The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Puerto Rico voiced its opposition to House Bill 1067, the 'Parental Protection Against Abortion Trafficking of Minors Act,' introduced on January 20, 2026, warning that its language could criminalize conduct tied to abortion, which remains a legal medical procedure on the island. The bill would make certain forms of assisting minors in obtaining an abortion without parental consent a felony punishable by a fixed three-year prison term.
Executive director Annette Martínez Orabona said the measure criminalizes and restricts rights and imposes obstacles on abortion. The ACLU filed a written memorial before the House of Representatives Public Safety Committee, which held a first public hearing on Wednesday, and hopes to present its arguments at a second hearing. Among its objections: the bill fails to distinguish between minors subject to parental-consent requirements and those 16 or older who, per Pueblo v.
Duarte Mendoza (1980), may decide on the procedure themselves, while Law 122-2025 already sets consent rules for minors 15 or under. It argues that penalizing people who help minors travel could restrict the constitutional right to travel, and that the term 'recruit' is so vague it could chill speech protected by the First Amendment, citing a Tennessee case affirmed by the Sixth Circuit.
It also notes Puerto Rico lacks a judicial bypass mechanism despite the bill’s exception for court-ordered abortions.