Rio State Assembly Floats R$1.5 Billion in Mandatory Earmarks

Overview

• Alerj’s Constitution and Justice Committee released a draft constitutional amendment to lift the cap on lawmaker earmarks from 0.37% to 1.55% of net current revenue, projecting about R$1.5 billion in 2027 and roughly R$22.3 million per deputy.
• The measure remains in a study phase, led by CCJ president Rodrigo Amorim and signed by the assembly’s new president Douglas Ruas, and it still needs committee approvals and at least 42 votes in the full chamber.
• The draft would write the earmark share into the state constitution, base the calculation on revenue from two years earlier, and shield the funds even if public finances deteriorate.
• Alerj says the review will include a technical meeting with planning, audit, and comptroller agencies and argues there will be no new expenses because the money comes from the existing budget.
• The push arrives as officials forecast deficits of about R$19 billion this year and R$12 billion in 2027, with projections showing the earmark pool would exceed the budgets of social development and environment and be about three times housing, drawing expert criticism and a signature withdrawal by co-author Carlos Minc.