Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion

THE ATJXBRNEY GENERA& OF TEXAS Cal.,Thomas C. Green, P.E. Opinion No. M-270 Member Secretary Texas State Board of Regfstratlon Re: Whether an individual em- for Professional Engineers ployed on a temporary and Austin, Texas seasonal basis to assist with the handling of ex- amination papers may be paid his salary from Line Item 6 of the de- partmental approprla- tlon to the Texas State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers in Senate Bill 15, Acts 60th Legislature, 1967, Dear Colonel Green: Regular Session. You have requested the opinion of this office upon the question of whether the Texas State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers may hire an individual on a tem- porary and seasonal basis to assist with the handling of ex- amination papers and pay such individual's salary from Line Item 6 of the departmental appropriation to the Texas State Board of Registration for Professional En ineersas found in Senate Bill 15, Acts 60th Legislature, 1927, Regular Session, the General Appropriations Bill. Line Item 5 of that departmental appropriation contains an appropriation for seasonal help, and Line Item 6 contains an appropriation for examination expense and pro- ., fessional fees and services. Article 3271a, Vernon's Civil Statutes, the Texas Engineering Practice Act, places upon the Texas State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers the responsibility of conducting certain examinations of those individuals desirous of becoming licensed to practice engineering in the State of Texas. Such responsibility to conduct examinations carries with it the authority to take such action as the Texas State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers feels is necessary to comply with its responsibility of giving ex- aminations, and this would include the hiring of personnel necessary to conduct such examinations. -1311- Cal. Thomas C. Green, page 2 (M-270) Since the hiring of an individual to assist with the handling of examination papers would seem to be a valid and necessary examination expense, we are of the opinion that an individual employed by the Texas State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers on a temporary and seasonal basis to assist with the handling of examination papers may be paid his or her salary from either Line Item 5 or Line Item 6 of'~ the departmental appropriation to the Texas State Board of Registration for Professional mglneers as found in Senate'Bill 15, Acts 60th Legislature, 1967, Regular Session, the,General Appropriations Bill SUMMARY The Texas State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers may pay an individual employed on a temporary and seasonal basis to assist with the handling of examination papers from either Line Item 6 or Line Item 5 of the departmental appropriation to the Texas State Board of Registration for Professional hgineers; as found in Senate Bill 15, Acts 60th Legislature, 1967, Regular Session, the General Appropriations Bill. truly yours, C. MARTIN General of Texas Prepared by Pat Bailey Assistant Attorney General APPROVED: OPINION COMMITTEE Hawthorne Phillips, Chairman Kerns Taylor, Co-Chairman Joe Clayton Robert Owen Jack Goodman Bill Craig A. J. CARUBBI, JR. Executive Assistant - 1312-