R-141
~~ATTORNEY GENERAL
OF TEXAS
4pril 15, 1947
Honorable Sam Sellera, opinion No, v-142
PenitentiaryCommittee,
House of Representatives, Be: Validity ai House
Austin, Texas Bill Ne, 215 auth-
orizing the Priaon
3yatemtp bid on
contract e for priat-
im&, binding station-
exy and eupplies of
like oharaoter with
: the Board 0r Control.
You have requested an opinion from this or-
rice as to the ralldity or Heuse Bilk No, 215.
Ganerally, the bill meets the constitutional
requirementsot being limited to one subject which is
expressed in its title, and of being sufrioientlycertain
and definite it ita terms.
SpeoifiCally, Article XVI, Seotion 21 Of the
Constitutionof Texas directs that all printing and bind-
ing used by the various departments of the State "shall
be perforinedunder contract to be given to the lowest re-
,sponsiblebidder, o L o under suOh reguJ,at$.eae
as shal.J
be prescribed by lawp* The constitutionalprovisionvery
clearly leaves it to the Legislature to prescribe who may
be *the lowest responsiblebidder" within the aonetitu-
tlonal requlremento At present, Article 608, R.C.S. pre-
ecribes,themethods to be used in the award of this type
of+aontract, and defines *the lowest responsible bidilsr*
aa used in the Constitutionas "responsibleperaens,rirma,
corporationsor associatioas*n House Bill 215 is assigned
to tinlargethis derinition to iacluds the State Prima
Board and, beoause such Beard 48 an agency of the State,
very properly exempts it rrom the present requirementor
.Article608 that bidders bn these oontraets shall make
bzuldc .',.
It is the opinion or this office that there
is no specific legal objection to the Legislatureauther-
izing the Prison Bear& to bid on printing contractswith
Honorable Sara Sellem - Page 2
the Board or Control as provided by the House Bill pre-
sented. Accordingly,you are advised that House Bill No.
215 would be valid if enacted.
There is no legal objeotionto House
Bill No. 215, which authorizesthe Prison
Board to bid on contracts ror State print-
ing ana supplies. The bill would be valid
if enacteb.
Tours very truly,
ATTORNEY GhmRAL ,OFTEXAS
JL:wb
APPROVED APRIL 15, 1947
ZL Qhi!d
ATTORN2X GF3ERA.LOF TFXAS