The president of the Senate of Puerto Rico (Spanish: Presidente del Senado) is the highest-ranking officer and the presiding officer of the Senate of Puerto Rico. The president has voting powers as it is elected amongst the own members of the Senate as established by Article III of the Constitution of Puerto Rico. The Constitution, however, does not establish its functions and since the Senate is the only body authorized by the Constitution to regulate its own internal affairs, the functions of the president vary from session to session—save being called "President" as the Constitution establishes.[1] The president is typically elected during the Senate's inaugural session.[2]
The president traces its history back to more than 108 years ago when the Jones–Shafroth Act formally established the post on March 2, 1917. Said act was eventually superseded by another law, and the post was eventually established by the Constitution of Puerto Rico, specifically Article III, which establishes that, "The Senate shall elect a President [...] from among [its] members." The Constitution, however, does not establish what a "president" is nor what its function should be.[1] Internal rules adopted by the Senate through a simple resolution establish its definition, functions, responsibilities, and legal scope.[2]
Functions
Typically the president is responsible for the observance and compliance of the Senate's internal rules. He also typically:[2]
presides all Senate meetings
resolves and decides all parliamentary situations and rules of order brought in sessions,
names all permanent and special commissions of the Senate,
signs all bills, joint resolutions, concurrent resolutions, reorganization plans, and simple resolutions approved by the Senate and the Legislative Assembly,
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