P.R. Laws tit. 1, § 323
The Advocate is hereby empowered to adopt the bylaws of the Office and the regulations that shall govern the operation of the programs and services established pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, subject to §§ 2101 et seq. of Title 3, known as the “Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Uniform Administrative Procedures Act”. In order to receive information and data for the studies and investigations of a general nature on the topic of women to be conducted by the Office, the regulations mentioned above shall provide for all necessary measures to comply with the following procedural requirements:
(a) Holding of public hearings, for which she may delegate on one or more of her officials and employees the function of hearing testimonies or receiving any other evidence for the Advocate’s Office.
(b) Public hearing notices shall be published ten (10) days before the holding thereof in at least two (2) newspapers of general or regional circulation distributed in the specific region or area that the study or investigation covers. They may also be announced through other media when necessary and convenient for a more effective diffusion. A detailed description of the purposes of the hearings and the subject matter to be considered shall be included.
(c) All oral statements shall be heard in public sessions. However, in those cases in which the Advocate’s Office deems that the evidence or testimony to be presented in a hearing would tend to slander, degrade or incriminate any person or breach his/her right to privacy, in order to protect his/her identity, or in those cases in which there are circumstances that so justify, an exception may be made, and the Advocate may choose to hear said testimony in executive session.
(d) Any deponent may have legal counsel, if he/she deems it convenient. He/she shall also have the right to refuse to be photographed without his/her consent, to be questioned by his/her legal representative within the norms of the hearings and the application thereof by the Advocate, to review the transcript of his/her testimony for accuracy, to copy said transcript, and to submit brief written sworn statements to be included in the records of the hearing.
(e) Should the Advocate’s Office find that certain evidence tends to slander or incriminate a person, that person shall be given the opportunity to appear personally or in writing.
(f) The Advocate’s Office shall determine the other procedural rules to govern the public hearings, including those germane to the admissibility of evidence and to the exclusion of persons who violate the norms that should be observed at a hearing.
History —Apr. 11, 2001, No. 20, § 15.