OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
Eon. Talter C. Pierson
Head, F'xeoutlre Dltialon
Department of Ctatr
offloe of Secretary o? Sat0
Austin, Texas
Dear sir:
ntloned oonstitutfonsl prc-
?a te Guard is not mentioned by
ers be e:ltitled tc, tke exemytlofi, it, would
in the general descriptloc quoted above
Tte forces end reserve described ln the above mentioned
provIsion are limited to those “of the Tjnltsd -tates.* Mllltery
forces and organizations .&lch do not meet this requirement are
not included. So the question turns on whether the Texas rtate
Guard, as a military force, la an instrument of the United States
Government or zerelp a @tate organization; in other words, whether
lt8 members, BE such, are enraged in the service of the federal
governpent or solely in the service cf the 3ste of Texts.
56:
Rc,. , alter C. Pleraon, pope 2
The rt8tutr8 lrpr888ly protlda that the Taraa Ctato
Our4 la I part or the milltory rororr or a or ‘I’orsr
state --
8t3d th8 88tiv8 8dliti8 Of th8 Sht8 Of =X88. ~oOt8r?nO~ Or
T8XO8 18 authorized to =giiSn zI= the %I88 Stat8
Ouard during th8 98rIOd thrt the T8x88 m8tiOn81 OU8rd Or my
98Tt th.NOf, i8 in lOtIV, tOdOra 8On10.. kTtB. 5765 aad
589lr, Vbrnoa’8 AM. Cit. StrtUt88.
Thr Coa8tltutioa of th8 URIt& State8 (COO. 8 oi Art.11
proridos that Congo88 rhrll ham 9owrr
*To provldr ror ialllng rorth tha Yilltla to
lX8OUtrthe kW8 Or th8 udOa, 8Ii99rO88 zIX8W88tiOM 8a6
npal xBvrrIoM~
*To provldr r0r orgaaltdng lmlng,
8nd lIroigl1a-
in&the Militia, 8lid iOr @WI&6 ruch Part d thorn ls
ma k y lm91Oyed in thr fhkrriO0 ai th. mft.6 8t8te8, r.-
rerrlng tothc Ftat88 rerpeotlrrly, the Appointmat of
the Offloerr, and thr Authority of tralnlng the b?llItia
rocordlng to the dlrolpllnr pre8orlbL by congres8.*
It further provider (Qo. 10 of Art. I) that8
“NO 8tatO 8h811, Without the COll88Ilt Of COa@O88,. , .
keep tiOO98, .,.., in time or Poso8, . . . ..a
The Army of the United Otate8, 88 defined in 10 U.?.C.A.,
Peo. 2, Inoluder the 'WtlOnal Guard of the ilnltad %ata8*, and
the *Netion Guard while in the aervloe of tha 'Jnlted %etea,* whlo
are derlned in 32 iJ.‘.::.A., Sec. 4b, aa follows:
"In this tit:e, mlese the ssntart or aubjeot matter
otherwise rerulrcs--
"(a) 'National Guerd' or 'Nations: Guard of the
several etctes, ‘?crrltzlee, an; the Dlstriot of
Columbia' me%cs that portlcr of tht Crganlzrd Xllltia
of the severs1 States, Terrltorlab, 6m.i the i)i8triot
or Columbia, eotlre and lnaotlre, redorally reoognlzed
as provldad in thlr Aot and organlzrd, srmd, and
equipped in whole or in part at Podoral sxponae and
officered erd triified under paregraph 16, section 6,
ertiole I of the Ccnstitutlsn.
Aon. altrr C. lier.ao;l, page 3
‘National
“(b) Guard o” the United %rtrr’ mean8
a reaervo oomponent of the Army of the Unltrd stater
oompoaod of those isdorallg rooognized units and or-
ganlzatlone and parsone duly appointed and ooxnleslonad
in tha aotlro and lnrotltr Netlonsl Guard OS the rareral
Ftatoa, Terrltorler, and the Dlstrlot of Columbia, who
have takon and aubsorlbad to the oath of offloo pre-
rorlbed in motion 112 of this title, and who have bamn
duly appointed by tho President in the National Guard
of thr Waited Ttatar, aa provided in thla tltlr, and of
those orfloerr end warrEnt ofilcere appointed a8 pre-
eorlbod in reotlonr 81 and 113 or this title, and of
thoma porrona duly or&listed in the Natloaal hard oi
thr United Staten and of thr 8rroral Strtor, Terrltor-
lea, and tha Dlstriot (d Columbia rho hero taken and
rubeorlbed to the oath of lnllstmont prrsoribed in
84otion 123 or thin title. (JUO 3, 1916, O. 134 B 71,
a8 addad Juno 15, 1933, o. 87, # 9, 48 ?tat. 157jw
The r0ii0mg provfslons of 32 Cl.“.C.!,., -eo, 194, eu-
thorlze the establishment of Ptate guardr:
“(a) No Etata . . . ahall maintain troop0 in time
of paaor other than as authorized in accordanor wlth
the organization prororlbrd under this title. . . .
“(b) Under auoh regulations as the “eoratary of
:‘Jar may presorlbe iOr the organization, standard8 of
training, lnatruotlon, and dlsolpline, the orgenlza-
tlon by acd calctecence witkin ‘:w ‘tete. . . . of
such nllltsry fcrces other than a ‘Iatlcxai GusrC BE
mey be provided bg the Iax of each rtete. . . . is
hereby authorized wi~lle any :,art of the N~tlonel Guerd
of the Yste . . . . ccr:orrse? Is 12 active Federal
service , . , -rcvideC ful-t,;?er, TLyt ?;ct iorce8
skell not be cs_:leC, orZcred, DT 1:. zE.r:.!nn+r drafted,
RS such. lntr, the r.llitbry services o,P t2e ‘.‘nited ^tstes;
however, no perssn ~5611, by r’LE?% ci ~1s n,enbcrshlp
in any euoh unit. be exemvted rro:; r,llltfiry service under
any Fedora1 law.‘. . . .“’
. 562
AOIl. ‘.alter C. Pleraon, page 4
The Constitution of Taxor (coo. 46 or Art. Xvr c
prorldrat
Vho provide by law ior or-
Laglal6tura shall
6aniain6 rnd dirOiplinin6
the militia of the %&a,
in rush maanar as thay rball deem l xpadl6nt, not
inooapatlblr with, tha Constitution and Lana of thr
United Stataa.o
It fiuthar prarldaa (in SOO. 7 oi Art IV) t
*a (the Ootarnor) shall ba Commandor-in Chief
of the mllltary forors oi the ?tato, exoapt when
thay are oallod into lotual lartloe of tha Unitid
Ptatra. He ah811 hare ponr to oall forth thr
Yilltlr to areauta the lawa or th a statr, to lupprara
lnaurrrotlo66, rap61 lat6alo66, and protoot tha
frontlar from host116 lnouralona by fndla66 or other
prabatory bands.”
It apparent
la from an examination of the Texas atatutos
authorizing end governing the Texas -ata hard thet it waa in-
tendad to be purely a State mllltla, organizrtlon, 6nd not a part
or the mllltary foroaaxhs United Ftat.8. The r0110whg pro-
ilalona 8r* llluatr4tlra:
“Art. 5765. Th6 ailltlr of this Ftate shall b6
dlrldad into two (2) olessrs, the aotlre end raaervo
mllltl6. The aotirr militia ahall oonslat oi organized
rod unlrormad military ioroea d thlo Ptate whlah ahall
be kn6wn aa the Texas Natlonal Guard or the Texas “tate
Guard ae the ceae may be; the re6erve militia shall
oonslst of 1~11 those llablo to eervloe In the Al.ltie,
but not serving In the Texas Ketlonal Guard or the
Texas ‘tata guard. As a!zended Aota 1943, 48th Leg.,
p. 464, oh. 311, 8 1.
*h-t. 5891a.
““40.
l(8). Yhenever any part of the National
Guard of thla rtate la in lotivo Fedora1 aenlaa,t.~a
Governor la heroby authorized to organize and maln-
taln within this State during euoh period, under auoh
ragulrtlona a8 the .Ceoretary or ‘Par of the United
Ftetes may prescribe for their orqsnlz?tim, standards
564
Hon. U'alter c. Pierloll, page 5
o? trrlai~, lnrtruotlon rnd A1801911n~, ruoh
mllitmrf toroor (~a the Oorornor may doom aeooa-
88~~ 80 dO~OnA thl8 S88tO. Suoh foroor rhrll br
0o mp 0
o8f0
o ftlo
A olppolntod
r8 mid loQmlrrloaod
8nd @@rim86 by th8 @OV8TnOrOr UlLdo? hi8 8U-
thorlty, t0 hold Off108 lnd 888i@l88IltdU?iJl
th8 91888Ur8 Of th8 0018?nOr, 8ad 8uoh rblo- t OA18A
m810 OitftOn8 Of th8 8t8tO 8ii4ruoh rbh-bOdiOd
r88ld8nt8 Oi tho st8tO who rhrll hrl. dOO18F.d
tholr intOatiOa t0 b800Ili8 8iti88n8 Of tho unit8d
st8t88, 88 8h8ll TOiUdBOr iOr 88mlOo tbOr8ln,
8U9 18lWnt8d, if IUO8888?‘l, br B8n Of th8 TO8OrV8
d&i8 WOllOd b r & 8it m othOrWi80 l8 9?0-
Tided br 188. , . .
“(b) 6u8h tOrO.8 8h811 be l 8rt Of .tho 8OtiV8
tiliti8 8KId 8 OmOnOnt Of tihrfiP it8rl ?OrOO# Of
hX8r 8Jld 8hBll b8 8ddltlOn8l t0 Wbd diBtiJl#t irol
tho m8tiOn81 @U8rd ond 8hrll b0 kIkOWlI88 the T8188
%8t8 &8rd: bOVid8d, hOWrV8?, thrt m8mb8r8 O?
the T’rX88 N8tiOMl [lUeTd who 8r8 llOt 8t thm tir8
in ?OdO?81 88mlO8 nal b0 U8ed, Und8r thr ruthority
ol th8 Adjutrnt tilhOr81, to 808llBIIId, in8trUOt, tr8in
8lld 8ddIli8t8T 811 Or 8nr 8OIQOii8flt Of th8 Ikilit8rr
fO?OO8 Of thlr %8tO, inOhldin6 8uoh 8t8t8 0U8l'd.
;82rmOJid8d, AOt8 19k3, 48th Log., 9. 464, oh. 311,
, . . .
"COO. i?(8) Th8 ~VO?nO? 18 h8roby 8UthOrl88A
to prsscrlbe rules end regulations not lnoonal8tent
With th8 prOTi810~ Of tidl AOt gOT8rning the 8n-
li8tm8nt, Orgd%8tiOn, 8ddId8tretiOn, diOrn;8,
rqUiplD8Llt, msinten8nor, OoINpand, tr8ining 8nd die-
oiplln8 0r ruoh rorcoa; provided euoh rulaa 8nd
regulatlon8, in 80 fur es he deems practloeblr End
ds#ir8bl., shell OOnfOrm to 8Xlsting low gOVerIlir,g
and pertaining to the National Ouerd and the rules
and r8gUlatiOIl8 9rCawleatad th8rrUfid8?. . . .
*!3oo. 7. lothing in thlr Aot 8ha11 be oonrtru8A
88 8uthOrizln( ruoh fOrO88, Or Uy 98rt th8r8Of, t0
b8 l8118A, CUd8Xd, O? 15 aw lUEtUl8~ &8ftOd, 88 8UOh,
into thr military 8emlOO Of the Unlt8d ?tatrs, but
rio prrson ~h.511 by reazon Of ?ifl ecliStI?ent or OOIP-
~issi::n in any 6uch foroee be exempted from ellitary
eerrior under any law of the United "tator. . . .
56
Hon. *alton C. l.ltrsion, page 6
Although u8 hare found no 088e8 OOn8trUing th8 Texes
Bt8tUt8, th8 i8dOT81 OOWt8 h8Vt h8ld that OffiO8r8 Of oth8r
St8te 0U8rd8 8F8 Dot bl8mbO?8Ot 8DY Of tho WriOU8 aaIlDOD8Dt8
oi th8 vnit8d .et8td8milit8ry fOrOi8. vnitcd %8tR8 V-.H8rtlnq,
4,8 ?. Cupp. 607 (Di8t. Ct., 1943); Oeston 1. bit84 %8te8, 34
A. (26) 353, (Yun. Ct. of App. Da Ki943I f 1 a1
(2d) 10 (Ct. App., D. c., 19441, 08rtiOr8ri i8:1:d;& !?!'ct':
1286. .
‘In OUI Opinion, thrroforo, meePber8 Of th8 T8x88 L?t8te
Ward 82‘8 not rntltled to rote without p8)mRGIt ot 8 poll tnx,
under thr prorltlons 0r 90. 28, Art. VI, or the Con8tItUtlOn
or T8xB8.
mU rOqU88t for 84~100
fWther
ark8 88 80 "Wh8th8r
uDd8r thr COn8titUtion and lrrs Of the Et8te O? Tsxss memb8r8
Of th8 'P8X88 %8te OUtlrd 8tC t0 8nl 8It8Ilt 818EQt irg p8m8llt
of th8 9011 88X’ sad, if 88, 'the 8StOnt 8nd t8lX8 Of 8uOh
8s8mptlon.'
Ye are enoloslng herewith ooplca of our Opinions Roe.
O-5045 and O-5808, whloh hold thrt a8mbrr8 of the T8rss r?trtr
Ouard, being memb8rs of the 8otiVs Eil1ltI8 of Texas, Ire entitled
t0 8 pOrti '8X8mptlOn and t0 8 ml1lt8ry 9013 t8X r808ipt under
Arts. 5840 and 5841, ReIlecd Civil 3t8tute8 Of B-8, upon oom-
pli8aOO with the terms of 8ald 8rti8108, snd rhloh dl8ou88 rnd
Interpret 8eid 8rtlOlOS. In rdditlon, we or11 ta your rttentlon
Art8. 5843 end 5344, which read a8 fOllOw8:
"Articl8 5843.
“To entitle eriy general, field or 8thff ofiloer
of the eotire mllltla of this State to ebld exemptions
ae set fort: In thin ohtipter, such orrloer ehall
betnetn the fir&t dnys of Tcinusrpar.4 April of etloh
year, flie ,hltt, tte 8ssfk3sor oi tuxes Tcr his. county
hla oertlflcate to the effect that he is ec ofiloer
of tte uotlre clllltle of thir Ptate la good standing,
end that he hae ielthfully dieoh8rFed till the milltery
dutlts required or Nm during the prroedin& year, and,
on riiinc the OmifiO8tt a8 berein required, auoh
orrloer ahall not be l 3sassea r0r ay ~011 t8x wh8t-
ever other than the poll tar of om dollar pwtorlbed
by the :TonPtitutioo far tht su>cOrt of pub110 SC!?OOlS
for tht ctirr‘trst year; . . . .
51
HOll.“alter c. Pleraon, page 7
"Article 5444.
*TO antit any non-oct0mi00i0n0d 0t0rr orrioer,
mambar of th e lz~n(ia8.r or hoapital 80~8, or any
d or the l0t11. mI11t1a 0r thlr
other lnlla to man
8tate mt belonglag to tho ragular or~anIzatloa,to
th 0WJUp tiOB ~ l@ Mu rOrth in tb0 rOtUth prOOObi!~g
artlole, auoh non-oommlaaiono6 orri00;or lolaier
ahaii repera Ona ii10 lrridOrit0ahilar to the
l0rtirP rrte proride I8 the prarrdln8 artI ror
orriooro, with thr lmoaaor, , . , . 0r hlr oountr;
luoh liiIda+Ita ahall be illatl burl- tho aamo period
0nll in tha 00~0 mannor a0 oat rorth atm0 ror orri-
oor8. Oa ruin auoh lrridO+itO,aurh 80n-0on8i0~i08ed
orrlau or roll t or #hall be ontItle to tha lam ox-
laqltlono la th el8. UM a r 00p r o 1 ld.d fo r luo ho t-
rt0arhw
Summarlslng tha @bow, wo ho14 that m-bar8 of the htia
Etrta Ouar41
(1) Ara not antlt~od to rota without paymmnt 0r
a pan tax under t~protlalona 0r 500. 20, Art. n, 0r tho Oon-
0tituti0n0r TIIOO~
(2) km, upon ooopllanor lath &tr. Y&l, 584)
OT 5844,
lr0qt trm pOpm 0r p0ii trxra , lxoopt tho one-dollar poll tax
prraarlkd by thr Conatltotlon for the aupport of the pub118
aohoola; an4
(3) Are entitled to a poll tax reaolpt under Artlolea
5841, 58l,3 or 5844, upon oomplisnoe tith the terms quoted and
payment of the one-dollar Conatitutlonal tax.
Tour0 very truly,
Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion
Combined Opinion