Puerto Rico bill would grant tax breaks to ice factories
Popular Democratic Party Reps. Ángel Fourquet and Lilibeth Rosas have jointly introduced House Bill 841 to amend Section 2061.01 of Act 60-2019, the Puerto Rico Incentives Code.
The bill would recognize ice factories with commercial-scale production as eligible businesses under the code, giving them access to the same tax incentives as other manufacturing industries.
Fourquet and Rosas said the measure reflects the ice industry’s role in Puerto Rico’s economy and its importance during emergencies.
“The ice making industry is a purely Puerto Rican industry that has 25 factories,” the bill states. “This industry, owned by Puerto Ricans and in many cases spanning several generations, creates hundreds of jobs on the island. During national emergencies, the government immediately regulates the price of ice. Precisely, during Hurricane Maria, the ice industry was key to serving the thousands of citizens who lacked water and electricity services.”
The bill highlights how ice plants became a lifeline in 2017, allowing supermarkets, gas stations, hospitals and other essential facilities to store perishable goods, medicines and other supplies when refrigeration was unavailable.
The Incentives Code was designed to attract investment, boost exports and create jobs while streamlining the process for granting and monitoring economic benefits. Fourquet and Rosas argue that ice production meets the code’s definition of manufacturing because it transforms raw material into a finished product through a multistep process.
The legislation also cites the Department of Consumer Affairs’ designation of ice as an essential product during emergencies, given its use in food preservation, medicine storage and public health.
If enacted, the bill would amend Section 2061.01 of Act 60-2019 to add “the ice manufacturing industry that has a commercial-scale production of ice” as an eligible category under “Companies Dedicated to Manufacturing.”
The measure has been referred to the House Treasury Committee for evaluation.
