# Law No. 6582 of October 20, 1978 > Brazilian law **Wikidata**: [Q105659603](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105659603) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-6582-of-october-20-1978 ## Summary Law No. 6582 of October 20, 1978 (Lei nº 6582/1978) is a Brazilian federal statute that authorizes the Executive Power to donate a property belonging to the Union (imóvel da União) to the municipality of Ubaira in the state of Bahia. Promulgated by President Ernesto Geisel on behalf of the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, this law represents a specific instance of legislative action concerning the disposition of federal property to a municipal government. ## Key Facts - **Official Title:** Lei nº 6582, de 20 de outubro de 1978 - **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 6582/1978 - **Publication Date:** October 20, 1978 - **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil - **Promulgating Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil - **President at Time:** Ernesto Geisel (served 1974–1979) - **Jurisdiction:** Brazil (applies to the municipality of Ubaira, state of Bahia) - **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese - **Lexml Brazil Identifier:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1978-10-20;6582 - **Official Source URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1970-1979/l6582.htm - **Classification:** Statute (formal written document that creates law) - **Primary Subject Matter:** Authorization for executive branch action regarding real property donation ## FAQs **What does Law No. 6582 of October 20, 1978 do?** Law No. 6582/1978 authorizes the Executive Power of Brazil to donate a federal property (imóvel da União) to the municipality of Ubaira, located in the state of Bahia. The law's digest explicitly states: "AUTORIZA O PODER EXECUTIVO A DOAR AO MUNICIPIO DE UBAIRA, NO ESTADO DA BAHIA, IMOVEL DA UNIÃO." **Who enacted Law No. 6582/1978?** The law was promulgated by President Ernesto Geisel on October 20, 1978, through the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil. Ernesto Geisel served as the 29th President of Brazil from 1974 to 1979, during the period of military rule in Brazil. **What type of law is Lei nº 6582/1978?** Lei nº 6582/1978 is classified as a statute—a formal written document that creates law. In the Brazilian legal system, a "lei" (law) is a legislative act passed by the National Congress and promulgated by the President. It represents a specific legal instrument within the broader framework of statutory law. **What is the subject matter of this law?** The law addresses several interconnected legal concepts: authorization (Autorização), executive branch authority (Executivo), real property (Imovel), gift or donation (Doação), municipality (Municipio), destination/disposition (Destinação), and pertains specifically to the state of Bahia. It represents a legislative authorization for the transfer of public (federal) property to a municipal entity. **Where can Law No. 6582/1978 be accessed?** The full text of the law is available through the official Brazilian government legislation portal at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1970-1979/l6582.htm, and through the LexML Brazil legal information system with the identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1978-10-20;6582. ## Why It Matters Law No. 6582 of October 20, 1978 matters as an example of how the Brazilian federal government exercises its authority over Union properties through legislative authorization. This law exemplifies the intersection between federal property management and municipal governance in Brazil, demonstrating how the national government can transfer assets to lower levels of administration for public purposes. The law reflects a specific historical moment in Brazilian governance—during the military government era under President Ernesto Geisel—when federal authorities maintained direct control over significant property assets. The authorization to donate Union property to the municipality of Ubaira represents an instance of decentralization or devolution of federal assets to local control, a common practice in Brazilian public administration. For legal researchers and historians, this law serves as a primary source documenting the relationship between the federal executive branch and municipal governments in Bahia, one of Brazil's largest and most historically significant states. The law also illustrates the formal process through which federal real property can be reallocated—requiring explicit legislative authorization rather than executive discretion alone. ## Notable For - **Specific Municipal Focus:** One of the few Brazilian federal laws explicitly authorizing property transfer to a single, specific municipality (Ubaira, Bahia) - **Historical Significance:** Represents federal property policy during the Geisel administration (1974–1979) - **Legal Classification:** Serves as a concrete example of the "statute" concept in Brazilian law, embodying the formal written document that creates binding legal rules - **Documentation Quality:** Available through multiple official government digital archives, demonstrating Brazil's commitment to public access to legal texts ## Body ### Legislative Context and Authority Law No. 6582/1978 was enacted as a federal "lei" (law) by the National Congress of Brazil and promulgated by the President of the Republic, following the standard legislative process for federal statutes in Brazil. The law represents an exercise of the federal government's constitutional authority over "bens da União" (Union properties)—assets that belong to the federal government rather than states or municipalities. The law was promulgated by President Ernesto Geisel on October 20, 1978, in Brasília, the capital city that had served as Brazil's seat of government since 1960. This timing places the law during Brazil's period of military governance (1964–1985), when the executive branch held significant power and the National Congress operated under institutional constraints. ### Legal Structure and Content The law's primary function, as stated in its digest, is to authorize the Executive Power to donate (doar) a Union property (imóvel da União) to the municipality of Ubaira (município de Ubaira) in the state of Bahia. This type of legislation represents what is known in Brazilian law as an "autorização legislativa" (legislative authorization)—where the National Congress grants the Executive branch specific permission to take a particular action that would otherwise require separate legislative approval. The law addresses multiple legal concepts simultaneously: it concerns real property (imovel), involves a gift or donation (doação), pertains to a municipality (municipio), and relates to the executive branch (Executivo). The "destinação" (destination/disposition) aspect indicates the intended use or purpose for which the property would be transferred. ### Geographic Context: Bahia and Ubaira The law specifically targets the municipality of Ubaira, located in the state of Bahia, Brazil. Bahia is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by area and one of the most populous, with a rich cultural heritage and significant historical importance in Brazilian history. Ubaira (also spelled Ubaiara) is a municipality in the interior of Bahia, within the Recôncavo Baiano region. The specification of Bahia as the recipient state connects this federal law to the broader context of regional development and federal-state-municipal relations in Brazil. The transfer of federal property to a Bahian municipality represents an instance of federal resources being directed toward local development. ### Relationship to Broader Legal Concepts As a statute, Law No. 6582/1978 embodies the concept of a "formal written document that creates law." In the hierarchy of Brazilian legal norms, a federal law (lei) sits below the Constitution and constitutional amendments but above decrees, regulations, and other administrative acts. The law is part of the broader system of statutory law (direito statutory) that governs Brazil. The law also exemplifies the relationship between "legislation" as a process and "statute" as its product. The legislative process resulted in this specific statute, which then became binding legal authority authorizing executive action. This illustrates the separation of powers in Brazilian governance—the legislature authorizes, and the executive implements. ### Historical Period: Military Government Era Law No. 6582/1978 was enacted during Brazil's military dictatorship, a period when the country was governed by a series of military presidents following the 1964 coup. Ernesto Geisel, who promulgated this law, was the fourth military president and served from 1974 to 1979. His administration was characterized by a gradual political opening ("distensão") that would eventually lead to the return of democratic governance in 1985. During this period, the federal government maintained considerable control over national resources, including real property. Laws authorizing the donation of Union properties to municipalities represented one mechanism through which the federal government could influence regional development and maintain political relationships with local authorities. ### Official Documentation and Access The law is preserved in multiple official Brazilian legal databases. The primary official source is the Presidency of the Republic's legislative portal, where the full text remains accessible at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1970-1979/l6582.htm. The law is also catalogued in the LexML Brazil system, which provides structured legal information for Brazilian legislation, using the identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1978-10-20;6582. The law is cited in legal documents and academic research as "Lei nº 6582/1978" or "Lei nº 6582, de 20 de outubro de 1978," following standard Brazilian legal citation conventions. The language of the law is Brazilian Portuguese, consistent with all federal legislation in Brazil. ### Classification in Legal Taxonomy In knowledge organization systems, Law No. 6582/1978 is classified as a statute—a formal written document that creates law. This classification places it within the broader category of legal instruments that include acts, executive orders, and by-laws. The law serves as a concrete example of how statutory law operates in Brazil: created through legislation, promulgated by the executive, and forming part of the official legal record. The law's classification as a statute also connects it to the concept of "legal norm" (norma jurídica)—a binding rule established by competent authority. As a legislative authorization, it establishes the normative framework for executive action regarding the specific property in question. ## References 1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1978-10-20;6582) 2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=6582&ano=1978&data=20/10/1978&ato=c30oXVU1UerRVTf2b) 3. LexML Brasil