New York Governor announces new economic, education agreements with Puerto Rico 

Last Friday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul and the Puerto Rican government announced the creation of the New York State and Puerto Rico Economic Opportunity Advisory Council. The council will include officials appointed by the governors of Puerto Rico and New York to explore, propose, and help implement policies that will strengthen the economies of both jurisdictions. The announcement included three new economic development partnerships. The first is the New York-Puerto Rico Life Science Exchange, which will support biotech, pharmaceuticals, biomedical and life systems technology. The New York-Puerto Rico Broadband Partnership will bring together New York’s ConnectALL broadband initiative with Puerto Rico’s Smart Island Initiative to deploy high-speed internet across the Island over the next five years using both state and federal funds. Finally, the two governments will launch a Strengthening Healthcare program through collaboration between their respective Departments of Health.

Puerto Rico Department of Health declares flu epidemic

The Puerto Rican Department of Health declared an influenza epidemic on the Island last week. More than 900 hospitalizations and nearly 26,000 cases have been recorded since the flu season began, with 42 deaths confirmed as of November 4, compared to 15 for all of last year’s flu season. According to the department, there have been six times as many recorded cases of flu this season compared to last year. The majority of the cases have affected children and young people, with more than 13,600 cases afflicting people under 19 years of age.

Puerto Rico Status Act reintroduced 

Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) introduced the Puerto Rico Status Act last week, though supporters of changing Puerto Rico’s status worry that the proposal pushing for a plebiscite may once again die without a vote. The bill passed the House during the previous Congress but died in the Senate without a vote. As was the case with the previous legislation, the bill would allow Puerto Ricans to determine their future via three options that alter the status quo: statehood, independence, or “free association.” Proponents of statehood have generally been the biggest supporters of the bill. However, the vote is contingent on turnout and it is difficult to predict what would happen if Puerto Rican voters were given a choice under this law and if Congress would be legally compelled to go along with it. Previous non-binding plebiscites showed strong support for statehood but suffered from low turnout because of boycotts from those opposed to statehood. As of now, there are no scheduled hearings for the bill and no word on how Speaker Johnson might view such legislation.