# Law No. 4278 of November 4, 1963

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105647942](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105647942)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-4278-of-november-4-1963

## Summary
Law No. 4278 of November 4, 1963, is a Brazilian federal statute enacted to authorize a supplementary credit of CR 1,068,245,000.00 for the Federal Senate. Promulgated by President João Goulart, this legislation specifically addresses financial reinforcements for the legislative body and includes provisions related to the municipalities of Candeias and Camaçari in the state of Bahia. It serves as a formal written document creating statutory law within the Brazilian legal framework.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 4278, de 4 de novembro de 1963 (Law No. 4278 of November 4, 1963).
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 4278/1963.
- **Publication Date:** November 4, 1963.
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil.
- **Jurisdiction:** Federative Republic of Brazil.
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese.
- **Class/Type:** Statute (formal written document creating law).
- **Primary Subject:** Supplementary Credit (Credito Suplementar) for the Federal Senate.
- **Credit Amount:** CR 1,068,245,000.00 (Cruzeiros).
- **Approved By:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil.
- **Promulgating Authority:** João Goulart (President of Brazil at the time).
- **Main Beneficiary:** Federal Senate of Brazil (Senado Federal).
- **Specific Geographic Focus:** State of Bahia (Bahia), specifically the municipalities of Candeias and Camaçari.
- **LexML ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1963-11-04;4278.
- **Digital Archive URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4278.htm.
- **Source Reference:** https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=4278&ano=1963&data=04/11/1963&ato=6a3c3aq50MVRVT816.

## FAQs
**What was the primary financial purpose of Law No. 4278/1963?**
The law opened a supplementary credit of CR 1,068,245,000.00 specifically for the Federal Senate of Brazil. This funding was intended to reinforce the specific budgetary items enumerated within the legislative act.

**Which government officials and bodies were involved in the creation of this law?**
The statute was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil and promulgated by President João Goulart on November 4, 1963. It was enacted to provide financial support to the Federal Senate, which is the upper house of the National Congress.

**Does this law apply to specific regions within Brazil?**
Yes, the legislation explicitly references the State of Bahia and two of its municipalities: Candeias and Camaçari. These locations are cited as part of the main subject matter regarding the application or context of the credit approval.

**How is this law identified in digital legal databases?**
The law is uniquely identified in the LexML Brazil system with the URN `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1963-11-04;4278`. It is also cataloged under the legal citation "Lei nº 4278/1963" and is accessible via the official Planalto government website.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 4278 of November 1963 is a critical piece of historical financial legislation that ensured the operational continuity of the Brazilian Federal Senate during a period of political transition. By authorizing a substantial supplementary credit of over one billion Cruzeiros, the law addressed immediate fiscal needs for the legislative branch, allowing it to function effectively without budgetary interruption. Its specific inclusion of municipalities in Bahia highlights the intersection of federal budgeting with local administrative contexts, demonstrating how national laws can have targeted regional implications. As a formal statute, it remains a permanent part of Brazil's legal archive, serving as a verifiable record of the financial mechanisms used to support the separation of powers in the early 1960s.

## Notable For
- **Specific Fiscal Authorization:** It is the definitive legal instrument that opened the specific supplementary credit of CR 1,068,245,000.00 for the Senate.
- **Presidential Promulgation:** It stands as a documented act of President João Goulart's administration during his term in 1963.
- **Regional Specificity:** Unlike general budget laws, it explicitly names the municipalities of Candeias and Camaçari in Bahia within its subject matter.
- **Digital Preservation:** It is fully indexed in the LexML Brazil system with a persistent URN identifier, ensuring long-term accessibility.
- **Historical Context:** It represents a legislative act from the pre-military coup era of Brazilian history (1961–1964), capturing the fiscal priorities of that specific political moment.

## Body

### Legislative Identity and Classification
Law No. 4278 of November 4, 1963, is classified as a **statute**, which is a formal written document that creates law. In the Brazilian legal taxonomy, it falls under the category of federal legislation enacted by the National Congress and promulgated by the Executive branch. The document serves as the official manifestation of statutory law, distinct from general legal concepts or abstract theories. It is written in **Brazilian Portuguese** and applies exclusively to the jurisdiction of the **Federative Republic of Brazil**. The law is formally cited as **Lei nº 4278/1963** and is assigned the unique LexML identifier `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1963-11-04;4278`, which allows for precise retrieval in digital legal repositories.

### Financial Provisions and Purpose
The core function of this statute is financial authorization. The text explicitly states that it **opens a supplementary credit** to the Federal Senate. The specific amount authorized is **CR 1,068,245,000.00** (Cruzeiros), the currency of Brazil at the time. This credit was designated as a reinforcement of the specific budgetary verbas (funds) enumerated within the law. The primary beneficiary of this financial injection was the **Federal Senate of Brazil** (Senado Federal), ensuring that the upper house of the legislature had the necessary resources to operate. The law acts as a legal mechanism to adjust the budget, allowing for expenditures that were not originally foreseen in the annual budget law.

### Geographic and Administrative Scope
While the primary beneficiary is a federal body, the law's subject matter includes specific geographic references. The text identifies the **State of Bahia** as a relevant jurisdiction. Furthermore, it specifically names two municipalities within Bahia: **Candeias** and **Camaçari**. These locations are listed under the "main subject" qualifiers, suggesting that the supplementary credit or the administrative actions related to it had a direct connection to these municipalities. The law also categorizes these entities under the broader concept of a **municipality**, indicating their status as local administrative units within the federal structure.

### Promulgation and Authority
The law was enacted on **November 4, 1963**, and published in **Brasília**, the federal capital of Brazil. The authority responsible for its approval was the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**. At the time of promulgation, the head of state was **João Goulart**, who served as the President of Brazil. The determination method for this act was **promulgation**, a formal procedure where the President signs the law into effect after it has been passed by the legislature. The official reference for this act is found in the government's legislative portal, confirming its validity and historical record.

### Digital Archiving and Accessibility
Law No. 4278/1963 is preserved in the digital age through the **LexML Brazil** initiative, which standardizes legal data. The law's persistent URL is `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4278.htm`, hosted on the official Planalto website. This ensures that the text is publicly accessible and verifiable. The data was referenced and verified as of **January 28, 2021**, and **February 17, 2021**, confirming its continued relevance in legal databases. The law is also linked to the **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, indicating its importance in the collaborative documentation of Brazil's legal history.

### Contextual Relationships
The statute is an instance of a **legal term or legal concept** and is a subclass of **written work**, **document**, and **rule**. It is causally linked to the process of **legislation** and follows the creation of **draft laws**. The law is part of the broader **statutory law** system and contains **legal norms** as its constituent parts. It is distinct from, yet related to, concepts such as "consent" (specifically regarding approval) and "municipality" (as a type of entity). The law's existence is tied to the **Federal Senate**, which is the specific organ of the state that received the credit, highlighting the separation of powers where the Executive (President) enacts laws to support the Legislative (Senate).

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1963-11-04;4278)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=4278&ano=1963&data=04/11/1963&ato=6a3c3aq50MVRVT816)
3. LexML Brasil