# Law No. 4037 of December 20, 1961

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648123](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648123)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-4037-of-december-20-1961

## Summary
**Law No. 4037 of December 20, 1961** is a Brazilian federal statute enacted during the presidency of João Goulart. Published in Brasília, this legislation authorizes a special budgetary adjustment ("Credito Especial") specifically to provide financial grants ("Subvenção") to educational institutions in the state of Bahia for higher education courses.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 4037, de 20 de dezembro de 1961
- **Alternative Citation:** Lei nº 4037/1961
- **Enactment Date:** December 20, 1961
- **Promulgation Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil (promulgated by João Goulart)
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil
- **Legal Classification:** Statute (formal written document creating law)
- **Applicable Jurisdiction:** Brazil (Federal)
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Primary Subject:** Special Budgetary Adjustment (Credito Especial)
- **Beneficiary Entities:** Ministry of Education (Ministerio Da Educação - MEC)
- **Geographic Scope:** State of Bahia (Estado Da Bahia - BA)
- **Purpose:** Grants (Subvenção) for Educational Institutions (Estabelecimento De Ensino) supporting Higher Education (Curso Superior)
- **Lexml Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-12-20;4037
- **Official Web Source:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4037.htm

## FAQs
**What is the specific purpose of Law No. 4037/1961?**
This law authorizes a special budgetary adjustment (Credito Especial) to provide government grants (Subvenção) to educational institutions within the state of Bahia, specifically to support higher education (Curso Superior) programs under the oversight of the Ministry of Education.

**Under whose authority was this law enacted?**
The law was promulgated by João Goulart in his capacity as the head of the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil on December 20, 1961.

**Where can the official text of this law be accessed?**
The full text of Law No. 4037/1961 is available for public viewing on the official Brazilian government website at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4037.htm` and is indexed under the Lexml Brazil ID `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-12-20;4037`.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 4037 of December 20, 1961, represents a specific instance of federal intervention in Brazil's educational infrastructure during the early 1960s. By authorizing a special budgetary credit, this statute provided a formal mechanism for the central government to direct financial support to higher education institutions in the state of Bahia. Such laws are crucial for understanding the historical development of federal funding policies for regional education in Brazil, demonstrating how the Ministry of Education utilized statutory instruments to allocate resources outside of the standard budgetary process to address specific institutional needs.

## Notable For
- **Specific Budgetary Mechanism:** Utilizes a "Special Budgetary Adjustment" (Credito Especial) as its main legal instrument.
- **Targeted Educational Funding:** Directs federal funds specifically to "Higher Education" (Curso Superior) within a single state (Bahia).
- **Historical Context:** Enacted during the administration of President João Goulart, a significant figure in Brazilian political history.
- **Institutional Role:** Explicitly involves the Ministry of Education (MEC) as a key subject in the allocation process.
- **Digital Preservation:** Fully digitized and accessible via the official Planalto government portal and the Lexml system.

## Body

### Legislative Classification and Context
Law No. 4037 is formally classified as a **statute** (estatuto), which is a formal written document that creates law. As a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule," this law functions as a manifestation of statutory law within the Brazilian legal system. It applies to the entire jurisdiction of **Brazil** and was composed in **Brazilian Portuguese**. The law is identified as part of the WikiProject Brazilian Laws, indicating its relevance within structured knowledge projects focused on Brazilian legislation.

### Enactment and Promulgation
The statute was officially approved and promulgated on **December 20, 1961**, by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**. The specific authority behind this promulgation was **João Goulart**, who served as President at the time. The act of promulgation is the formal method by which the law was enacted, establishing its validity and enforceability.

### Subject Matter and Scope
The legislative content of Law No. 4037 is centered on financial adjustments for educational support. The primary subjects of the law include:
- **Special Budgetary Adjustment (Credito Especial):** This is the core legal mechanism, authorizing an allocation of funds outside the ordinary budget.
- **Ministry of Education (Ministerio Da Educação - MEC):** The federal body involved in the oversight or administration of the allocated funds.
- **State of Bahia (Estado Da Bahia - BA):** The specific geographic region where the law's provisions are applied.
- **Educational Institution (Estabelecimento De Ensino):** The direct beneficiary entities receiving support.
- **Grant (Subvenção):** The nature of the financial assistance provided, indicating a non-repayable subsidy.
- **Higher Education (Curso Superior):** The specific academic level targeted by the funding.

### Official Identification and Access
This law is uniquely identified within Brazilian legal databases through its **Lexml Brazil ID**: `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-12-20;4037`. It is cited legally as **Lei nº 4037/1961**. The official text has been preserved digitally and is accessible to the public via the URL `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4037.htm`, hosted on the Brazilian government's official portal. The place of publication is recorded as **Brasília**, the federal capital of Brazil.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-12-20;4037)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=4037&ano=1961&data=20/12/1961&ato=18fMzZU5keVRVTe5f)