Gramado's Bills 042, 043, 044 and 045/2026 have not yet changed the city's event rules. The four proposals sent by the Executive Branch are still moving through the City Council and cover licensing, sponsorships, support for strategic events and a new Tourism Impact Financial Contribution, known as CFIT. After the September 8 public hearing, the Executive said it would revise the texts before sending them back to council committees. As of September 18, no voting date had been announced.
This distinction matters because much of the public debate focuses on amounts that could reach R$108,000. That figure appears in the proposed CFIT under Bill 045/2026 and should not be described as a fee already in force. The table below separates what each bill would do, what already exists and what still depends on the City Council.
What each of the four bills proposes
| Bill | Topic | What it proposes | What still depends on the City Council |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bill 042/2026 | Temporary event licensing | Centralize permits in the Finance Department, create an Events Council and update health and safety requirements. | Approval of the new statutory framework. Part of the licensing system already exists by municipal decree. |
| Bill 043/2026 | Public-sector sponsorships | Set criteria, procedures and limits for the municipal administration and Gramadotur to seek and receive private sponsorships. | The proposed rules still need to complete the legislative process. |
| Bill 044/2026 | Support for strategic events | Create a policy for financial or logistical support to private events considered relevant to tourism, culture, sports or the local economy. | Eligibility and support mechanisms would only take effect after approval and enactment. |
| Bill 045/2026 | CFIT | Create a financial contribution for certain medium and large private events held during Natal Luz, ChocoPáscoa and the Gramado Film Festival. | Fee brackets, discounts, exemptions and other conditions remain proposals. |
Bill 042/2026: permits and an Events Council
The City Council describes Bill 042/2026 as a proposal to regulate permits for the installation and operation of temporary events and to create an Events Council. Under the Executive's presentation, permits would be centralized in the Municipal Finance Department, combining tax and municipal-code inspections in one administrative channel.
The bill also provides for a council with public and private-sector representation. According to the Executive, the body would assess the impact of large events, help coordinate the municipal calendar and reduce date conflicts in the same area. The proposal also updates requirements for pre-hospital medical care and emergency transportation at large-attendance events.
There is an important distinction between existing rules and new legislation. According to the City Hall, part of this regulatory framework already operates under Decree No. 022/2020. Bill 042 would move that framework into municipal law and revoke the decree after approval. It would therefore be inaccurate to suggest that the entire licensing system would start from scratch.
Bill 043/2026: rules for raising sponsorships
Bill 043/2026 addresses how the direct and indirect municipal administration, including Gramadotur, may seek and receive private sponsorships. The proposal sets procedures and limits for private-company resources to support official events and initiatives under defined governance and oversight rules.
In defending the bill, the Executive says standardization could make it easier to attract private funding and reduce public costs without removing oversight. The proposal also includes restrictions on sponsors considered incompatible with the rules, including disreputable companies and links to tobacco, weapons, child exploitation or the promotion of discrimination.
Bill 044/2026: support for events considered strategic
Bill 044/2026 would create the Municipal Policy for Promotion and Support of Strategic Events. Its stated purpose is to allow financial or logistical support for private events that are considered relevant to Gramado's tourism, culture, sports or economy.
The design presented by the Executive gives priority to initiatives capable of attracting visitors during lower-demand periods. The stated goal is to reduce seasonality and sustain activity in hotels, restaurants, retail and other services throughout the year.
City Hall's published material also lists restrictions. These include support for events with party-political purposes or religious proselytism, as well as restrictions related to municipal debtors and relatives of public officials. These criteria are part of the proposal and should not be confused with a new policy already in operation.
Bill 045/2026: how CFIT would work
Bill 045/2026 is the most debated part of the package because it creates the Tourism Impact Financial Contribution. According to the City Hall and reports covering the public hearing, the contribution would apply to medium and large private events held during three major public events: Natal Luz, ChocoPáscoa Gramado and the Gramado Film Festival.
The published CFIT range is R$10,000 to R$108,000, based on estimated attendance. The Executive presents the contribution as a way to offset additional pressure on mobility, cleaning, health, security and other municipal services during high-demand periods. It also says the structure is intended to encourage organizers to choose other times of the year.
Proposed discounts and exemptions
- Local businesses: fixed and permanent Gramado establishments would receive a 50% discount on the contribution.
- Small events: events with up to 300 people would be exempt.
- Social events: weddings, graduations and birthday celebrations are among the categories described as exempt.
- Community and charitable activities: philanthropic, charitable and community celebrations are also listed as exempt.
- Technical and scientific events: congresses, seminars, symposia, meetings, conferences, forums and similar professional gatherings are listed as exempt.
- Commercial and business exhibitions: fairs, shows, exhibitions and launches are also included among the exemptions.
- Outside the major public-event periods: the proposal indicates that CFIT would not apply outside the periods of Natal Luz, ChocoPáscoa and the Film Festival.
These conditions are essential to understanding the phrase "fee of up to R$108,000." The maximum amount would not automatically apply to every event held in Gramado, and because the bill has not been approved, none of these brackets should be treated as a final charge.
Why the City Hall supports the package
The City Hall and Gramadotur present the four bills as a framework to organize the events sector, provide legal certainty, reduce bureaucracy and attract private investment. For Bill 044, the municipal government emphasizes strengthening events during lower-demand periods. For Bill 045, it argues that the contribution would mitigate urban impacts when private events overlap with the city's largest public festivals.
This is the Executive's case for the package. It does not remove the need for legislative review or make the measures effective before the process is completed.
What APASG argues against the bills
On September 18, the Serra Gaúcha Parks and Attractions Association, APASG, submitted a statement opposing Bills 042 to 045/2026, with particular focus on CFIT. The association says it does not oppose oversight or urban organization, but argues that the package could raise costs and bureaucracy, reduce Gramado's competitiveness and discourage events and investment.
APASG also argues that events generate spending on lodging, food, transportation, attractions, retail and service providers, creating economic effects beyond the organizer. On that basis, it calls for caution in evaluating new charges and questions whether higher costs would necessarily produce greater net municipal revenue.
This is the business association's position and should be read as part of the policy debate, not as a factual conclusion about the economic effects of the bills. Likewise, the Executive's justifications are arguments in favor of the proposals and remain subject to review by the City Council and the public.
What already applies today and what does not
Already exists: Gramado has municipal rules for licensing temporary events, and the City Hall itself cites Decree No. 022/2020 as the basis for part of the framework that Bill 042 seeks to place into law.
Should not yet be treated as effective: the CFIT charge of R$10,000 to R$108,000, the 50% local-business discount, the exemptions listed in Bill 045, the new support policy in Bill 044 and the new sponsorship regime in Bill 043. These points depend on the legislative process and on the text ultimately approved.
The final versions may also change. After the September 8 public hearing, the Executive said it was making revisions to the bills before resubmitting them to the Legislature.
What happens next
The latest status reported on September 18 was that the bills would return to City Council committees after the Executive's revisions. No voting date had been set. Until then, the most accurate approach is to treat each bill as a proposal under discussion and check for updated versions before making decisions based on fees, exemptions or obligations.
To follow the process, readers can consult the Gramado City Council, the council's material on the public hearing on Bills 042 to 045/2026, and the September 18 report from Portal Martin Behrend, which records APASG's position and the Executive's update on the revisions.
