The Corporation for the Defense of Gun License Holders in Puerto Rico (CODEPOLA), through its president Ariel Torres Meléndez, expressed opposition to House Bill 1472, presented by representatives Héctor E. Ferrer Santiago and Félix E. Pacheco Burgos. The bill proposes to amend Article 2.01 of the Puerto Rico Firearms Law to include traffic stops among the exceptions to confidentiality, allowing police officers to digitally check if a person has a valid gun license during traffic stops.
Torres Meléndez argued that the bill expands police access to confidential information without a judicial order and that having a license does not necessarily mean the person is armed at the time of the stop. CODEPOLA questioned the premise that knowing whether a person has a license informs the officer about the presence of a weapon and highlighted the need for professional protocols and evaluation of circumstances during interventions.
The organization also raised concerns about the potential for unjustified prolongations, seizures, and decisions based on incorrect information, and requested that the Legislative Assembly reject the bill in its current form and hold public hearings to examine its necessity, cost, effectiveness, and constitutional implications.