# Law No. 3279 of October 7, 1957

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105649086](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105649086)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3279-of-october-7-1957

## Summary

Law No. 3279 of October 7, 1957 (Lei nº 3279/1957) is a Brazilian statute enacted by President Juscelino Kubitschek that establishes special budgetary credits for financial aid, primarily related to the Ministry of Education and involving religious institutions in the states of São Paulo and Santa Catarina. This law was promulgated on October 7, 1957, in Rio de Janeiro, making it a formal legal instrument of the Brazilian federal government during the Kubitschek administration.

## Key Facts

- **Official Title:** Lei nº 3279, de 7 de outubro de 1957
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3279/1957
- **Country:** Brazil
- **Promulgation Date:** October 7, 1957
- **Approved By:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil (Juscelino Kubitschek)
- **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Instance Of:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Applies To Jurisdiction:** Brazil
- **LEXML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-10-07;3279
- **Main Subjects:** Special budgetary adjustment (Crédito Especial), São Paulo state, Santa Catarina state, Ministry of Education (MEC), financial aid (Auxílio Financeiro), religious institutions
- **Official Source URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3279.htm

## FAQs

**What type of law is Law No. 3279/1957?**

Law No. 3279 of 1957 is a federal statute enacted by the Brazilian government. As a statute, it is a formal written document that creates law, classified as a "legal norm" and a manifestation of statutory law. It falls under the broader category of Brazilian federal legislation from the 1950s-1960s period.

**Who signed Law No. 3279/1957?**

The law was signed and promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek on October 7, 1957. Kubitschek served as President of Brazil from 1956 to 1961 and was known for his ambitious development programs during his term, which included significant investments in education and infrastructure.

**What is the subject matter of Law No. 3279/1957?**

The law deals with special budgetary adjustments (Crédito Especial) and financial aid (Auxílio Financeiro). It specifically involves the Ministry of Education (MEC) and relates to religious institutions (Instituições Religiosas) in the Brazilian states of São Paulo and Santa Catarina.

**Where can Law No. 3279/1957 be found?**

The full text of the law is available in the official Brazilian government legislation database at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3279.htm. It is also catalogued in the LEXML system with the identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-10-07;3279.

**What is the relationship between this law and Brazilian educational or religious matters?**

Law No. 3279/1957 specifically connects to the Ministry of Education (MEC), indicating it was related to educational funding or administrative matters. Additionally, the law mentions religious institutions, suggesting it may have addressed funding or legal status matters for religious organizations in the context of education or public assistance.

## Why It Matters

Law No. 3279 of October 7, 1957 represents a specific instance of Brazilian federal legislative activity during a transformative period in Brazil's development history. Enacted during President Juscelino Kubitschek's administration (1956-1961), this law exemplifies the type of specialized legislation that addressed Brazil's rapid modernization and educational expansion during the mid-20th century.

The law matters for several reasons. First, it demonstrates how the Brazilian federal government used special budgetary credits (Crédito Especial) as a tool for directing financial resources to specific sectors—in this case, education and religious institutions. This type of targeted funding mechanism was common in Brazil's developmentalist era, when the government played an active role in economic and social planning.

Second, the law's connection to the Ministry of Education reflects the significant attention given to educational development during the Kubitschek administration. The period saw substantial expansion of Brazil's education system, and specialized legislation was needed to facilitate funding mechanisms for various educational initiatives.

Third, the involvement of religious institutions in this legislation reflects the historical relationship between the Brazilian state and religious organizations, particularly in the context of education. Many religious institutions in Brazil historically operated schools and educational facilities, and government funding mechanisms often involved cooperation with these entities.

Finally, as a statute, Law No. 3279/1957 represents the formal legal mechanism through which the Brazilian government exercises its legislative authority. The law remains part of Brazil's legal corpus and is accessible through official government databases, demonstrating Brazil's commitment to maintaining and providing access to its legislative history.

## Notable For

- **Presidential Authority:** Enacted by President Juscelino Kubitschek during his administration, representing a specific example of mid-20th century Brazilian presidential legislation
- **Budgetary Mechanism:** Demonstrates the use of special budgetary credits (Crédito Especial) as a financial tool in Brazilian governance
- **Multi-State Impact:** Affects both São Paulo and Santa Catarina states, indicating regional scope beyond a single locality
- **Sectoral Focus:** Connects educational administration (Ministry of Education) with religious institutions, reflecting historical patterns of state-religious cooperation in Brazil
- **Historical Preservation:** Available in official government archives, demonstrating Brazil's commitment to preserving legislative history from the 1950s

## Body

### Legislative Context and Enactment

Law No. 3279 of October 7, 1957 was promulgated during a significant period in Brazilian history. President Juscelino Kubitschek, who served from 1956 to 1961, pursued an ambitious developmentalist agenda focused on rapid industrialization and modernization. His administration emphasized economic growth through five-year plans and targeted investments in infrastructure, education, and healthcare.

The law was formally enacted on October 7, 1957, in Rio de Janeiro, which served as Brazil's capital at the time. The selection of Rio de Janeiro as the place of publication reflects the administrative geography of Brazil before the transfer of the capital to Brasília in 1960.

### Legal Classification and Structure

As a statute, Law No. 3279/1957 represents a formal written document that creates law. In the Brazilian legal system, statutes are the primary form of legislation enacted by the federal government through the legislative process. The law is classified as an instance of "statute" and functions as a legal norm within the broader system of Brazilian statutory law.

The official legal citation "Lei nº 3279/1957" follows standard Brazilian legislative citation conventions, where "Lei" indicates the type of legislative instrument, "nº 3279" provides the sequential number, and "1957" indicates the year of enactment.

### Subject Matter and Purpose

The law's main subjects reveal its specific purposes:

- **Special Budgetary Adjustment (Crédito Especial):** The law establishes special budgetary credits, which are financial mechanisms allowing the government to allocate funds outside the regular budget cycle for specific purposes
- **Ministry of Education (MEC):** The involvement of the Ministry of Education indicates the law was related to educational funding or administrative matters
- **Financial Aid (Auxílio Financeiro):** The law provides for financial assistance, suggesting it was designed to support specific institutions or programs
- **Religious Institutions (Instituições Religiosas):** The inclusion of religious organizations reflects the historical role of these institutions in providing educational and social services in Brazil
- **São Paulo and Santa Catarina:** The specific mention of these two states indicates targeted regional implementation

### Institutional Relationships

The law connects several important institutional actors in the Brazilian governance structure:

- **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil:** The law was promulgated by the President, who holds executive authority to sign legislation into law
- **Ministry of Education (MEC):** As one of the main subjects, the Ministry was likely responsible for implementing or administering the provisions related to educational matters
- **State Governments:** The mention of São Paulo and Santa Catarina indicates involvement of state-level authorities in the law's implementation
- **Religious Organizations:** The law recognizes religious institutions as eligible recipients of financial assistance or as entities with specific legal standing

### Accessibility and Legal Status

Law No. 3279/1957 remains accessible through official Brazilian government sources. The full text is available at the official website of the Presidency of the Republic (www.planalto.gov.br), specifically in the section containing civil laws from 1950-1969. This demonstrates Brazil's commitment to maintaining public access to its legislative history.

The law is also catalogued in LEXML, Brazil's centralized legislation database, with the identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-10-07;3279. This system provides structured access to Brazilian legal documents and supports legal research and reference activities.

### Historical Significance

Within the context of Brazilian legislative history, Law No. 3279/1957 represents the type of specialized legislation that characterized the Kubitschek administration's approach to governance. Rather than broad framework laws, the administration frequently used specific statutes to address particular needs, allocate resources, and establish targeted programs.

The law's focus on education and religious institutions reflects the social and institutional landscape of Brazil in the late 1950s, when religious organizations played a significant role in providing educational services, particularly at the primary and secondary levels. Government cooperation with these institutions through financial assistance programs was a common practice during this period.

### Relationship to Broader Legal Framework

As a federal statute, Law No. 3279/1957 operates within Brazil's hierarchical legal system. It sits below the Constitution and constitutional amendments but above administrative regulations and local laws. The law remains in effect unless explicitly repealed or declared unconstitutional, though its practical application may have been superseded by subsequent legislation.

The law's classification as a statute also connects it to broader legal concepts in the Brazilian system. Statutes are distinguished from other legal instruments such as decrees, regulations, and circulars, and they represent the formal expression of legislative will through the constitutionally established legislative process.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-10-07;3279)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3279&ano=1957&data=07/10/1957&ato=2e0QTUU9UMNRVT33c)