x-3
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
.
1
Bonorabls Lon Alsup
~~aoutive Smretary-Dirsotor
state Oowal~sion for ths Dlind
Jand Offlor wlildiag
Austin, Texsa
mar Sir: Opinion No. O-7203
Bar Whothr
here raqu*etod en
opinion fr above subjaot. RDB
thlr lrttar, the
I
\\ ogni%os
\>that the
the stat4~Eeion
n one-thirdor his
ation Dfvfeion of
and ia antitled to
or hia earviao. The LegielA-
tho dapmtmntal appropriation
n for the Blind
Ha balion
n applio~ble to the salary or the
ry-.Dfreator of th.i.8 agamy.
"Cn April 1, 1946, in rsgulsr fmating the State
C~mlssion ror Ghe Blind outhorlmd the salary of the
3xeautloe ::*cmtary-Diractor or the State Commiesion
for the Blind to ba ploaad at %&,200.00 per mnur~,
Honorable Lon Alsup, Fags 2
$2,400.00 to ba l’rom Stoto funds and tha rriuaindar
to be paid by lW6ral funda. The Xxroutlrs Seora-
tary-DIrector was authorlzstl to submit an amendment
on this subject to the Texas State Flan for Vooa-
tlonal Rehabllltatlon to the Fudsral olfiar for
approval. It was thought that brrorcl the amendment
to tha Texas State Plan for Vooatlonal RshabIlltatIon
was submitted to the Nashlngton ofrice that a ruling
should be had from your department as to whether or
not the supplementation of the salary of the Xxrou-
tlw SIoratary-Mreotcr ma legal.”
In the appropriations mada for the State Oomnlaslon
for the Blind (&mats Bill 317 , Aots 49th Legislature, 1945,
p. 826)‘ Itrm 1 thereof approprlsttos @!,400.00 per annum to be
paid from tha General Revenue Fund of the State on the salary
0r the Exsoutite saoratary-DIrector or the 0c0unIssion. In thia
item, them la a parcrnthatioal dlreotion that the Exeoutin
Saoretary-DIreotor is to .raoslrs “an anma1 salary or $3,6,00.00,
$2&;.00 to be paid f’rom Stata funds and $1.200.00 from Badoral
.
In the Aot OwatIng the State ComIaaIon ior the Bllnd~, ”
Andy providing for ita or&anlaation and tunotlon, authorization Is
given to tha Comiialseion to “appoint and rIx, the oompensatlon or
an Bxroutits Sooratary and s'uoh other workers a% may be naoreaary
t;o~l~kdbrraotive the purposes or this Act withIr? the aDpropriatIon ’
P .I (Saotlon 3, Article 3207a, V.A.e.S.)
Ylhlle the aalarlaa prodded In the appropriation bill
ma9 not as a general rule be supplemented troa any other sourW,
the State CoinmIssIon for the Blind In eproiiIa.slly uxamptsd froa
such a rrstrlotlon (Seotion 2, submotion 14b, Sonata Bill 317, @t&
Laglalature, 1945). The epplloetion for and aoarptanoa of funds fro5
the Gorsrrqnt of the Unltrd State8 for tha State Comrnieslon tar
the Blind is authorized and euch funds are appropriated %o ths
apaolfio purposes authorized by the grantor”. (SsatIon 2, Sub8sO.tiOn
9, senats Bill 317, 49th Lqlalature, 1945.) It apprara that run&s
are advanoed by the Federal government to Dtatea that have 83 apprnvhd
plan ror aid 80 the blind for purposes whiah am snulasrated in a
:~ report to the Psdsral government filed by the State. il’it1s Q2,
U.S.C.A., Sections 1201, 1202 and 1203.) If, therarora, finds
are advemosd by the Federal government for tha purposs of aupplelnen-
ting the salary or tha Eraautlve 2earstarpDirector of the Stata
[
..,
15
Iionorsblr Lon Alaup, Page 3
Commission for the Blind, the paymsnt of an aiidltlonal sum from
IJsUeral funcls would bs V’wltGln the approprletlona providadW.
(Opinion or Attorney General, No. O-6735.)
i:hethar the salary of the Rxaoutlve Saorrstary-Mreotor
may be supplanented from Federal funds depend6 upon whsther the
above noted dlreotlon in the appropriations bill upsrates to
withdraw or restrict the authority glvsn to the Stats Cunvnlsslon
for the Blind to fix the salary ot suoh oifloar *within tb
appropriations provided”. V.hl1.s thsrs Is no qurstlon that the
Legislature has tha authority to withdrew or repeal bhs authority
orlglnally given to the Cummlsslon to fir ths salary of thir
orrloer, it 15 not bd. lsved that suoh authority oan be cloamml to
have been withdrawn by 8 parenthatlaal and purely dlnotory pro-
vlalon in the appropriation bill. Tha only posslbla reason that
can be asorlbed for this dirootlon ia the lppro rletion bill ia
that the Laglslature intendad to avoid thle o,ff s 6or’B befag paid
rmm Faderal funda ln an amount greater than that provltlrd to be
paid from %nto fundr end it Is noted that the propomd ln~roae~
or $60~.00 per annum would not dsreet suoh a purpose. It rhouid
also be noted thnt in 1945 the 29th Lsglsfaturr sabablishsd wlthiu
the State C~mmleslrm ror the Blind a yooattinal Rehabllitatlan
Dlvlslo~and lmpussd orrtaln addltlonal dutloa upon ths Exroctlva
Saoretary-Dlrrctor or the Ccmmlselon. (li. 8. 347, Aote &9th Ugls-
latura, 1945, p. 374.) This Act also provldrd ror oooparation by
this Dlvislon wlth the Faders1 Govarnment.
The roregolng oonslderaa, yvu are advlasd that it la
the oplnlon or thls orrioe that the Stats Quonmirsioa for ths Blind
Is authorized to supplement f’rola run48 reocllved f’rom the Governmen
or tha UnltsB States ths salary or the Exsoutlte Sooretary-Dirsotor
to the extent proposed if granted by the Fedan], Authorltl8s for
that purpose.
Youra very truly
A~~~OQD#I la, 1946
s!!Q BY
Robert G. Kooh
,< .4salstant
And
,’ Assistant
c
JL:ms