Brazil's1824 Constitution, the first since claiming independence from Portugal in 1822, began establishing governmental and legislative powers;Ouro Preto, then the capital of Minas Gerais, was chosen as the province's main administrative hub.[6] It was written to the benefit of wealthy landowners and put native Brazilians, many of themIndigenous orBlack, at a disadvantage, particularly because early laws allowed forslavery.[6][7] An 1834 Amendment allowed its provinces, including Minas Gerais, to establish provincial legislation.[8][9][6] At the time of the provincial legislature's establishment, Minas Gerais had more enslaved people than any other province in Brazil.[7]
The Empire's constitution was nullified and the Republic'sfederalist constitution replaced it in 1891.[14] Provinces became states and, due to the decentralization of the government and increased state power, began local elections of their own political representatives and legislative bodies.[14][15][10][13] Minas Gerais' first state constitution was also established in 1891 and was used, with amendments added later, until 1989.[16] The constitution created thebicameral Minas Gerais Congress and consisted of a Chamber of Deputies and a Senate.[16] Oligarchs fromSão Paulo and Minas Gerais took turns as president of the Republic during this period, as they held a significant amount of power in Brazil.[17][18]
Following theRevolution of 1930, failed presidential candidateGetúlio Vargas was able to take control of the government and shift the country into theNew Republic era.[19][20][21] This meant the dissolution of state legislatures and state power in the National Congress declined.[16] The constitution did, however, introduceproportional representation, which still exists in Brazilian politics today.[22] The 1935 Minas Gerais Constitution revived the state'sunicameral, 48-person Assembly, albeit with diminished power.[16][23] In 1937, Vargas seized absolute power and brought the country intoEstado Novo, Brazil's first dictatorship.[24] Estado Novo's first constitution was put in place immediately and was inspired by Poland's1935 authoritarian constitution.[25] This constitution did away with political parties, further decreased state legislative power by making them into "administrative divisions of a unitary state,"[21] and ended free elections.[26]
In 1945, Vargas was pushed aside and Brazil returned briefly to a democracy.[23] A democratic constitution was introduced and promised full political freedom, reduction of centralized power, and state rights to elect local political representatives.[27][28] In 1947, the Constituent Assembly of Minas Gerais was revived, this time with 72 deputies.[23]
The1964 military coup plunged the country into another dictatorship, this one lasting for more than 20 years.[29][30]Institutional Acts were introduced and viewed as superior to the constitution.[30] Again, political rights were oppressed, elections were skewed, state autonomy was limited, and political parties were quashed, which created a heavily controlledbipartisan government.[31] In 1967, Minas Gerais' weakened Assembly majoritatively consisted of members ofARENA, one of the two political parties allowed under the Acts.[23] In 1984,civil unrest demanding a return to democracy began cropping up around the country.[32] While dissent from Brazilians continued,José Sarney stepped in as president when his platform partnerTancredo Neves died.[32] Sarney reestablished elections in 1986 to repopulate the National Assembly.[32] A new constitution was passed in 1988 and was the most strongly "democratic Constitution in the history of [the] country."[32] The new constitution restored power to the states, democratic elections, and other freedoms oppressed during the military dictatorship.[33] States could have their own symbols, including flags, and legislative bodies, who could pass state laws.[33] In 1989, the Legislative Assembly was again revived, this time with 77 deputies.[23]
The Assembly was located inOuro Preto for the first century or so of its existence in a free Brazil. The Assembly's library was established in 1892 and resided for 5 years in the building now hosting theFederal University of Ouro Preto's pharmacy school.[34] In 1897, as a symbol of progress, the state capital moved from Ouro Preto toCidade de Minas, now Belo Horizonte.[35] The Assembly moved into a building onAvenida Afonso Pena and its library settled at Praça da República, now known as thePraça Afonso Arinos.[34] They later moved to a building onRua Tamoios following a 1959 fire before settling in the newly builtPalácio da Inconfidência in 1972.[34]
The Legislative Assembly of Minas Gerais (ALMG) is made up of 77 deputies.[23] The number of members is established "correspond[ing] to triple the representation of the State in the Chamber of Deputies and, when the number 36 is reached, it will be increased by as many Federal Deputies [minus] twelve."[36] Deputies are elected for four-year terms, called legislatures.[37] Each year of the legislature has a single legislative session.[38] ThePlenary is the "deliberative body," where state deputies meet to discuss and vote on proposed bills.[39] The plenary is the highest court within the Assembly, with administrative authority over committees, the assembly table, party leaders, and thecabinet.[40] Some plenary events are open discussions with the public.[41]
Committees are small groups of deputies working together on a single project or focus; committee foci include public administration, financial and budget inspection, and transportation.[42] Propositions currently under consideration are debated in these sessions.[42] Opinions formed by committee members are powerful; at times, authorities and specialists from the general public are invited to weigh in and offer a different point of view.[43]
The 19th Legislature (2019–2023) has 22 permanent committees:[44]
Each political party that has at least five deputies forms a group called a bench.[48] A block is a group made up of at least 16 deputies.[48] Blocks must be in place for legislative work to begin. Blocks must be in place for legislative work to begin.[49] Benches and blocks both have a leader and vice-leader, though party representatives with less than 5 members cannot be either.[48] Parties with large numbers of members can form a block but the limit is one per party.[48]
As of February 2021, the Assembly has three official blocks:[50]
Minas São Muitas; Independent block - 11 parties, 39 deputies
^"BONIFACIO JOSE TAMM DE ANDRADA" (in Portuguese). Center for Research and Documentation of Contemporary History of Brazil. n.d. Retrieved29 January 2022.
^"GARCIA, Hélio" (in Portuguese). Center for Research and Documentation of Contemporary History of Brazil. n.d. Retrieved29 January 2022.
^"STARLING, Sandra" (in Portuguese). Center for Research and Documentation of Contemporary History of Brazil. n.d. Retrieved29 January 2022.
