# Law No. 3660 of November 13, 1959

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648606](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648606)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3660-of-november-13-1959

## Summary

Law No. 3660 of November 13, 1959 (Lei nº 3660, de 13 de novembro de 1959) is a Brazilian federal statute enacted during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek. The law addresses matters related to civil servants, special budgetary adjustments (crédito especial), benefits, payments, and the Ministry of Transport of Brazil (then known as Ministério da Viação e Obras Públicas). It was published in Rio de Janeiro, which served as the federal capital at the time.

## Key Facts

- **Official Title:** Lei nº 3660, de 13 de novembro de 1959
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3660/1959
- **Type of Instrument:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Date of Publication:** November 13, 1959
- **Promulgation Date:** November 13, 1959
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Approving Official:** Juscelino Kubitschek (President of Brazil)
- **Method of Enactment:** Promulgation
- **Country:** Brazil
- **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- **Applicable Jurisdiction:** Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Lexml Brazil Identifier:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-11-13;3660
- **Official URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3660.htm
- **Wikidata Description:** Brazilian law
- **WikiProject Affiliation:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs

**What subjects does Law No. 3660/1959 address?**
The law covers six main subject areas as formally stated in the legislation: benefits (benefício), special budgetary adjustments (crédito especial), increases or amplifications (ampliação), civil servants (servidor), the Ministry of Transport of Brazil (Ministério da Viação e Obras Públicas), and payments (pagamento).

**Who enacted Law No. 3660/1959?**
The law was approved and promulgated by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil under President Juscelino Kubitschek on November 13, 1959.

**Where was the law published and what jurisdiction does it cover?**
The law was published in Rio de Janeiro, which was the capital of Brazil at the time. It applies to the entire Federative Republic of Brazil as federal legislation.

**Where can the full text of Law No. 3660/1959 be accessed?**
The official text is available through the Brazilian government's Planalto Palace website at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3660.htm. It is also indexed under the Lexml Brazil system with identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-11-13;3660.

## Why It Matters

Law No. 3660 of November 13, 1959 represents a specific legislative action within Brazil's federal legal framework during a pivotal period in the nation's development. Enacted under President Juscelino Kubitschek's administration—a presidency known for its ambitious modernization programs and infrastructure development—this statute addresses budgetary mechanisms and civil service matters connected to the Ministry of Transport (Ministério da Viação e Obras Públicas). The involvement of this particular ministry suggests the law's relevance to Brazil's broader national development agenda of the late 1950s.

The law's classification as a statute places it within the foundational category of formal written legal instruments that create binding law. As a federal statute, it carries the full weight of Brazilian legislative authority and contributes to the body of statutory law that governs the nation. Its official publication in Rio de Janeiro reflects the administrative organization of Brazil prior to the 1960 transition of the federal capital to Brasília.

The law's inclusion in WikiProject Brazilian Laws indicates its recognition within organized efforts to document and preserve Brazilian legislative history, ensuring its accessibility for legal research, historical analysis, and public reference.

## Notable For

- **Kubitschek Era Legislation:** Enacted during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek (1956–1961), a period marked by rapid industrialization and infrastructure expansion in Brazil
- **Pre-Brasília Publication:** Published in Rio de Janeiro before the federal capital was transferred to Brasília on April 22, 1960
- **Ministry of Transport Focus:** Addresses matters concerning the Ministério da Viação e Obras Públicas (Ministry of Transport and Public Works), reflecting the infrastructure priorities of its era
- **Special Budgetary Adjustment Authority:** Specifically authorizes "crédito especial" (special credit), a distinct fiscal mechanism in Brazilian public administration
- **Federal Statute Classification:** Formally classified as a statute (statute), representing a formal written document that creates law at the federal level
- **Lexml Integration:** Officially indexed in Brazil's Lexml legal documentation system, ensuring standardized identification and accessibility

## Body

### Legislative Classification and Nature

Law No. 3660 of November 13, 1959 is formally classified as a statute—a formal written document that creates law. In the Brazilian legal system, statutes (leis) serve as primary instruments of legislative authority, enacted through the formal process of promulgation by the executive branch following legislative approval or through delegated authority. This law exists as a manifestation of statutory law, comprising legal norms that govern specific aspects of Brazilian federal administration.

As a statute, this legal instrument belongs to the broader category of written works, documents, and rules that form the foundation of governance. Statutes in Brazil, like in many jurisdictions, are considered public domain documents, accessible to all citizens without copyright restrictions. This ensures that the legal mandates contained within Law No. 3660/1959 remain freely available for public consultation, legal research, and administrative reference.

### Enactment and Promulgation

The law was promulgated on November 13, 1959, through the formal authority of the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The promulgating official was President Juscelino Kubitschek, who served as Brazil's president from January 31, 1956, to January 31, 1961. Kubitschek's presidency is historically recognized for its ambitious development programs, including the construction of Brasília and significant investments in infrastructure and industrialization.

The promulgation date of November 13, 1959, coincides with the publication date, indicating the law's immediate entry into the official record. The act of promulgation represents the formal declaration that gives legal force to the legislative text, transforming it from a proposed measure into binding law applicable throughout Brazilian territory.

### Place of Publication and Historical Context

The law was published in Rio de Janeiro, which served as the capital of Brazil from 1763 until 1960. This publication location places the law within the final months of Rio de Janeiro's status as the federal capital, approximately five months before the official transfer of government functions to the newly constructed capital city of Brasília on April 22, 1960.

Rio de Janeiro's role as the publication venue reflects the administrative organization of the Brazilian federal government during this transitional period. The city housed the principal government offices, including the presidential palace and federal ministries, making it the natural location for the official dissemination of federal legislation.

### Subject Matter and Scope

Law No. 3660/1959 addresses six principal subject areas, each formally identified in the legislation:

1. **Benefits (Benefício):** Provisions relating to benefits, likely concerning entitlements or advantages provided to specified recipients under the law's provisions.

2. **Special Budgetary Adjustment (Crédito Especial):** Authorization for special credits, a fiscal mechanism used in Brazilian public administration to allocate additional funds beyond the ordinary budget for specific purposes.

3. **Increase or Amplification (Ampliação):** Provisions for expansion or augmentation of existing resources, services, or administrative capacities.

4. **Civil Servants (Servidor):** Matters pertaining to individuals employed in public service, addressing their status, compensation, or administrative conditions.

5. **Ministry of Transport of Brazil (Ministério da Viação e Obras Públicas):** Direct involvement of the ministry responsible for transportation and public works, indicating the law's connection to infrastructure and administrative matters within this portfolio.

6. **Payment (Pagamento):** Provisions governing financial disbursements, likely related to the benefits and budgetary adjustments authorized elsewhere in the legislation.

The combination of these subjects suggests the law addresses fiscal and administrative matters related to the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, potentially involving authorization for special expenditures, civil servant compensation adjustments, or infrastructure-related financial provisions.

### Ministry of Transport and Public Works

The mention of the Ministério da Viação e Obras Públicas (Ministry of Transport and Public Works) provides important context for understanding the law's operational domain. This ministry was responsible for Brazil's transportation infrastructure and public construction projects during the period. Under Kubitschek's administration, this ministry would have played a central role in the massive infrastructure development programs that characterized the era, including road construction, port development, and the building of Brasília itself.

The law's connection to this ministry suggests its relevance to Brazil's broader national development agenda, which prioritized transportation networks, industrial connectivity, and modernization of public infrastructure.

### Jurisdiction and Applicability

Law No. 3660/1959 applies to the entire Federative Republic of Brazil, exercising federal legislative authority over matters within the competence of the Union. As federal legislation, its provisions bind all states, municipalities, and federal districts within Brazilian territory. The law's jurisdictional scope reflects its classification as a federal statute enacted through the proper constitutional channels of the Brazilian government.

The language of the law is Brazilian Portuguese, the official language of Brazil, ensuring accessibility to the Portuguese-speaking population and conformity with the linguistic requirements of Brazilian federal legislation.

### Official Identification and Access

The law carries the official legal citation Lei nº 3660/1959, following the standard Brazilian convention for identifying legislation by number and year. This citation format enables precise reference in legal documents, judicial proceedings, and administrative communications.

The Lexml Brazil system assigns the law a Uniform Resource Name (URN): urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-11-13;3660. This identifier follows the international Lexml standard for legal document identification, enabling unambiguous reference and facilitating interoperability between legal information systems. The URN structure encodes key identifying information: the country (br), the level of government (federal), the type of instrument (lei), the date (1959-11-13), and the law number (3660).

The full text of the law is accessible through the official Brazilian government portal maintained by the Planalto Palace (Palácio do Planalto), the seat of the executive branch. The URL https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3660.htm provides public access to the legislation as part of the Civil Cabinet's legislative archive covering laws enacted between 1950 and 1969.

### Documentation and Knowledge Organization

Law No. 3660/1959 is included in WikiProject Brazilian Laws, a collaborative effort to document, structure, and preserve information about Brazilian legislation within knowledge organization systems. This inclusion ensures the law's representation in semantic web technologies, knowledge graphs, and structured data platforms that support legal research and information retrieval.

The law's classification as a statute aligns it with the broader ontological category recognized in knowledge systems including schema.org (where it corresponds to the Legislation class) and various library and archival classification systems. This categorization facilitates the law's integration into databases, research tools, and educational resources concerning Brazilian law and legal history.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-11-13;3660)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3660&ano=1959&data=13/11/1959&ato=ef6kXS65UMRRVTbf6)