# Law No. 91 of September 12, 1947

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105647670](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105647670)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-91-of-september-12-1947

## Summary
Law No. 91 of September 12, 1947, is a Brazilian federal statute enacted to authorize a special budgetary adjustment known as a "Credito Especial" for the Ministry of Education and Health. This legislation, promulgated by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, specifically addresses expenses and indemnities related to operations with the "rest of the world" (Exterior). It serves as a formal written legal document within the Brazilian legal system, establishing financial obligations and authorizations for the specified government ministry.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 91, de 12 de setembro de 1947 (Law No. 91 of September 12, 1947)
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 91/1947
- **Date of Promulgation:** September 12, 1947
- **Country of Origin:** Brazil
- **Jurisdiction:** Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Legal Classification:** Statute (formal written document creating law)
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Primary Subject:** Special budgetary adjustment (Credito Especial)
- **Beneficiary Ministry:** Ministry of Education and Health (Ministerio Da Educação E Saude)
- **Financial Scope:** Expenses (Despesa) and Indemnities (Indenização)
- **Geographic Scope of Application:** Rest of the world (Exterior)
- **LexML Brazil Identifier:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1947-09-12;91
- **Source Reference:** https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1947-09-12;91 (retrieved 2021-01-28 and 2021-04-06)
- **Determination Method:** Promulgation

## FAQs
**What is the primary purpose of Law No. 91 of 1947?**
The law was enacted to authorize a special budgetary adjustment, specifically a "Credito Especial," to fund expenses and indemnities managed by the Ministry of Education and Health. It facilitates financial operations involving the "rest of the world," allowing the ministry to handle international expenditures legally.

**Who approved and published this legislation?**
The statute was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil through the act of promulgation on September 12, 1947. It was subsequently published in Rio de Janeiro, which served as the capital and administrative center of Brazil at that time.

**Which government body is directly affected by this law?**
The Ministry of Education and Health is the specific government entity designated as the subject of this legislation. The law grants this ministry the authority to manage the specified budgetary adjustments and indemnities related to its international operations.

**What types of financial transactions does this law cover?**
The legislation explicitly covers "expenses" (Despesa) and "indemnities" (Indenização). These financial mechanisms are tied to the ministry's interactions with the "rest of the world" (Exterior), indicating international financial obligations or reimbursements.

**How is this law identified in digital legal archives?**
The statute is uniquely identified in the LexML Brazil system by the Uniform Resource Name (URN) `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1947-09-12;91`. This identifier allows for precise retrieval and citation of the document within the Brazilian federal legal database.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 91 of September 12, 1947, represents a critical mechanism for the Brazilian government to manage its international financial obligations during the post-World War II era. By establishing a legal framework for "special budgetary adjustments," the statute enabled the Ministry of Education and Health to execute necessary expenditures and indemnities without waiting for standard annual budget cycles. This flexibility was essential for a government ministry operating on a global scale, ensuring that Brazil could meet its international commitments and settle debts or claims with foreign entities efficiently. As a formal statute, it exemplifies the structured approach of the Brazilian legal system to fiscal governance, ensuring that all financial actions, particularly those involving the "Exterior," are grounded in explicit legislative authority. The law's existence highlights the administrative complexity of managing a federal republic's external relations and the specific role of the education and health sectors in international cooperation during the mid-20th century.

## Notable For
- **Specific Budgetary Mechanism:** It is a distinct legal instrument authorizing a "Credito Especial" (Special Credit), a specific type of budgetary adjustment used for unforeseen or urgent expenses.
- **International Financial Scope:** The law uniquely targets financial operations with the "rest of the world" (Exterior), distinguishing it from domestic-only budgetary laws.
- **Targeted Ministry Focus:** It is specifically tailored to the operational needs of the Ministry of Education and Health, rather than applying to the general federal budget.
- **Historical Context:** Enacted in 1947, it reflects the immediate post-war administrative priorities of the Brazilian government regarding international engagement.
- **Digital Preservation:** It is formally cataloged in the LexML Brazil repository with a persistent URN, ensuring long-term accessibility for legal researchers.
- **Indemnity Authorization:** The statute explicitly includes provisions for "indemnities," indicating its role in settling specific claims or compensation matters.

## Body

### Legal Identity and Classification
Law No. 91 of September 12, 1947, is formally classified as a **statute**, defined as a formal written document that creates law. In the context of the Brazilian legal system, it functions as an act passed by the legislature and promulgated by the executive branch. The document serves as the concrete manifestation of statutory law, establishing binding legal norms. It is an instance of a "legal term or legal concept" and falls under the broader categories of "written work," "document," and "rule." The law is cited legally as **Lei nº 91/1947** and is identified in the LexML Brazil database with the unique identifier `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1947-09-12;91`. This specific URN ensures that the text can be precisely located and referenced in digital legal archives, maintaining the integrity of the legal citation.

### Enactment and Promulgation
The legislative process for this statute culminated on **September 12, 1947**, the date of its promulgation. The approval was granted by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**, acting as the highest executive authority at the time. The determination method for the law's validity was **promulgation**, the formal act by which the President declares a law to be in force. The place of publication was **Rio de Janeiro**, which held the status of the national capital and the seat of the federal government in 1947. The language of the work is **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of the country. The sourcing circumstances for the publication date are noted as an inference based on the available archival data from the LexML portal.

### Subject Matter and Financial Provisions
The core subject of Law No. 91 is a **special budgetary adjustment**, referred to in the text as a **Credito Especial**. This mechanism allows the government to allocate funds for specific purposes outside the standard budgetary framework. The primary beneficiary of this adjustment is the **Ministry of Education and Health** (Ministerio Da Educação E Saude). The law authorizes two specific types of financial actions: **expenses** (Despesa) and **indemnities** (Indenização). These financial provisions are not limited to domestic operations; they explicitly apply to interactions with the **rest of the world** (Exterior). This indicates that the law was designed to facilitate international transactions, likely involving payments, settlements, or reimbursements related to the ministry's global activities.

### Jurisdiction and Applicability
The law applies exclusively to the **Federative Republic of Brazil**, establishing its legal force within the national jurisdiction. As a federal statute, it holds authority over the entire territory of the country and binds all relevant federal entities. The specific application of the law is tied to the operations of the Ministry of Education and Health, meaning its provisions are activated when this specific ministry engages in the authorized financial activities. The "rest of the world" qualifier in the main subject suggests that the law's operational scope extends to international relations, allowing the ministry to manage funds or liabilities arising from foreign engagements. This jurisdictional clarity ensures that the financial adjustments are legally recognized both domestically and in the context of international agreements.

### Historical and Administrative Context
Enacted in 1947, this law emerged during a period of significant reconstruction and international re-engagement following World War II. The designation of the **Ministry of Education and Health** as the focal point suggests that Brazil was actively participating in international educational or health initiatives, or settling obligations related to these sectors. The use of a "special credit" mechanism highlights the need for agility in financial management, allowing the government to respond to urgent international demands without the delays of the annual legislative budget cycle. The publication in Rio de Janeiro aligns with the historical fact that the capital was not moved to Brasília until 1960. The law remains a part of the permanent legal record, preserved in the LexML system, serving as a historical document of Brazil's mid-20th-century administrative and fiscal practices.

### Digital Archiving and References
The statute is maintained in the **LexML Brazil** digital repository, a project dedicated to the standardization and accessibility of Brazilian legal texts. The primary reference for the law is the URL `https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1947-09-12;91`, which was accessed and verified on **January 28, 2021**, and **April 6, 2021**. These references confirm the authenticity and current availability of the text in the digital domain. The inclusion of qualifiers such as "stated as" for the main subjects (e.g., "Credito Especial," "Exterior," "Despesa") ensures that the specific terminology used in the original 1947 text is preserved accurately in the metadata. This level of detail supports legal research and historical analysis by providing a precise link between the digital record and the original legislative intent.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1947-09-12;91)