Parents in Puerto Rico who experience the loss of a baby before 20 weeks of gestation will now have the option to claim and arrange for the dignified disposition of their child’s remains under a new law signed by Governor Jenniffer González-Colón.
“National Right to Life applauds Governor Jenniffer González-Colón for signing this compassionate and respectful legislation,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. “Losing a baby can be a deeply painful experience for parents. This law recognizes that grief and ensures that families who wish to honor their child through a dignified burial or other respectful disposition have the ability to do so.”
Law 42-2026 establishes a clear protocol allowing parents, with medical authorization and upon request, to claim fetal remains resulting from pregnancy loss prior to 20 weeks of gestation. The law recognizes the emotional impact of losing a baby and ensures that parents have the option to provide respectful treatment and disposition for their child.
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The measure amends Puerto Rico’s Regulated Biomedical Waste Management Act to clarify that fetal remains from pregnancy losses occurring before 20 weeks—regardless of weight—will not be treated as regulated biomedical waste when a parent formally requests their release under procedures established by the Puerto Rico Department of Health.
Senate Bill 756, which created the new law, was authored by Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz and Senator Joanne Rodríguez Veve, with several senators serving as co-sponsors.
“By affirming the dignity of every human life and respecting the needs of grieving parents, Puerto Rico has taken an important step toward compassionate public policy,” Tobias said.
Similar laws exist in other jurisdictions across the United States, allowing parents the choice to claim and arrange dignified disposition of their baby’s remains following pregnancy loss.
LifeNews.com Note: Laura Echevarria is the Director of Media Relations and a spokesperson for the National Right to Life Committee.
