Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 61 Part 1.djvu/795

 61 STAT.] 80TH CONG. , 1ST SESS.-CH. 490-AUG. 5,1947 771 elected by the qualified voters of Puerto Rico and shall hold office for a term of four years commencing on the 2d day of January following the date of the election and until his successor is elected and qualified. No person shall be eligible to election as Governor unless at the time Eligibiity. of the election he is a citizen of the United States, is at least thirty years of age, is able to read and write the English language, and has been a bona fide resident of Puerto Rico during the immediately pre- ceding two years. Such election shall be held in the manner now or hereafter provided by law for the election of the Resident Commis- sioner. SEC. 2. Section 12a is hereby added to said Organic Act to read as follows: "SEC. 12a. The Governor shall be removed from office on impeach- Impeachmentof ment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. The house of representatives of Puerto Rico shall have the sole power of impeachment. Impeachment shall require the concurrence of two-thirds of all of the members of the house of repre- sentatives. The senate of Puerto Rico shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. When sitting for that purpose they shall be on oath or affirmation and the chief justice of the supreme court of Puerto Rico shall preside. No person shall be convicted without the concurrence of three-fourths of all the members of the senate. Judg- ment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the government of Puerto Rico. The person convicted shall, nevertheless, be liable and subject to indict- ment, trial, judgment, and punishment according to law." SEC. 3 . Section 13 of said Organic Act (48 U. S . C ., sees. 773, 775) 39stat. 9 is hereby amended by repealing the second, third, and fourth sentences and substituting the following therefor: "The heads of the executive hesPsoftemecutle de departments set forth in the frst sentence of this section shall be ap- partments. pointed by the Governor by and with the advice and consent of the senate of Puerto Rico. Each shall hold office during the continuance in office of the Governor by whom he is appointed and until his suc- cessor is qualified, unless sooner removed by the Governor." SEC. 4 . Section 24 of said Organic Act (48 U. S. C ., sec. 772) is s 9 Btat.- 9 - amended to read as follows: "SEC. 24. In case of a vacancy in the office of the Governor, the vfnc y nothe c. person holding the position of attorney general at the time the va- cancy occurs shall succeed to the office of the Governor, and to all the duties and emoluments for the remainder of the term. If for any rea- son the Governor is temporarily absent from Puerto Rico, or unable to perform his duties, the attorney general shall act as Governor, with all the powers and duties of the office during such temporary absence or disability. If in such event the attorney general is unable to act, the treasurer shall act as Governor, and if the treasurer is unable to act, such other person as may be provided by the laws of Puerto Rico shall act as Governor during such temporary absence or disability. In the event that because of death or any other reason a Inability of oov- newly elected Governor is unable to take office, a temporary successor er totaeoffice. shall be elected by a majority vote of the full house and senate of Puerto Rico meeting at a joint session of the legislature at the next succeeding term thereof, who shall hold office until a successor is elected and qualified at a special election to be held within one hundred and twenty days from the date of adjournment of said session." SEC. 5. Section 50 of said Organic Act (48 U. S. C., sec. 797) is 39 st L 6 hereby amended by deleting the following words from the third sen- tence thereof: "appointed by the President and also those appointed by the Governor of Puerto Rico".

�