By Tom Ozimek
Contributing Writer
Puerto Rico’s Republican governor has signed legislation amending the territory’s penal code to recognize a conceived child at any stage of gestation as a human being under certain homicide provisions.
Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón announced on Thursday that she had signed Senate Bill 923 into law. The measure clarifies that, for purposes of specific murder statutes, the term “human being” includes the conceived child at any stage of gestation within the mother’s womb.
According to the governor’s office, the amendment is designed to complement Law 166-2025, which classifies as first-degree murder the intentional killing of a pregnant woman when the act also results in the death of the conceived child.
“The legislation aims to maintain consistency between civil and criminal provisions by recognizing the conceived, unborn child as a human being,” the governor’s office said in a statement.
Law 166-2025 was enacted following the 2021 killing of Keishla Rodríguez, who was pregnant at the time of her death. Former Puerto Rican boxer Félix Verdejo was later convicted in federal court and sentenced to two life terms in prison in connection with the case.
When the amendment cleared the Senate in mid-January, Puerto Rico Sen. Rodríguez Veve praised its passage.
“The message of this type of legislation is forceful,” Veve said in a Jan. 14 statement.
“It reaffirms through this type of language in our public policy that in the womb of a pregnant woman there is not just anything, not a mere undefined object, but a subject, a developing human being who has dignity and whose value is intrinsic to human nature.”
In December last year, González signed a separate measure — Senate Bill 504 — expanding legal recognition of unborn children in Puerto Rico’s civil law.
At the time, Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life, described it as a “landmark achievement for the pro-life movement.”
“Puerto Rico’s clear and courageous recognition of preborn babies as persons reflects a deep respect for life and provides a powerful example for lawmakers throughout the United States. Legal personhood for the preborn is not only consistent with science and human dignity but is the foundation upon which a culture of life can flourish,” Tobias said.
Critics Warn of Broader Consequences
While the new law focuses on homicide statutes, critics say it could have ripple effects beyond that, creating legal ambiguity and affecting medical decision-making.
Dr. Carlos Díaz Vélez, president of Puerto Rico’s College of Medical Surgeons, said the amendment could bring complex clinical decisions into the realm of criminal law and lead to what he described as “defensive health care.”
He said doctors may become more cautious in treating complicated pregnancies for fear of potential legal exposure. Some women with high-risk pregnancies could seek care outside Puerto Rico, he added, citing concerns about the island’s already strained health system.
“This will bring disastrous consequences,” Díaz said, adding that the medical sector was not consulted before the bill’s passage and that no public hearings were held.
He also expressed concern that the amendment could allow third parties to intervene in matters between a doctor and a pregnant woman, potentially affecting privacy protections.
“The system is not prepared for this,” he said.
Other critics said the amendment opens the door to eventually criminalizing abortions in Puerto Rico, where they currently remain legal.
“A zygote was given legal personality,” said Rosa Seguí Cordero, an attorney and spokesperson for the National Campaign for Free, Safe, and Accessible Abortion in Puerto Rico. “We women were stripped of our rights.”
The American Civil Liberties Union of Puerto Rico opposed the measure, saying it had not undergone adequate analysis or public consultation before approval.
“This procedure not only cripples the right to democratic participation, but also leaves the country without a legislative record or record that officially collects the disputed expressions and arguments,” the group said in a Feb. 2 statement after the bill passed both the House and Senate.
Urging González to veto the measure, the ACLU said it would sow “uncertainty and confusion.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
