# Law No. 3700 of December 24, 1959 > Brazilian law **Wikidata**: [Q105648822](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648822) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3700-of-december-24-1959 ## Summary Law No. 3700 of December 24, 1959, is a Brazilian statute enacted to authorize a special budgetary adjustment (Crédito Especial) for the Ministry of Health. Promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek, the law serves as a formal written document that creates legal norms within the Brazilian federal republic. It is a primary instrument of statutory law, officially recorded and published in Rio de Janeiro during the final months of that city's tenure as the national capital. ## Key Facts - **Official Title:** Lei nº 3700, de 24 de dezembro de 1959. - **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3700/1959. - **Date of Promulgation:** December 24, 1959. - **Promulgating Authority:** Juscelino Kubitschek, Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil. - **Primary Subject Matter:** Special budgetary adjustment (Crédito Especial) and the Ministry of Health (Ministério Da Saúde). - **Jurisdiction:** Brazil. - **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. - **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese. - **Classification:** Statute (subclass of written work, document, and rule). - **LexML Brazil Identifier:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3700. - **Digital Access:** Available through the official Planalto government portal (planalto.gov.br). - **Project Affiliation:** Included in the focus list of WikiProject Brazilian Laws. ## FAQs **What is the primary purpose of Law No. 3700?** The law was established to provide a "Crédito Especial," which is a special budgetary adjustment specifically designated for the Ministry of Health of Brazil. It functions as a formal legal act to reallocate or provide additional funding within the federal budget. **Who was responsible for the enactment of this law?** Law No. 3700 was approved and promulgated by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil. It was signed into effect by President Juscelino Kubitschek on December 24, 1959. **Where can the official text of Law No. 3700 be found?** The full text of the law is maintained by the Brazilian government and is accessible online via the official website of the Presidency (Planalto). It is also indexed in the LexML Brazil system under the unique URN identifier `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3700`. **In what historical context was this law published?** The law was published in Rio de Janeiro in late 1959. This occurred shortly before the Brazilian capital was officially moved to Brasília on April 22, 1960, marking a significant period in the country's political and administrative history. ## Why It Matters Law No. 3700 of December 24, 1959, is a concrete manifestation of statutory law, representing the formal exercise of government authority in Brazil. As a statute, it provides the definitive reference point for the legal rules governing the Ministry of Health's finances during the Juscelino Kubitschek administration. It illustrates the transition from "draft laws" to enforceable "legal norms" through the act of legislation. Furthermore, as an official legislative enactment, it falls under the "edict of government doctrine," which generally places such documents in the public domain, ensuring that the public has unrestrained access to the laws that govern them. This transparency is a cornerstone of the rule of law and open government within the Brazilian federal republic. ## Notable For - **Presidential Promulgation:** Signed by Juscelino Kubitschek, one of Brazil's most prominent presidents, known for the construction of Brasília and significant national development. - **Holiday Enactment:** The law was finalized and promulgated on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1959. - **Pre-Brasília Publication:** It is one of the federal laws published in Rio de Janeiro before the administrative shift to the new capital in 1960. - **Standardized Identification:** It is recognized in global structured data systems as an equivalent to the `https://schema.org/Legislation` class. - **Specific Health Focus:** Directly impacts the Ministry of Health, highlighting the legislative priority given to healthcare funding during the late 1950s. ## Body ### Legislative Classification and Structure Law No. 3700 of December 24, 1959, is classified as a **statute**, a formal written document that creates law. In the hierarchy of legal concepts, it is a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule." It serves as the physical manifestation of statutory law, composed of specific "legal norms." The creation of this law followed the standard legislative process, originating as a "draft law" before being caused by a "legal act" of the Brazilian government. ### Subject Matter: Special Budgetary Adjustment The core function of Law No. 3700 was the authorization of a **Crédito Especial** (special credit). This is a specific type of budgetary adjustment used in Brazilian public administration to address needs not previously covered in the general budget. The law specifically designated these funds for the **Ministry of Health of Brazil** (Ministério Da Saúde). This legislative action allowed the executive branch to legally allocate financial resources to health-related initiatives under the jurisdiction of the Ministry. ### Historical and Geographical Context The law was enacted during a transformative era in Brazil. At the time of its publication on December 24, 1959, the seat of government and the place of publication was **Rio de Janeiro**. This was the final year Rio de Janeiro served as the federal capital before the inauguration of Brasília in April 1960. The law was promulgated by **Juscelino Kubitschek**, who served as the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil during this period of intense modernization and infrastructure growth. ### Technical Documentation and Access Law No. 3700 is heavily indexed within the Brazilian legal framework and digital repositories: * **LexML Brazil:** It is identified by the URN `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3700`, a persistent identifier used for Brazilian legislative and sub-legislative acts. * **Planalto Portal:** The official work is available at the website of the Presidency of the Republic (planalto.gov.br), ensuring public access to the original text. * **Language:** The document is written in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of the jurisdiction. * **WikiProject:** The law is a subject of focus for the WikiProject Brazilian Laws, which aims to organize and improve the documentation of the country's legal history. ### Legal Theory and Public Domain As a statute, Law No. 3700 is part of a category of documents that are typically exempt from copyright restrictions. Under the "edict of government doctrine," official legal documents—including legislative enactments like this one—are considered to be in the **public domain**. This ensures that the laws governing the citizens of Brazil are freely accessible and owned by the public, reinforcing the principles of a representative democracy and a federal republic. This classification aligns with global standards, such as the Dewey Decimal classifications 342.057 and 348.02, which categorize statutes and legal rules. ## References 1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3700) 2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3700&ano=1959&data=24/12/1959&ato=ad4kXQE9UMRRVTe69)