# Law No. 7903 of December 5, 1989

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105650188](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105650188)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-7903-of-december-5-1989

## Summary
Law No. 7903 of December 5, 1989 is a Brazilian statute enacted under the presidency of José Sarney, focusing on supplementary credit, budget appropriations, and financial authorizations for the executive branch. Published in Brasília, this federal law addresses the opening of credit and reinforcements (Reforço) within the Brazilian economy. It serves as a formal written document that creates specific legal norms regarding the allocation of government funds.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 7903, de 5 de dezembro de 1989.
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 7903/1989.
- **Date of Publication:** December 5, 1989.
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil (Federative Republic of Brazil).
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília.
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese.
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil.
- **Approving President:** José Sarney (promulgation).
- **Instance Of:** Statute (formal written document that creates law).
- **Main Subjects:**
  - Supplementary credit (Credito Suplementar).
  - Authorization (Autorização).
  - Executive branch (Executivo).
  - Reinforcement (Brazilian economy) (Reforço).
  - Opening of credit (Abertura De Credito).
  - Budget appropriation (Dotação Orçamentaria).
- **LexML ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1989-12-05;7903.
- **Official URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1989_1994/l7903.htm.
- **WikiProject:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws.

## FAQs
**What is the primary function of Law No. 7903/1989?**
The law functions as a financial instrument to authorize supplementary credit and budget appropriations for the Brazilian executive branch. It specifically addresses the opening of credit and financial reinforcements to manage economic resources.

**Who approved and enacted Law No. 7903?**
The law was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil. José Sarney was the president at the time of the promulgation on December 5, 1989.

**Where can the official text of Law No. 7903 be found?**
The official text is available at the Brazilian Presidency's official website (planalto.gov.br). It is also indexed in the LexML system under the ID `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1989-12-05;7903`.

**What jurisdiction does this law apply to?**
Law No. 7903 applies to the entire jurisdiction of Brazil, the Federative Republic of Brazil. It was published in the capital, Brasília.

**Is Law No. 7903 considered a statute?**
Yes, it is classified as a statute, which is a formal written document that creates law. As a statute, it is a manifestation of statutory law and is generally in the public domain.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 7903 matters because it provides the necessary legal authorization for the Brazilian government to execute supplementary credit and budget adjustments. By formally approving the opening of credit and reinforcements, the law ensures the executive branch has the allocated funds required for operations and economic management during the fiscal year of 1989. As a statutory instrument, it represents the concrete, written manifestation of legal rules governing public finance, ensuring that government spending is documented, accessible, and enforceable under the rule of law.

## Notable For
- **Presidential Context:** Enacted during the final year of José Sarney's presidency, which marked the transition period leading to the 1990 elections.
- **Financial Specificity:** Distinctly focused on "Credito Suplementar" (Supplementary Credit) and "Abertura De Credito" (Opening of Credit), categorizing it as a budgetary adjustment law.
- **LexML Integration:** Notable for its inclusion in the LexML legal knowledge system, a standardized metadata system for Brazilian legislation.
- **WikiProject Coverage:** Recognized as a notable entity within the scope of WikiProject Brazilian Laws.

## Body

### Legal Classification and Nature
Law No. 7903 is classified as a **statute**, a foundational legal term defined as a formal written document that creates law. As a statute, it acts as the physical or formal expression of a legal rule, distinct from abstract concepts of legislation. It is taxonomically a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule," and serves as a manifestation of statutory law. Like other statutes, it is composed of "legal norms" and is the result of a legislative process involving draft laws. In terms of copyright status, as a statute in Brazil, it follows the principle that official legal documents are generally in the public domain, ensuring unrestrained public access to the legal text.

### Jurisdictional Context
This law applies to the jurisdiction of **Brazil**, the largest country in South America and the fifth-largest nation in the world by area. Brazil operates as a federal republic with a presidential system, where the federal government enacts laws such as this to govern the nation. The law was published in **Brasília**, the capital of Brazil since 1960, which serves as the seat of the federal government. The language of the work is **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of the country. Brazil's legal system is civil law, and statutes like Law No. 7903 are primary instruments through which government authority is formally exercised and recorded.

### Legislative Details and Approval
The legislative history of Law No. 7903 is tied to the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**. It was approved on **December 5, 1989**, via the method of promulgation. The specific determination method used was "promulgation," and the acting president at that time was **José Sarney**. Sarney served as the first president of Brazil following the return to democracy, holding office from 1985 to 1990. The law's publication date coincides with its approval date, placing it at the end of the 1980s, a significant period in Brazilian history that saw the promulgation of a new Constitution in 1988.

### Subject Matter and Scope
The primary subject matter of Law No. 7903 revolves around financial administration and budgetary control. The law addresses several key economic and administrative concepts:
- **Supplementary Credit (Credito Suplementar):** Authorization for additional credit beyond the initial budget allocation.
- **Authorization (Autorização):** Legal permission granted for specific financial actions.
- **Executive Branch (Executivo):** The specific branch of government to which the law applies and which is responsible for execution.
- **Reinforcement (Brazilian Economy) (Reforço):** Financial strengthening or allocation of resources to support the economy.
- **Opening of Credit (Abertura De Credito):** The formal act of creating credit availability.
- **Budget Appropriation (Dotação Orçamentaria):** The allocation of specific funds for particular purposes.

These subjects indicate that the law was designed to adjust the federal budget, allowing the government to reallocate or add funds to address economic needs or shortfalls during the 1989 fiscal year.

### Identifiers and Access
Law No. 7903 is cataloged with several specific identifiers that facilitate its retrieval and citation in legal databases:
- **LexML ID:** `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1989-12-05;7903`. This identifier places it within the LexML system, a standard for legal XML in Brazil.
- **Legal Citation:** `Lei nº 7903/1989`. This is the standard shorthand reference used in legal documents.
- **Official URL:** The full text is hosted by the Brazilian Presidency at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1989_1994/l7903.htm`.
- **WikiProject:** It is on the focus list of the "WikiProject Brazilian Laws," indicating its importance in the documentation of Brazilian legislation on Wikimedia projects.

### Global Standards and Equivalents
As a statute, Law No. 7903 aligns with global standards for legal documentation. It is equivalent to the `https://schema.org/Legislation` class used in structured data on the web. In library and information science, it falls under the classification of "statutes" (acts of a legislature), which are cataloged under Dewey Decimal numbers such as 342.057 and 348.02. The law's existence as a digital entity with a persistent URL and standardized metadata reflects the broader trend of making legal documents accessible and interoperable across international knowledge graphs.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1989-12-05;7903)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=7903&ano=1989&data=05/12/1989&ato=ca0cXSE5EeFpWT14e)