Puerto Rico Morning Brief Sunday, October 18, 2026

Governor Jenniffer González Colón signed House Bill 1164 into law, strengthening the right of older adults to receive essential public and private services without discrimination or exclusion. The protection applies to those with limited technology skills, no internet access or no electronic devices. Representative Fernando Sanabria authored the bill. It amends several articles of Law 121 of 2019, the Bill of Rights and Government Public Policy in Favor of Older Adults, and guarantees elderly people equal access to services and technologies.

A Jayuya mother is demanding answers after her four-year-old son died in a Puerto Rico Department of the Family foster home in Arecibo. Shelsy Rivera Rivera blames Nexy Román Colón, a department social worker, for the removal of her two children over domestic violence allegations that she rejects. Autopsy results to determine the cause of death were pending.

Puerto Rico’s Senate approved, with amendments, a substitute bill creating a new Planning and Permits Code. The code is meant to simplify administrative procedures, set defined deadlines for certain filings and strengthen oversight and compliance. The measure replaces Senate Bills 1173 and 1183. The Committee on Innovation, Reform and Appointments, chaired by Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz, evaluated it. The committee held five public hearings between April and May 2026, received about 160 explanatory memorials and examined nearly 50 laws tied to the permit system.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation office in San Juan received authorization, effective October 8, 2026, to issue citations for certain violations of federal rules on drones in Puerto Rico. The infractions include unsafe drone operation and unauthorized flights in exclusion zones around airport runways. They also cover using aircraft to photograph protected military installations and operating over restricted federal grounds or buildings under conditions set by law. National defense airspace violations and tactical flight restrictions are covered as well.

The US Drug Enforcement Administration will collect expired, unused or unwanted prescription medications at 30 sites across Puerto Rico on October 24, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The collection is part of the 31st National Prescription Drug Take Back Day and aims to prevent misuse of these medications. Michael Mayer, special agent in charge of the DEA’s Caribbean Division, urged people to review their medicine cabinets and remove unused medications, citing the risk they pose to children, seniors and others.

On AAA’s reservoir charts for the week of October 11 to 17, Carraízo fell 11 cm and La Plata fell 21 cm. Carraízo went from 40.96 meters to 40.85 meters over six days and stayed in the Safe band, with 3.35 inches of rain nearby in the final week.

The DEA collection runs October 24 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Autopsy results on the four-year-old’s death in Arecibo have yet to be released.