Puerto Rico governor signs bill that critics say will restrict access to public information

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. 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.