# Law No. 4979 of May 12, 1966

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105647595](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105647595)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-4979-of-may-12-1966

## Summary
**Law No. 4979 of May 12, 1966** is a Brazilian statute that authorizes a special budgetary adjustment ("Crédito Especial") to address overdue payments for officers within the Ministry of War and the Ministry of the Navy. Promulgated by President Castelo Branco in Brasília, the law serves as a specific financial legal instrument applicable to the jurisdiction of Brazil. It is formally classified as a statute and is officially recorded in the Brazilian legal system under the URN identifier.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 4979, de 12 de maio de 1966.
- **Classification:** Instance of a statute (formal written document that creates law).
- **Date of Publication:** May 12, 1966.
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil.
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, specifically President Castelo Branco (via promulgation).
- **Main Subject:** Special budgetary adjustment (Crédito Especial).
- **Beneficiary Entities:** Ministry of War of Brazil (Ministério Da Guerra) and Ministry of the Navy of Brazil (Ministério Da Marinha).
- **Subject Matter Details:** Covers overdue payments (Vencimentos) for officials (Oficiais) and payment authorization (Pagamento).
- **Jurisdiction:** Applies to Brazil.
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese.
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 4979/1966.
- **LexML Brazil ID:** `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1966-05-12;4979`.
- **Official URL:** Available at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4979.htm`.
- **Wikidata Context:** Listed on the focus list of WikiProject Brazilian Laws.

## FAQs
**What is the primary purpose of Law No. 4979/1966?**
The law authorizes a "special budgetary adjustment" (Crédito Especial) specifically to cover overdue payments for officials serving in the Ministry of War and the Ministry of the Navy.

**Who signed and promulgated Law No. 4979?**
The statute was approved and promulgated by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, with President Castelo Branco serving as the head of state at the time of publication on May 12, 1966.

**Where is the official text of Law No. 4979 accessible?**
The official text is accessible digitally via the Planalto Palace website at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4979.htm` and is identified in the Brazilian legal system by the LexML ID `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1966-05-12;4979`.

**Which government ministries were directly affected by this law?**
The law specifically applies to the Ministry of War of Brazil (Ministério Da Guerra) and the Ministry of the Navy of Brazil (Ministério Da Marinha), addressing financial matters related to their personnel.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 4979 of May 12, 1966, matters as a concrete example of the Brazilian government's administrative and budgetary functions during the presidency of Castelo Branco. As a statute, it represents the formal exercise of legislative authority to solve specific fiscal obligations, in this case, ensuring the payment of overdue salaries or allowances for military officials in the War and Navy ministries. It illustrates the mechanism of "Crédito Especial" (special credit), a crucial budgetary tool used to allocate funds outside the normal annual budget to meet urgent or overlooked expenses. The law's existence also highlights the centralized administrative role of Brasília as the seat of federal legislative publication and the ongoing digitization efforts of Brazilian legal history through platforms like LexML and the Planalto archives.

## Notable For
- **Budgetary Mechanism:** Notable for its use of a "special budgetary adjustment" (Crédito Especial) to address specific fiscal needs.
- **Military Administration:** Specifically targets the administrative and financial structures of the Ministry of War and Ministry of Navy.
- **Historical Context:** Enacted during the early period of the military dictatorship in Brazil under President Castelo Branco.
- **Digital Preservation:** Fully integrated into modern legal databases with a persistent URN identifier and official digital hosting.
- **Legal Classification:** Serves as a clear instance of a "statute," distinguishing it from other legal instruments like decrees or resolutions.

## Body

### Legislative Definition and Classification
Law No. 4979 is formally classified as a **statute**. In the context of legal knowledge bases, a statute is defined as a formal written document that creates law, encompassing acts, executive orders, and by-laws. This law functions as a manifestation of statutory law, containing legal norms that direct the specific financial operations of the state. It is a subclass of "written work" and "document," and serves as the official record of the rules enacted by the Brazilian government.

### Subject Matter and Provisions
The core content of Law No. 4979 focuses on financial adjustments and payments. The statute explicitly addresses:
- **Special Budgetary Adjustment:** Referred to as "Credito Especial," this is the primary legal mechanism authorized by the text.
- **Targeted Ministries:** The provisions apply specifically to the **Ministry of War of Brazil** (listed as "Ministerio Da Guerra") and the **Ministry of the Navy of Brazil** (listed as "Ministerio Da Marinha").
- **Personnel and Payments:** The law regulates "overdue" payments ("Vencimentos") for "officials" ("Oficiais") and authorizes the specific "payment" ("Pagamento") processes required to settle these obligations.

### Promulgation and Authority
The statute was promulgated on **May 12, 1966**, in **Brasília**. The act of approval was executed by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**. The determination method is listed as "promulgation," with President **Castelo Branco** identified as the head of state responsible for the decree. This places the law within the historical context of the Brazilian military government period, specifically the early years of the regime following the 1964 coup.

### Jurisdiction and Language
The law applies to the jurisdiction of **Brazil** and is written in **Brazilian Portuguese**. These attributes classify it as a federal legal act with binding authority throughout the national territory. The legal citation for the text is standardized as **Lei nº 4979/1966**.

### Identification and Digital Access
The law is extensively cataloged in Brazilian legal information systems:
- **LexML Brazil ID:** The unique resource name is `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1966-05-12;4979`, which serves as a persistent identifier for the digital resource.
- **Official Source:** The full text is hosted by the Brazilian government at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4979.htm`.
- **Project Status:** The entity is listed on the focus list of **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, indicating its relevance in structured knowledge projects and legal data curation.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1966-05-12;4979)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=4979&ano=1966&data=12/05/1966&ato=179cXRE9EMZRVT854)