# Law No. 6406 of March 21, 1977

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105659686](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105659686)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-6406-of-march-21-1977

## Summary
**Law No. 6406 of March 21, 1977** (Portuguese: *Lei nº 6406, de 21 de março de 1977*) is a Brazilian federal statute enacted during the military government period. Promulgated by President Ernesto Geisel in Brasília, it addresses matters related to highways, municipalities, and guidelines affecting the state of Rio Grande do Sul, specifically the municipalities of Campo Novo and Coronel Bicaco.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 6406, de 21 de março de 1977
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 6406/1977
- **Classification:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Enactment Date:** March 21, 1977
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Promulgating President:** Ernesto Geisel
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil
- **Jurisdiction:** Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Lexml Brazil Identifier:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1977-03-21;6406
- **Official URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1970-1979/l6406.htm
- **Wikimedia Project:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws
- **Main Subjects:** Campo Novo (RS), Coronel Bicaco (RS), Rio Grande do Sul state, highways, municipalities, guidelines, and changes/amendments

## FAQs

**What type of legal instrument is Law No. 6406/1977?**
Law No. 6406/1977 is classified as a statute—a formal written document that creates law. As a federal statute (Lei), it is part of Brazil's statutory law and applies nationwide, though its specific provisions focus on particular geographic areas.

**Who approved and promulgated this law?**
The law was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil and promulgated by President Ernesto Geisel on March 21, 1977. Geisel served as Brazil's president from 1974 to 1979 during the military dictatorship period.

**What geographic areas does this law affect?**
The law specifically concerns municipalities and highways in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil's southernmost state. The named municipalities include Campo Novo and Coronel Bicaco.

**Where can the full text of this law be accessed?**
The official text is available through the Brazilian government's Portal de Legislação at planalto.gov.br. It is also indexed in the Lexml Brazil legal information system with the identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1977-03-21;6406.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 6406/1977 represents an example of federal legislative activity during Brazil's military government period (1964-1985). Enacted under President Ernesto Geisel's administration, it reflects the centralized approach to infrastructure and administrative matters characteristic of that era. The law's focus on highways and municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul illustrates how federal legislation addressed regional development and territorial organization. As a formally documented statute, it contributes to the body of Brazilian statutory law and remains accessible through official government channels and legal databases for researchers, legal professionals, and citizens seeking to understand Brazil's legislative history.

## Notable For
- **Historical Context:** Enacted during the military dictatorship period under President Ernesto Geisel, who governed Brazil from 1974 to 1979
- **Regional Specificity:** Targets specific municipalities (Campo Novo and Coronel Bicaco) in Rio Grande do Sul state
- **Infrastructure Focus:** Addresses highway-related matters and municipal guidelines
- **Official Documentation:** Indexed in Brazil's Lexml legal information system with a persistent URN identifier
- **Public Accessibility:** Full text available through the official Brazilian government portal (planalto.gov.br)
- **WikiProject Coverage:** Included in WikiProject Brazilian Laws, indicating scholarly and encyclopedic interest

## Body

### Legal Classification and Formal Identification

Law No. 6406 of March 21, 1977 is formally classified as a **statute** (Portuguese: *estatuto* or *lei*), which represents a formal written document that creates law. Within Brazil's legal hierarchy, it constitutes a federal law enacted by the national government and applicable within its jurisdiction.

The law's official legal citation is **Lei nº 6406/1977**, and its full formal title is **Lei nº 6406, de 21 de março de 1977**. In Brazil's Lexml legal information system—which provides standardized identifiers for Brazilian legal documents—it carries the persistent URN identifier: **urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1977-03-21;6406**.

### Enactment and Promulgation

The statute was **promulgated on March 21, 1977** by **Ernesto Geisel**, who served as President of Brazil from 1974 to 1979. The promulgation occurred through the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**, acting in its capacity as the executive authority responsible for approving federal legislation.

The law was published in **Brasília**, Brazil's federal capital. Brasília had served as the national capital since 1960, replacing Rio de Janeiro as the seat of federal government operations.

### Geographic Scope and Subject Matter

The law's provisions specifically address matters in the state of **Rio Grande do Sul**, Brazil's southernmost state, which borders Uruguay and Argentina. Within this state, the legislation concerns the following municipalities:

- **Campo Novo** (referred to in records as "Campo Novo - Rs")
- **Coronel Bicaco** (referred to in records as "Coronel Bicaco - Rs")

The law's main subjects, as documented in official records, include:

- **Highways** (Rodovia): Infrastructure related to road transportation
- **Municipalities** (Município): Administrative divisions and local government matters
- **Guidelines** (Diretriz): Policy directives or regulatory frameworks
- **Changes** (Alteração): Modifications or amendments to existing arrangements

This subject combination suggests the law addresses highway infrastructure guidelines or modifications affecting municipal boundaries, jurisdictions, or administrative responsibilities in the specified areas.

### Language and Jurisdiction

The law was composed and published in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of Brazil. It applies to the **Federative Republic of Brazil** as its jurisdiction, meaning it constitutes federal legislation with nationwide authority, though its specific provisions target particular geographic areas.

### Historical and Political Context

The enactment of Law No. 6406/1977 occurred during Brazil's **military dictatorship period** (1964-1985). President Ernesto Geisel, who promulgated this law, was the fourth military president during this period. His administration (1974-1979) was characterized by a gradual political opening process known as *distensão* (decompression), which eventually led to the return to democratic rule.

During this era, federal legislation frequently addressed infrastructure development, territorial administration, and regional planning—themes consistent with the subject matter of Law No. 6406/1977.

### Official Publication and Accessibility

The complete text of Law No. 6406/1977 is accessible through the **Portal de Legislação** maintained by the Brazilian Presidency at:

**https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1970-1979/l6406.htm**

This official repository, maintained by the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency, provides public access to federal legislation. The law is also indexed in the **Lexml Brazil** system, a standardized network for legal information that provides persistent identifiers and facilitates legal research.

### Scholarly and Encyclopedic Coverage

Law No. 6406/1977 is included in **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, indicating that it has been identified as a subject of interest for encyclopedic documentation and scholarly attention. This WikiProject focuses on improving coverage of Brazilian legal topics in collaborative knowledge bases.

### Relationship to Statutory Law Framework

As a statute, Law No. 6406/1977 represents a manifestation of statutory law—the body of written law created by legislative authority. In legal taxonomy, statutes function as:

- Subclasses of written works and documents
- Formal expressions of legal rules
- Components of the broader legal system

Brazilian statutes, including this law, are generally considered **public domain documents** under Brazilian and international principles regarding official legal texts. This status ensures public accessibility to the laws that govern society.

### Related Constitutional Framework

At the time of enactment, Brazil operated under the **Constitution of 1967** (as amended in 1969), which had been established during the military period. The law's provisions would have been formulated within this constitutional framework. Brazil's current constitution, enacted in 1988, now serves as the supreme legal foundation, and any earlier statutes remain valid only to the extent they conform to current constitutional principles.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1977-03-21;6406)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=6406&ano=1977&data=21/03/1977&ato=56fkXVE9UNnRVT966)