Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion

-E ki7CTORh’EY @ENEEXAL ol? TEXAS April 24, 1963 Hon. Frank Briscoe Oplnion~No. c-65 District Attorney Harris County Re: Whether the Texas Liquor Houston, Texas Control Act prohibits the advertising of alcoholic beverages by employment of handbills where such hand- bills are delivered on Dear Sir: prlvately.owned property. You have requested an opinion of this office on the following question: "Whether the Texas Liquor Control Acts prohibits the advertising of alcoholic beverages by employment of handbills where such handbills tre delivered on privately owned property. Article 666-50, Vernon's Penal Code, r,eadsas follows: "It shall be a violation of the law for any person to advertise any alcoholic beverage or the sale of any alcoholic beverage by the employment or use of a sound vehicle, sound truck or hand bills on any publit street, alley, or highway In this State. There are no court decisions or Attorney General's opinions contruing,Article 666-50, Vernon's PentilCode. Further, other sections of the Texas Liquor Control Act per- taining to advertising are,not helpful In answering the question presented. The definition of Public Highway found in Black's Law Dictionary, fourth Edition, does not Include privately owned property. The definition is as follows: "PUBLIC HIGHWAY, One under the control of and kept by the public, established by regular proceedings for the purpose, or generallyused by the public for twenty years; or dedicated by the owner of the soil -319- Hon. Prank Briscoe, page 2 (C- 65) and accepted by the proper authorltles and for the maintenance of which they aresrespon- sible. State v. Gross, 119 N.C. 868, 26 S.E. 91. "It includes roads, streets, alleys, lanes, courts, places, trials, and bridges, laid out or erected as such by the public, or, if laid out and erected by other, dedicated or abandoned to the public, or made such in actions for the oartltlon of real property. Pattzrson v. Munyan, 93 Cal. 128, 29 P. 250. hit appears that the language of Article 666-50, Vernon's Penal Code does not prohibit the advertising of alcoholic beverages by employment of hand bills, as long as other regulations.pertaining to advertising are complied with, where such hand bills are delivered on privately owned property. SUMMARY The Texas Liquor Control Act does not prohibit the advertising of alcoholic beverages by employment of hand bills when such hand bills are delivered on privately owned.property. Yours 'very truly, WAGGONER CARR Attorney General of Texas -"Irwin R. Salmanson Assistant Attorney General 1RS:cjs APPROVED: OPINION COMMITTRR:~ W. V. Geppert, Chairman Scott Harrison Edward R. Moffett Malcolm Quick APPROVRD FOR THE A'M'ORNHYGENERAL By: Stanton Stone -320-