Official Summary
4/29/2010–Passed House amended. Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2010 – Authorizes the government of Puerto Rico:
(1) to conduct a plebiscite giving voters the option to vote to continue Puerto Rico’s present political status or to have a different political status;
(2) if a majority of ballots favor continuing the present status, to conduct additional such plebiscites every eight years; and
(3) if a majority of ballots favor having a different status, to conduct a plebiscite on the options of becoming fully independent from the United States, forming with the United States a political association between sovereign nations that will not be subject to the Territorial Clause of the Constitution, being admitted as a state of the Union, or continuing its present political status. Prescribes the eligibility requirements for voting in a plebiscite. Requires the Puerto Rico State Elections Commission to:
(1) certify plebiscite results to the President and Congress; and
(2) ensure that all ballots used for a plebiscite include the full content of the ballot printed in English. Directs the Commission to inform persons voting in a plebiscite that if Puerto Rico retains its current political status or is admitted as a state:
(1) the official language requirements of the federal government shall apply to Puerto Rico; and
(2) it is the best interest of the United States for the teaching of English to be promoted in Puerto Rico as the language of opportunity and empowerment in order to enable students in public schools to achieve English language proficiency. Requires the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to pay all costs associated with such plebiscite (including the costs of printing, distribution, transportation, collection, and counting of all ballots).
More INformation
I wish that people that are for or against anything would quote correctly and not with a “SPIN” to benefit their point of view. Take the above statement;
The very first Plebiscite was in 1967 not 1970 as claim above. Second HR 2499 is a 2010 proposed law and NOT from 1970. Third the reasoning as to why the opposition to change on prior plebiscites are totally different as to what is going on now.
The PPD was opposed from the beginning to HR 2499 and then to kill it talked a naive Representative from North Carolina to propose an amendment including the ELA as an alternative in the second ballot. Washington was so stupid, yes stupid, to approve the amendment of a COLONIAL system (ELA) as a system that is supposed to move PR into a NON Colonial system.. An by the way the alternatives ar now;
1) Independence
2) Associated Republic
3) Statehood
4) The present system or ELA
The first thre (3) non territorial non colonial the forth alternative a territorial/COLONIAL system. By the first vote is suppose to be to see if PR want to stay with the ELA or change to a NON- territorial/Colonial system. NOW you see why I use STUPID above.