# Law No. 7311 of May 8, 1985

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105649957](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105649957)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-7311-of-may-8-1985

## Summary
Law No. 7311 of May 8, 1985 is a Brazilian federal statute that declared the Christian Spiritist Group "André Luiz de Interlagos," located in São Paulo, SP, a public utility entity. Promulgated by President José Sarney on May 8, 1985, in Brasília, this law represents a formal act of state recognition conferring public utility status upon a specific religious organization.

## Key Facts
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 7311/1985
- **Publication Date:** May 8, 1985
- **Promulgating Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil under President José Sarney
- **Determination Method:** Promulgation
- **Legal Classification:** Federal statute (lei federal)
- **Primary Purpose:** Declares the Christian Spiritist Group "André Luiz de Interlagos" a public utility entity
- **Target Organization:** Grupo Espírita Cristão "André Luiz de Interlagos"
- **Geographic Location:** City of São Paulo, State of São Paulo (SP)
- **Jurisdictional Scope:** Applies throughout Brazil
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília
- **LEXML Identifier:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1985-05-08;7311
- **Official URL:** Available at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l7311.htm
- **Wikimedia Project:** Included in WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs
**What does Law No. 7311 of May 8, 1985 accomplish?**  
This federal statute formally declares the Christian Spiritist Group "André Luiz de Interlagos" a public utility entity, granting it official recognition by the Brazilian state for public benefit purposes.

**Who signed this law into effect and when?**  
President José Sarney promulgated the law on May 8, 1985, during his presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil.

**What organization is the beneficiary of this law?**  
The law specifically benefits the Grupo Espírita Cristão "André Luiz de Interlagos," a religious organization based in São Paulo.

**Where is the André Luiz de Interlagos group located?**  
The group is situated in the city of São Paulo, within the state of São Paulo (SP), as explicitly stated in the law's digest.

**What type of legal instrument is Law No. 7311?**  
It is a federal statute (lei federal), which is a formal written document enacted through legislation to create binding law in Brazil.

**Where can the full text of this law be accessed?**  
The complete text is publicly available on the official Planalto government portal at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l7311.htm.

**What subjects does this law address?**  
The law addresses multiple subjects including the State of São Paulo, religious institutions, public utility declarations, and municipal matters, as categorized in its legislative metadata.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 7311 of May 8, 1985 matters because it exemplifies the Brazilian federal government's mechanism for formally recognizing religious organizations as serving public utility purposes. This designation carries significant implications for the targeted Spiritist group, potentially including tax exemptions, eligibility for public funding, enhanced legal standing, and official validation of its social and religious activities. The law illustrates how Brazil's post-military dictatorship government under President Sarney engaged with civil society organizations and religious movements, reflecting the country's legal tradition of distinguishing between mere private associations and those deemed beneficial to the broader community. As a documented federal statute with a unique LEXML identifier and inclusion in WikiProject Brazilian Laws, it serves as a reference point for understanding the intersection of religious freedom, state recognition, and public benefit designation in Brazilian jurisprudence. The law's specificity—naming a particular group in a particular municipality—demonstrates the granular level at which federal legislation can operate to confer status on individual organizations.

## Notable For
- **Specific Religious Recognition:** Uniquely declares public utility status for the Christian Spiritist Group "André Luiz de Interlagos" rather than a broad category of organizations
- **Presidential Promulgation:** Signed into law by President José Sarney on its publication date of May 8, 1985, marking it as part of his early legislative acts
- **Precise Geographic Targeting:** Explicitly identifies the beneficiary organization by name and locates it specifically in São Paulo city, SP
- **Federal-Level Designation:** Despite targeting a local organization, enacted as federal legislation applying nationwide
- **Digital Preservation:** Assigned a permanent LEXML URN identifier (urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1985-05-08;7311) for persistent legal citation
- **Open Government Access:** Published on the official Planalto portal, ensuring public accessibility to the legal text
- **Wikimedia Documentation:** Included in WikiProject Brazilian Laws, indicating systematic cataloging of Brazilian legislation

## Body

### Legal Identity and Classification
Law No. 7311 of May 8, 1985 holds the formal legal citation "Lei nº 7311/1985" and is classified in official records as a federal statute. Its structured identifier within Brazil's LEXML system is urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1985-05-08;7311, providing a permanent, standardized reference for legal citation and digital retrieval. The law is described in knowledge bases as a "Brazilian law" and is formally registered as an instance of a statute, distinguishing it from other types of legal instruments such as decrees or administrative rulings. This classification places it within the hierarchy of legislative acts that originate from the federal legislative process and require presidential promulgation to become effective.

### Legislative History and Approval
The statute was approved through promulgation by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil on May 8, 1985. President José Sarney, who assumed office that same year following the end of Brazil's military dictatorship, signed the law into effect on its publication date. The legislative act was processed through the federal system and officially published in Brasília, the nation's capital since 1960. The determination method of "promulgation" indicates it followed standard legislative procedures, having passed through the National Congress before reaching the executive branch for final approval. This timing places the law within the early period of Brazil's redemocratization process, specifically during the first year of Sarney's presidency.

### Subject and Purpose
The law's digest explicitly states its purpose: "DECLARA DE UTILIDADE PUBLICA O GRUPO ESPIRITA CRISTÃO 'ANDRE LUIZ DE INTERLAGOS', SEDIADO NA CIDADE DE SÃO PAULO - SP." This declaration of public utility represents the law's sole substantive provision, focusing state recognition on a single religious entity. The main subjects cataloged for this legislation reflect its multidimensional nature: it concerns the State of São Paulo (as stated in the digest), qualifies as legislation affecting a religious institution (specifically a Spiritist organization), addresses the concept of public utility, and involves municipal jurisdiction where the organization operates. The targeted group, the Christian Spiritist Group "André Luiz de Interlagos," receives formal acknowledgment through this statute that its activities serve the public interest.

### Jurisdictional and Linguistic Scope
Despite its specific local beneficiary, the law applies to the entire jurisdiction of Brazil, as it is a federal statute with nationwide effect. The text was drafted and published in Brazilian Portuguese, the official language of all federal legislation. The law's scope demonstrates how federal authority can be exercised to grant status to subnational entities, with the federal government intervening to recognize an organization operating within São Paulo municipality and state. This creates a uniform legal effect across all Brazilian territory, binding all levels of government to acknowledge the organization's public utility designation.

### Publication and Accessibility
The law was officially published in Brasília on May 8, 1985, making that date its effective date for legal purposes. The full text remains accessible to the public through the official government portal at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l7311.htm, hosted by the Presidency's legislative documentation system. This digital availability ensures transparency and enables researchers, legal professionals, and citizens to verify the law's precise wording and provisions. Additionally, the law is included in WikiProject Brazilian Laws, a Wikimedia initiative focused on systematically documenting Brazilian legislation, which enhances its discoverability and connects it to broader efforts to catalog the country's legal heritage. The combination of official government hosting and community-driven documentation creates multiple pathways for public access to this legislative act.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1985-05-08;7311)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=7311&ano=1985&data=08/05/1985&ato=4ebMzYq5keBpWT388)
3. LexML Brasil