# Law No. 3291 of October 23, 1957

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648641](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648641)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3291-of-october-23-1957

## Summary
Law No. 3291 of October 23, 1957 is a Brazilian statute enacted during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek, addressing special budgetary adjustments and financial allocations for specific municipalities and states, including Bahia and Pernambuco. This legislative act serves as a formal written document that modifies budgetary provisions, reflecting Brazil's legal framework for fiscal management during the mid-20th century.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 3291, de 23 de outubro de 1957
- **Enactment Date:** October 23, 1957
- **Approved By:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil (President Juscelino Kubitschek)
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil (federal law)
- **Primary Focus:** Special budgetary adjustments and financial allocations
- **Main Subjects:** Credito Especial (special credit), Bahia state, Casa Nova municipality, Pernambuco state, Ministry of Finance of Brazil
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Publication Location:** Rio de Janeiro (then capital of Brazil)
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3291/1957
- **LexML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-10-23;3291
- **Official Text Available At:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3291.htm
- **Classification:** Instance of "statute" (formal written document creating law)
- **WikiProject:** Brazilian Laws

## FAQs

**What is the purpose of Law No. 3291 of October 23, 1957?**
Law No. 3291 of 1957 serves as a legislative instrument for special budgetary adjustments in Brazil, specifically addressing financial allocations and credits for designated municipalities and states. It reflects the federal government's authority to modify budgetary provisions during President Juscelino Kubitschek's administration.

**Which Brazilian states and municipalities are mentioned in this law?**
The law specifically references Bahia state (including the municipality of Casa Nova) and Pernambuco state as beneficiaries of the budgetary adjustments. These allocations were administered through the Ministry of Finance of Brazil.

**Who approved Law No. 3291 of 1957?**
The law was promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek on October 23, 1957, under the authority of the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil. This occurred during Brazil's period of democratic governance following the Vargas era.

**Where can the official text of Law No. 3291 be found?**
The complete legal text is available through Brazil's official government portal at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3291.htm and is also indexed in the LexML Brazil legal database under ID urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-10-23;3291.

**What type of legal document is Law No. 3291?**
This is classified as a federal statute (lei federal), which is a formal written document that creates or modifies law in Brazil. As a statute, it represents an official legislative act with binding legal force across the national jurisdiction.

## Why It Matters

Law No. 3291 of 1957 represents an important piece of Brazil's mid-20th century fiscal legislation, illustrating the government's mechanisms for budgetary adjustments during a period of economic development. Enacted during Juscelino Kubitschek's presidency (1956-1961), this law reflects the administration's approach to financial management as Brazil pursued industrialization and infrastructure projects under the "Plano de Metas" (Targets Plan).

The law's focus on specific states like Bahia and Pernambuco demonstrates the federal government's targeted approach to regional development during this era. By authorizing special credits (Credito Especial) for particular municipalities, the legislation addressed localized financial needs while maintaining national budgetary control. This legal framework helped facilitate the allocation of resources to areas that may have required additional funding for development projects or administrative functions.

As part of Brazil's legal history, Law No. 3291 provides insight into the country's legislative processes and fiscal policies during the 1950s. It serves as a historical record of how budgetary adjustments were formally enacted and documented, contributing to the broader understanding of Brazil's economic governance during its post-war development period.

## Notable For

- **Presidential Era Legislation:** Enacted during Juscelino Kubitschek's presidency, a period marked by significant economic development initiatives in Brazil
- **Regional Financial Allocations:** Specifically addresses budgetary adjustments for Bahia and Pernambuco states, including the municipality of Casa Nova
- **Ministry of Finance Involvement:** Directly involves Brazil's Ministry of Finance in the implementation of special credit provisions
- **Historical Budgetary Record:** Serves as an official document illustrating Brazil's mid-20th century fiscal management practices
- **Federal Statute Classification:** Represents a formal legislative act with national jurisdiction and legal binding force
- **LexML Indexation:** Officially cataloged in Brazil's legal database system with a unique identifier
- **Rio de Janeiro Publication:** Published when Rio de Janeiro was still Brazil's capital (before the 1960 transfer to Brasília)

## Body

### Legislative Context and Enactment

Law No. 3291 of October 23, 1957 was promulgated during a significant period in Brazilian political and economic history. The law was approved by President Juscelino Kubitschek, who governed Brazil from 1956 to 1961. Kubitschek's administration is particularly noted for its ambitious development program known as the "Plano de Metas" (Targets Plan), which aimed to achieve "50 years of progress in 5 years" through industrialization, infrastructure development, and economic modernization.

The law was enacted when Rio de Janeiro still served as Brazil's capital city (the capital would officially transfer to Brasília on April 22, 1960). This places Law No. 3291 within the final years of Rio de Janeiro's status as the national political center, adding historical context to its publication location.

### Budgetary Adjustments and Financial Provisions

At its core, Law No. 3291 addresses special budgetary adjustments through the mechanism of "Credito Especial" (special credit). This legal instrument allows the federal government to make targeted financial allocations outside the regular budgetary process when specific needs arise. The law demonstrates how Brazil's fiscal system could accommodate extraordinary financial requirements for particular regions or administrative purposes.

The legislation specifically mentions allocations for:
- **Bahia State** (Estado Da Bahia)
- **Casa Nova Municipality** (within Bahia)
- **Pernambuco State** (Estado De Pernambuco)

These allocations were administered through the **Ministry of Finance of Brazil** (Ministerio Da Fazenda), indicating the central role of federal financial authorities in implementing the budgetary adjustments.

### Legal Classification and Documentation

Law No. 3291 is classified as a federal statute (lei federal), which represents the highest level of legislative authority in Brazil's legal hierarchy. As a statute, it constitutes a formal written document that creates or modifies law, with binding force across the national jurisdiction. This classification places it within Brazil's broader system of statutory law, where such documents serve as the primary instruments of legal governance.

The law is officially cited as "Lei nº 3291/1957" in legal references, following Brazil's standard format for legislative citations. It has been assigned a unique identifier in Brazil's LexML legal database system: **urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-10-23;3291**. This identifier ensures the law can be precisely located within Brazil's comprehensive legal information system.

### Publication and Accessibility

The official text of Law No. 3291 was published in Rio de Janeiro, consistent with the city's status as Brazil's capital at the time of enactment. The complete legal text remains accessible through multiple official channels:

1. **Presidency of Brazil's Legislative Portal**: https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3291.htm
2. **LexML Brazil Database**: Indexed under urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-10-23;3291
3. **Presidency's Legislation System**: https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3291&ano=1957&data=23/10/1957&ato=cc7k3YU9UMNRVT41d

The law is written in Brazilian Portuguese, the official language of Brazil, and maintains its legal force as part of the country's historical legislative record.

### Historical and Administrative Significance

Law No. 3291 provides valuable insight into Brazil's mid-20th century fiscal administration. During the Kubitschek era, Brazil experienced significant economic changes, including industrial expansion and infrastructure development. The law's provisions for special credits reflect the government's need to maintain flexibility in budgetary management while pursuing ambitious development goals.

The specific mention of Bahia and Pernambuco states suggests targeted regional development efforts. Bahia, located in the Northeast region, and Pernambuco, also in the Northeast, were historically important states that may have required additional financial resources for development projects or to address specific administrative needs.

The involvement of the Ministry of Finance indicates the centralized nature of Brazil's fiscal management during this period. All budgetary adjustments, even those targeting specific regions, required federal approval and oversight, demonstrating the strong role of central government in financial matters.

### Relationship to Brazil's Legal System

As a federal statute, Law No. 3291 exemplifies Brazil's civil law tradition, where written statutes serve as the primary source of law. The law's structure and content follow established legislative patterns of the time, including specific references to administrative entities and clear delineation of financial authorities.

The law is part of Brazil's broader corpus of fiscal legislation from the 1950s, a period when the country was establishing more sophisticated financial management systems to support its economic development ambitions. It contributes to the historical record of how Brazil managed its budgetary processes during a transformative era in its economic history.

### Contemporary Relevance and Archival Value

While Law No. 3291 may no longer have active legal effect (as budgetary laws typically apply to specific fiscal periods), it maintains significant historical and archival value. The law serves as:

1. **A record of fiscal policy** during Brazil's mid-century development push
2. **Documentation of regional financial allocations** in the Northeast region
3. **An example of legislative procedures** during the Kubitschek administration
4. **Part of Brazil's legal heritage**, illustrating the evolution of budgetary law

The law's continued availability through official government portals ensures that researchers, historians, and legal scholars can access this primary source material for studying Brazil's economic and legislative history.

### Connection to Broader Brazilian Governance

Law No. 3291 reflects the broader governance structures of Brazil during the late 1950s. The law's enactment process, involving presidential promulgation and ministry implementation, demonstrates the interconnected nature of Brazil's executive and administrative branches in financial matters.

The law also illustrates the federal government's approach to regional development during this period. By creating mechanisms for special credits targeted at specific states and municipalities, the legislation shows how national development priorities could be translated into localized financial support.

This legislative approach aligns with Kubitschek's broader development strategy, which sought to modernize Brazil's economy while maintaining political stability. The law's provisions for budgetary flexibility helped facilitate the ambitious infrastructure and industrial projects that characterized this era of Brazilian history.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-10-23;3291)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3291&ano=1957&data=23/10/1957&ato=cc7k3YU9UMNRVT41d)