SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González signed a polemic bill on Sunday that critics say is a blow to democracy and will make it more difficult to access public information in a U.S. territory long known for its lack of government transparency.
González said the bill amends an existing law to provide more defined rules, avoid confusion and reduce what she said was a “considerable number of lawsuits.” She said it also sets penalties for non-compliance
More than a dozen journalism organizations and civil rights groups have rejected the bill, noting that only one day of public hearings was held on short notice.
“It is inconceivable that Puerto Rico’s leaders would go out of their way to harm their constituents’ access to information and degrade the quality of press freedom on the island,” said Clayton Weimers, executive director for Reporters Without Borders in North America.
With the new law, government agencies now have 20 business days instead of 10 to hand over documents with fewer than 300 pages or that were created less than three years ago.
Agencies also now have up to one month to release documents longer than 300 pages or more than three years old, with a 20-day extension upheld.
“By signing this measure into law, despite widespread opposition, the governor makes it clear that her interest is not in government transparency,” the ACLU of Puerto Rico said. “(The law) is not in anyone’s best interest, except for any public official who seeks to hinder or prevent the public from receiving the information they have a right to see.”
Earlier this month, a coalition of journalism organizations and civil society groups sent a letter to the governor asking that she veto the bill, calling it a “dangerous infringement on the public’s right to know.”
The letter noted the bill not only doubles the length of time government agencies have to release requested information, it would also “allow the government to classify information as confidential without judicial review and eliminate personal privacy protections for those requesting information.”
The bill also removes “the government’s previous obligation under the 2019 law to provide information in the requested format, making data analysis more difficult …(and) would also allow the government to deny valid requests because the information is spread across several documents or agencies,” according to the letter.
Obtaining public information in Puerto Rico has long been difficult, often forcing local media organizations that could afford it to go to court despite the government approving a law in 2019 to allow access to public information held by state agencies.
The 2019 law noted that in Puerto Rico, “citizens and the press are subject to discretionary court processes that are costly and can take months when they request public information. Although the right to access information is enshrined in the Constitution, the lack of a procedural mechanism to enforce it leads to frequent violations.”
The 2019 law also stated that “many governments have promised transparency but have never committed to it. This is one of the factors that has contributed to the erosion of public trust in the government, which has become a complex, bureaucratic, and opaque structure in its decision-making.”
Several years ago, one local newspaper made it a habit to publish its requests for public information and how much time had passed without receiving a response from state agencies.
Puerto Rico’s Senate approved the bill in mid-October with 18 votes in favor and nine against, with no public hearings held. The House passed it in November after only one day of hearings, with 29 votes in favor and 24 against.
FILE - A Puerto Rican national flag flies in front of the Capitol building in San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 29, 2015. (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo, File)
PARIS (AP) — Striker Odsonne Édouard scored with a header in each half as Lens beat Nice 2-0 at home on Sunday to move back ahead of Paris Saint-Germain at the top of Ligue 1.
Édouard gave surprise front-runner Lens a 15th-minute lead with a brilliant glancing header from Matthieu Udol's cross and nodded in another left-wing cross from Udol in the 57th.
It was a sixth straight French league win and ninth in 10 games for Lens.
The northern club is one point ahead of defending champion PSG after 16 rounds and five points ahead of third-placed Marseille and fourth-placed Lille, which are separated by goal difference after both won on Sunday.
Next weekend sees French Cup matches, before Ligue 1 resumes in early January.
“We'll try to stay there as long as possible. One thing is for certain: we will be top at Christmas, which is great for all the families and the people from the region," Lens coach Pierre Sage said. “Udol has assisted on three goals in two games. The first goal was amazing, the cross was good but the header was awesome."
Marseille stayed third by beating Monaco 1-0 at home after Lille had won 4-3 at Auxerre earlier Sunday.
Ligue 1 top scorer Mason Greenwood notched his 11th goal for Marseille this season with a curler into the top right corner from near the penalty spot, after being well set up by midfielder Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg in the 82nd.
Lamine Camara thought he had opened the scoring for Monaco shortly after halftime with a fine shot from just outside the penalty area. But the goal was ruled out for an earlier offside from Monaco forward Folarin Balogun.
Greenwood went close with a strike midway through the second half and made no mistake with his next chance.
Although Marseille remains an inconsistent side, fans have been entertained at Stade Velodrome under attack-minded coach Roberto De Zerbi. Statistician Opta said Marseille's 56 league goals scored in 2025 is its third highest home tally ever in a year.
The start of the match was delayed by a few minutes to clear the air after Marseille fans lit many flares in the stands.
it was a ninth straight defeat in all competitions for a Nice side in total disarray. The losing run is the longest in Nice's history.
Despite considerable backing from chemicals giant Ineos, which took over six years ago, Nice is unable to find the right formula and some fans have confronted the players.
Nice is 13th in Ligue 1 and also last in the Europa League group stage after losing all six games so far.
A chaotic match saw four players sent off — two from each side.
Lille led early on through Iceland midfielder Hakon Haraldsson but had central defender Nathan Ngoy sent off in the 39th, then conceded an equalizer when striker Lassine Sinayoko struck in the 57th.
Three minutes later, Auxerre defender Clément Apka was shown a second yellow card and both sides had 10 men.
Auxerre went ahead in the 66th when Lille center back Chancel Mbemba scored into his own net while trying to clear the ball.
A frantic spell followed.
Midfielder Nabil Bentaleb netted with a powerful strike to make it 2-2 in the 77th and Lille went in front moments later when 18-year-old substitute Soriba Diaoune grabbed his first career goal after replacing 39-year-old veteran Olivier Giroud — France's all-time leading scorer with 57 goals.
Auxerre equalized with a penalty from Sinayoko in the 83rd, only for Lille captain Benjamin André to hit what proved to be the winner three minutes after that.
The drama was not quite over.
Lille defender Romain Perraud and Auxerre midfielder Oussama El-Azzouzi were sent off shortly after for fighting on the touchline.
Czech midfielder Pavel Sulc's seventh goal of the season helped Lyon beat Le Havre 1-0 and move up to fifth place.
After Lyon goalkeeper Dominik Greif saved Issa Soumaré's penalty in the 38th minute, Sulc scored early in the second half with a diving header from Afonso Moreira's cross.
Strasbourg snapped a run of three straight league losses but could only draw 0-0 at home to Lorient.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Fans light flares before the French League One soccer match between Marseille and Monaco in Marseille, France, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Philippe Magoni)
Marseille's Nayef Aguerd, right, challenges with Monaco's Takumi Minamino during the French League One soccer match between Marseille and Monaco in Marseille, France, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Philippe Magoni)
Marseille's Mason Greenwood celebrates scoring during the French League One soccer match between Marseille and Monaco in Marseille, France, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Philippe Magoni)
Marseille's Mason Greenwood, center, runs past to Monaco's Caio Henrique, right, during the French League One soccer match between Marseille and Monaco in Marseille, France, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Philippe Magoni)
