Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro| Photo: Publicity/Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro

Two provisional measures issued during the government of former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) expired this Sunday (5). One of them postponed budget transfers to the culture and events sectors provided for in the Paulo Gustavo, Aldir Blanc 2 laws and in the Emergency Program for the Resumption of the Events Sector (Perse). The other limited the use of resources from the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FNDCT). Because they were not voted in the House, the provisional measures were never sent to the Senate for voting and expired.

For a provisional measure to be valid after the regulatory period of 60 days – extendable for another 60 – the text needs to be voted on in both houses of the National Congress. According to information from Agência Brasil, there are at least 24 other provisional measures pending voting in the National Congress.

The Constitution determines that the legal relations established by an unapproved MP can be defined by Congress, by means of a legislative decree. If this is done within 60 days after expiry, the acts performed during the term of the MP can be validated.