# Puerto Rico Status Act: What It Actually Means

This bill would let Puerto Rico's residents vote on whether Puerto Rico should become an independent country, gain sovereignty while maintaining a special relationship with the United States, or become the 51st state. Right now, Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, which means it's not fully independent but also doesn't have the same rights as states. This bill is essentially asking: what do you want Puerto Rico to be?

The process would work in two rounds. First, on November 5, 2023, eligible voters in Puerto Rico would choose between independence, free association with the U.S., or statehood. If one option gets more than 50 percent of the vote, that becomes the chosen path. If no option wins outright, the two options that got the most votes would go to a runoff vote on March 3, 2024. The bill requires that ballots and voter education materials be in both English and Spanish so everyone can understand their choices clearly.

Each option has real consequences. If voters choose independence, Puerto Rico would become its own country with its own government, laws, and tax system—though people born there would have the right to keep U.S. citizenship if they want. If they choose free association, Puerto Rico would be sovereign but would negotiate an ongoing relationship with the U.S. on issues like trade, defense, and taxes. If they choose statehood, Puerto Rico would become a state like any other, with residents having full voting rights in federal elections and being subject to federal taxes like other states.

The bill also sets up commissions to handle the transition and provides federal funding for voter education campaigns so Puerto Ricans understand what each option actually means before they vote. Essentially, this bill gives Puerto Rico's 3.2 million residents a clear, binding way to decide their own political future after more than a century of territorial status.

Puerto Rico Status Act

Grijalva, Raúl M.

Puerto Rico Status Act This bill provides for a plebiscite to be held on November 5, 2023, to resolve Puerto Rico's political status. Specifically, such plebiscite shall offer eligible voters a choice of independence, sovereignty in free association with the United States, or statehood. The Puerto Rico State Elections Commission shall carry out a nonpartisan voter education campaign through traditional paid media and make available at all voting locations voter education materials related to the plebiscites. All voter educational materials and ballots used to carry out this bill shall be made available in English and Spanish. The bill sets forth transition and implementation provisions for each choice offered in the plebiscite.