Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion

The Honorable Cue D. Boykin, Chairman Opinion No. H- 715 Texas Industrial Accident Board Lyndon Baines Johnson Building Re: Whether a member of the P. 0. Box 12757, Capitol Station Industrial Accident Board Austin, Texas 78711 accumulates sick leave and vacation benefits. Dear Mr. Boykin: You have requested our opinion concerning whether a member of the Industrial Accident Board is a state employee for the purposes of vacation and sick leave entitlement. Article V, section 7 of the current appropriations act provides vacation and sick leave benefits to It[ e] mployees of the State . . . . ” Acts 1975. 64th Leg. ,ch. 743. bi Attorney General Opinion M-1280 (1972) this office ruled that a member of the Texas Employment Commission is a “State official” rather than an “annual employee” and thus the provisions of the appropriations act which related to sick leave and vacation were inapplicable. See also Attorney General Opinion M-1279 (1972). While the then current appropriations act referred to “annual employees of the State” whereas the present act applies to I,[ e] mployees of the State” we believe the ruling in M-1280 controls your question, for in our view a member of the Industrial Accident Board is clearly a state official rather than a state employee. See V. T. C. S. art. 8307, et seq. ; Aldine Independent School District v. StandleyT 280 S. W. 2d 578 (Tex. Sup. 1955); Attorney General Letter Advisory No. 85 (1974)‘.. Accordingly, in our opinion, an Industrial Accident Board member does not accumulate sick leave and vacation under the appropriations act. SUMMARY Members of the Industrial Accident Board do not accumulate vacation and sick leave un- der the appropriations act.. -Very truly yours, Attorney General of Texas p. 3070 The Honorable Cue D. Boykin - page two (H-715) Opinion Committee jad: p. 3071