil service reform will be delayed; but the great injury is in the South. There the Amendments will be nullified, disorder will continue, prosperity to both whites and colored people will be pushed off for years.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)
“[The Republican Party] consists of those who, believing in the doctrine that mankind are capable of governing themselves and hating hereditary power as an insult to the reason and an outrage to the rights of men, are naturally offended at every public measure that does not appeal to the understanding and to the general interest of the community.”
—James Madison (1751–1836)
“It is impossible to calculate the moral mischief, if I may so express it, that mental lying has produced in society. When a man has so far corrupted and prostituted the chastity of his mind as to subscribe his professional belief to things he does not believe he has prepared himself for the commission of every other crime.”
—Thomas Paine (1737–1809)