# Law No. 3659 of November 13, 1959

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648604](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648604)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3659-of-november-13-1959

## Summary
Law No. 3659 of November 13, 1959, is a Brazilian federal statute enacted during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek that establishes the "Special Pension" (Pensão Especial) and governs its "Concession" (Concessão). As a formal written legal document, it serves as a specific manifestation of statutory law within the Federative Republic of Brazil, creating binding legal norms for the granting of this specific benefit. The law was published in Rio de Janeiro and remains a foundational text for this particular social security provision in Brazilian jurisprudence.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 3659, de 13 de novembro de 1959 (Law No. 3659, of November 13, 1959).
- **Date of Enactment:** November 13, 1959.
- **Country of Origin:** Brazil (Federative Republic of Brazil).
- **Legal Classification:** Statute (a formal written document creating law, including acts and executive orders).
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil.
- **Promulgating President:** Juscelino Kubitschek (served as President at the time of promulgation).
- **Primary Subject Matter:** "Pensão Especial" (Special Pension) and "Concessão" (Concession/Granting).
- **Jurisdiction:** Applies exclusively to the Federative Republic of Brazil.
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese.
- **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro.
- **LexML Brazil Identifier:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-11-13;3659.
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3659/1959.
- **Official Online Source:** Available at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3659.htm.
- **Wikidata Description:** Brazilian law.
- **Instance Of:** Statute (subclass of written work, document, and rule).

## FAQs
**What is the primary purpose of Law No. 3659/1959?**
The law specifically establishes the framework for the "Special Pension" (Pensão Especial) and defines the procedures for its "Concession" (Concessão) within the Brazilian legal system. It functions as the statutory authority allowing the government to grant this specific financial benefit to eligible recipients.

**Who signed and promulgated this legislation?**
The statute was approved and promulgated by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil under the leadership of President Juscelino Kubitschek. The act of promulgation officially occurred on November 13, 1959, finalizing its status as binding law.

**Where can the full text of this law be accessed?**
The official text is hosted on the Brazilian government's Planalto website, accessible via the URL https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3659.htm. It is also indexed in the LexML Brazil repository under the unique identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-11-13;3659.

**Does this law apply to jurisdictions outside of Brazil?**
No, the statute explicitly applies to the jurisdiction of the Federative Republic of Brazil. As a federal law enacted by the Brazilian National Congress and promulgated by the Brazilian President, its legal force is confined to the national territory and its specific legal system.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 3659 of November 1959 is a critical instrument of social policy within the Brazilian legal framework, as it codifies the right to a "Special Pension." In the context of Brazilian administrative law, statutes like this one are the tangible manifestation of statutory law, transforming abstract legislative intent into enforceable legal norms. By defining the "Concession" process, the law ensures that the granting of this specific pension is not arbitrary but follows a standardized, legally binding procedure.

This statute matters because it represents the formal exercise of government authority to provide social security benefits, directly impacting the livelihoods of its beneficiaries. As a "statute," it holds the status of a formal written document that creates law, distinguishing it from general legal concepts or unwritten customs. Its existence ensures that the "Special Pension" is a recognized legal right rather than a discretionary gift, providing stability and predictability for recipients. Furthermore, as part of the broader corpus of Brazilian federal laws from the Kubitschek era, it contributes to the historical record of the nation's social welfare development during a period of significant modernization.

## Notable For
- **Specific Subject Focus:** Uniquely dedicated to the "Pensão Especial" (Special Pension) and its "Concessão" (Concession), distinguishing it from general social security laws.
- **Historical Context:** Enacted during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek, a pivotal era in Brazilian history known for rapid industrialization and infrastructure development.
- **Formal Legal Status:** Recognized as a "statute," placing it in the same category as acts, executive orders, and by-laws within the hierarchy of Brazilian law.
- **Digital Preservation:** Fully digitized and accessible via the Planalto government portal and the LexML Brazil open data initiative.
- **Unique Identifier:** Assigned the specific LexML Brazil URN `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-11-13;3659`, ensuring precise citation in legal and academic contexts.
- **Jurisdictional Specificity:** Strictly applies to the Federative Republic of Brazil, reflecting the federal legislative power of the nation.
- **Language Standard:** Written in Brazilian Portuguese, serving as an authoritative text for legal interpretation in that language.

## Body

### Definition and Legal Classification
Law No. 3659 of November 13, 1959, is classified as a **statute**, which is defined as a formal written document that creates law. In the taxonomy of legal concepts, it is an instance of a "legal term or legal concept" and a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule." Unlike abstract legal theories, this statute serves as the concrete manifestation of statutory law, functioning as the official record of the legal rules enacted by the Brazilian government. It is composed of "legal norms" and is a part of the broader concepts of "law" and "legal act." Its creation was preceded by "draft laws" and was caused by the legislative process known as "legislation."

### Enactment and Promulgation History
The statute was brought into force on **November 13, 1959**, a date that marks its publication and legal effectiveness. The law was approved by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**, with the specific determination method being **promulgation**. At the time of this legislative act, the head of state was **Juscelino Kubitschek**, whose name is recorded as a qualifier for the approval event. The place of publication for this federal law was **Rio de Janeiro**, which served as the capital of Brazil prior to the move to Brasília in 1960. The law is part of the sequence of federal legislation from the 1950–1969 period, specifically categorized under laws enacted in 1959.

### Subject Matter: Special Pension and Concession
The core content of Law No. 3659 revolves around two primary legal concepts identified in its metadata:
1.  **Pensão Especial (Special Pension):** This is the main subject of the law, indicating that the statute establishes a specific type of pension benefit distinct from standard retirement or social security pensions.
2.  **Concessão (Concession):** This refers to the administrative act of granting or awarding the pension. The law provides the legal basis for the "concession" of this benefit, outlining the authority and procedures required to award it to eligible individuals.
These subjects are explicitly linked to the law via the `main_subject` property in legal databases, with qualifiers stating the law "stated as" these specific terms.

### Jurisdiction and Applicability
The statute applies to the **Federative Republic of Brazil**, establishing its legal force within the national borders. As a federal law, it supersedes state or municipal regulations on the specific matter of the "Special Pension" unless otherwise specified by the constitution. The law is written in **Brazilian Portuguese**, which is the official language of the country and the language of the work. Its jurisdiction is strictly limited to the Brazilian legal system, meaning it does not have extraterritorial effect unless international treaties dictate otherwise, which is not indicated in the source data.

### Digital Identification and Access
In the modern digital era, Law No. 3659 is identified and accessed through several authoritative systems:
-   **LexML Brazil:** The law is assigned the unique Uniform Resource Name (URN) `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-11-13;3659`, which allows for precise citation and retrieval in open legal data repositories.
-   **Official Government Portal:** The full text is hosted on the Planalto website at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3659.htm`, serving as the primary source for the public and legal professionals.
-   **Wikidata:** The entity is tracked in Wikidata with a description of "Brazilian law" and is linked to the specific legal text.
-   **Legal Citation:** The standard citation format for this law is **Lei nº 3659/1959**, used in legal documents, court rulings, and academic research.

### Relationship to Broader Legal Concepts
This statute exemplifies the nature of a **statute** as a foundational legal concept. It is distinct from general "legislation" or "legal act" in that it is the specific *written document* itself. While "law" is the broader system, this statute is the physical or formal expression of a legal rule. It is related to but differentiated from concepts like "Wet" (Dutch for law) or "Law" in a general sense. The law is part of the "Category:Act" in knowledge organization systems. It is also connected to the concept of "edict of government," which generally places such documents in the public domain, ensuring that the text of the law is freely accessible to the public without copyright restrictions, a principle that applies to official legal documents in Brazil and many other jurisdictions.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-11-13;3659)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3659&ano=1959&data=13/11/1959&ato=70dcXS65UMRRVT16c)