# Law No. 3691 of December 14, 1959

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648810](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648810)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3691-of-december-14-1959

## Summary
Law No. 3691 of December 14, 1959, is a Brazilian statute enacted to authorize a special budgetary adjustment, specifically a "Crédito Especial," for the Ministry of Agriculture. Promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek and published in Rio de Janeiro, it serves as a formal legal instrument within the Brazilian statutory framework and is indexed under the national LexML system.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 3691, de 14 de dezembro de 1959.
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3691/1959.
- **Date of Promulgation:** December 14, 1959.
- **Jurisdiction:** Federative Republic of Brazil.
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese.
- **Classification:** Statute (formal written document that creates law).
- **Promulgating Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, specifically Juscelino Kubitschek.
- **Primary Subject Matter:** Special budgetary adjustment (Crédito Especial).
- **Target Entity:** Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil (Ministério Da Agricultura - Magr).
- **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- **LexML Brazil Identifier:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-14;3691.
- **Official Source:** Available via the Presidency's Planalto portal (planalto.gov.br).
- **Wikimedia Association:** Part of the focus list for WikiProject Brazilian Laws.

## FAQs
**What is the primary function of Law No. 3691 of December 14, 1959?**
This law functions as a specific budgetary mandate that authorized a "Crédito Especial" (special credit) for the Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil. It is a formal manifestation of statutory law used to reallocate or provide specific funding within the federal government.

**Who was the presiding authority at the time of this law's enactment?**
The law was approved and promulgated by Juscelino Kubitschek, who served as the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil. It was issued during a period when Rio de Janeiro still served as the nation's place of publication for federal acts, prior to the capital's move to Brasília in 1960.

**How is Law No. 3691 identified in digital legal databases?**
The law is uniquely identified in the LexML Brazil system with the URN `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-14;3691`. It is also cataloged and accessible through the official legislative database of the Presidency of the Republic (Planalto).

## Why It Matters
Law No. 3691 is a concrete example of the exercise of executive and legislative power in mid-20th-century Brazil. By facilitating a special budgetary adjustment for the Ministry of Agriculture, the statute highlights the fiscal priorities of the Juscelino Kubitschek administration. As a statute, it represents a "manifestation of statutory law," providing a permanent and public record of a legal norm. Its status as a public domain document ensures that the public has unrestrained access to the fiscal rules governing the state, reinforcing the principles of transparency and the rule of law. Furthermore, its inclusion in specialized knowledge projects like WikiProject Brazilian Laws ensures its preservation for historical and legal research.

## Notable For
- **Kubitschek Era Legislation:** Enacted during the "Golden Years" of President Juscelino Kubitschek, known for rapid economic development and modernization.
- **Pre-Brasília Federal Act:** Published in Rio de Janeiro just months before the city ceased to be the federal capital in April 1960.
- **Budgetary Specificity:** Classified specifically as a "Crédito Especial," a distinct legal category for adjustments to the national budget.
- **Standardized Indexing:** Features a dedicated LexML Brazil ID, allowing for precise retrieval in semantic web and legal ontology systems.

## Body

### Classification and Legal Nature
Law No. 3691 is classified as a **statute**, which is defined as a formal written document that creates law. Within the legal hierarchy, it is a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule." As a statute, it serves as the physical manifestation of statutory law and is composed of specific "legal norms." Its creation followed the standard legislative process, beginning as a draft law and resulting in a formal legal act caused by the process of legislation.

### Historical Context and Promulgation
The law was promulgated on December 14, 1959, by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil. At this time, the presidency was held by Juscelino Kubitschek. The place of publication was Rio de Janeiro, which was the capital of Brazil at the time (the capital would move to Brasília on April 22, 1960). The law is written in Brazilian Portuguese, the official language of the jurisdiction.

### Subject Matter: Special Budgetary Adjustment
The main subject of Law No. 3691 is a **special budgetary adjustment**, referred to in the text as a "Crédito Especial." This adjustment was specifically directed toward the **Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil** (Ministério Da Agricultura - Magr). Such credits are typically used to fund expenditures for which there is no specific budget allocation or to supplement existing ones under specific legal conditions.

### Technical Identification and Accessibility
The law is heavily indexed for modern legal research:
*   **LexML Brazil ID:** `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-14;3691`
*   **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3691/1959
*   **Digital Repository:** The full text is maintained by the Presidency of the Republic at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3691.htm`.
*   **Wikimedia Integration:** It is a recognized entity within WikiProject Brazilian Laws.

### Relationship to Global Legal Concepts
As a statute, Law No. 3691 aligns with global legal standards and ontologies:
*   **Schema.org:** It is equivalent to the `https://schema.org/Legislation` class.
*   **Library Classification:** Statutes of this nature are cataloged under Dewey Decimal codes 342.057 and 348.02.
*   **Copyright Status:** In accordance with the "edict of government doctrine" (similar to policies in the U.S. and France), such official legislative enactments are generally considered to be in the public domain, ensuring they are not subject to copyright and remain accessible to all citizens.

### Jurisdiction: Brazil
The law applies to the jurisdiction of **Brazil**, a federal republic in South America. At the time of this law's passing in 1959, Brazil was undergoing significant political and social development under a representative democracy. The country's legal system, which produced Law No. 3691, is managed by the National Congress (comprising the Federal Senate and Chamber of Deputies) and the Presidency, with the Supreme Federal Court (STF) serving as the highest judicial authority.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-14;3691)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3691&ano=1959&data=14/12/1959&ato=6ceo3Z65UMRRVT5a9)