The Brazilian Provisional Measure (MP) is one of the most powerful legislative instruments in the hands of the President to unilaterally change the status quo. Although the judiciary (STF) has recognized the competence of Governors to establish and adopt the MP only six states attribute the prerogative to edit MP until 2010. This article seeks to explain the non-adoption of this legislative instrument by most states emphasizing the low or marginal relevance that is given to the MP by the Governor in the six cases that adopted it. It is argued here that the Governors, unlike Presidents, do not require another legislative instrument or expanding the delegation of legislative powers to ensure their legislative agenda forward their respective State Legislative Assemblies, because with or without decree power the State Governors would control the limited decisional agenda in the states.
Provisional Measure (MP); State Legislative Assemblies; Executive-Legislative relationship; decree power; Governors
