868
.
vi OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
QROVER SELLERS
ATTORNEY QLNCRAL
Bon. Yurr,ll L. Aloknor, Chalnmn
Oarno, ?irh and Optor Commir~ioa
rmllrr, Taxtrr
Dear Sin
Your roqorrt t
bOOKI ?*08it@d 8n(L
fOl1OW8l
r888il.d tOd8l frca
opinion thrt 8aid quo8tloa rhould be enrwrr86
r th iO11OUin(l lW88QL81
3, SeOtioB 23, ot the OODltitUtiOS of ‘I’8188
Hon. Xurrrll L. l3Uokncr,pago 2
UtiOlO 6865 Oi v8?DOll’8 hOt@t8d OiVil %dUt,8
Oi %X88, 18 88 fO11OW8t
"The qU8llil86 lOtOr Of 88oh aoUntJ lt,o8oh
6On8r81 llrotlon aball 818rt 0110 aherlrr ror l
t8r 8 Ot tll0 re818.*
34 %X88 fUr18prUdOliOr, f%OtiOIl 14, pa888 341, 3&2,
i8, in pI?t, I8 rOuOU8t
"IUl~blllty to OffiOe klan@B lqU8llf $0
all pOr8On8 not 8xOlUdOd br the oOR8titUtiOn O?
8t&Ut@8, rnd not l xolu8ir8l~ or rpooiru~ to
p8r8Olt8 l lljO~fB~ the d&It Of 8uttn(lO; Ul& diS-
8bilitr to hold ottioe ir not to be irgowd 01
rw ,iitiZ8I! rXO8pt Ulld.? WthOrlt# 1V8a by 1IW.
Th. kl;i8htU2. II8 OOt d8n(lO O? I f 4 t0 qUali?i-
ort~onr for ItIorr 00 nor tab air874i8qu811fi80-
tiOD8 th8t 8?* ii
prO8Or b.d by tb OOd8tltUtiOfh.. ,
The fsllorrlngperaonr
are blrquallilsd.
tram hl& an? ofit
rotlt in thr Of trwt or
%8t8: p8r8On8 OOntiOt8dOf h8Ti.Q 6PT8IIOr OtfOr8d
I bribr t0 prWW8 l1 8OtiOlt OP lp~Oillka@UAt t0 Ofi108;
pOr8?Ll8 Who h8VO iOU@t OT 8,Et OI 8rOOpt8d l ah810
long, to ii&it l du81 with deadly uaqona, or who
h8+@ LtnOWi~lf 888i6t.d la 8nT EM508r thO8. thU8
OffOItdilyl 8nd pOT8Cta8 N&O at any tiM la8~h8W bOIa
OOllWtOr8 Of taXe8 OI k.8 Oth8rViw WtrQ8t8d With
publlo money Until th8r #hall h8V. obtalad I diS-
oh8r l ?OZ thhrMOUt Of 8uoh 00118OtiO~8 02 for 811
pub lfl oonrfr with whloh thrr may hate been 8ntrustod.
Thr Qonrtltution furthorprorldd that 18~8 #hall bo
m(L@ t0 ,X81U&e frW OrfiO@ pOr8Oa8 OOWi8t8a Ot
brlkry, p8rjurr, forgrrl or other high lrlm.8. . .*
Artirle 2927, ~OrUOB'8 &UiOtrt& OiVil %8tUt88, 18
l8 iOllOWS; .
70 pertron 8k811 k ml1 UO $0 84 H8t0,
oomtl, )roolaet or m~leiprf otiioe in this Wata
a.08 b. *hill k lli blr t0 hold OfflO@ Pn4W
th8 oOJl8titUtiOE Oi th t'
0 St8t0,Wld ml.*8 ho 8hmll
ha?. n8ldd iB thlr St8tr ?Or th8 p@riOd Oi tW8lVO
_ ’
870
Hon. IlurrollL. Euokner, ~888 3
month8 and rix month8 la th8 8auat~, prooinot
or mualolpallt~, la wh%oh ho offera hlrroli 88
l eradld8te, nrxt preoodln a4 grnorrl or
8980181 d88tiOll, WI& rhslP hmo b88E 8n 8OtUll
bona ride rltizrn of 8rld oounty, prrolnot, 00
munlrl llity for.mom thllnrlx aonthr. lo pamom
h8ilg P bi8 tO~hOi6 Off108 8bii 8V8r h8Vs hi8 MD0
918O.d UpOn the bSuOt 8t 8lll 6Oli8r81 Or 8980181
.18OtiOti, or at my primart d8OtiOll wtl8ro08ndl-
d8tO8 8rO 88lOOt8d Md82 &WiMrr llOOtiOn 18ll8Ot
thi8 St8tei and 00 ruoh laellglblr r8ndid8tO 8hall
8V8r b0 VOt8d UPC&k, I)iD? b-8 VOt.8 @OUIkt8d iOr
:::;8t any mash dwmr81, 8psolr1, or priarr
AOt8 1895, 9. 81; a. t. YOl, lo, p, 8
AotA919, p. 17.9
Arjtlolr1, se0ti0n 2, 0s th0 c0neituti0n 0f ~0x88,
18 @I iOllOW8t
*All politloal power 18 iahrroatin the
peOpi* md 811 t?@@ gOTO?AB8&8 8r8 fOUtkd~&
saSt;;r ruthorlty,8lld iB8titUtd SO? tholr
Tb8 t8ith & the pOOpl@ Of Texr8
8tMd8 &8dg~bd t0 the pr@8WV8tiOn Of a r8pUb
1108n r0rr 0s (roteriuwnt, 8n6, 8Ubjabt to this
lidt8tfOIl OIllr,thry hrro 8t 811 tti.8 th8
lBall8n8blr right to rlkr, r0r0nh or 8bOli8h
thdr go+rrnmemt In ruoh amnor as thor m8y
think 0xp0618nt.'
Art1010 1, !!.stloa3* of the bn8titutloa oi Toxsq
18 (I8 ta;llWS;
*All fr o 0mea wh e n th r y fo r m l
roolrl
OMplOt, h8tO W& FifAt8, lI& !hMOB, Or
89t Of IEOn i8 Oatfth t0lXe1U81+0 8OprratO
publio eaeium..*l or prftll*gw, but In ooa-
8id@ratiO8Of pUbhO 8O?V1008.*
Hon. Murrell L. Euoknor, 9880 4
hrtldlr 1, 9eotion 19, o? thr Constitution or TQ~JS,
18 08 fOiiOW8l
rflooltlzen of thlr ?tste 8hrll b8 48prired
0s tire, llb8rty, property, prlrll~ 08 or immunl-
thr, or in 8ny manner dlrfranohl8~it rxoept by
the dU8 OOuT@IOOi th0 ia* Of the 18&i.*
9, T8X88 Jrui8prUdOnOo, 3oOtiOn 116, page 552 18, in
part, 88 fO11OW8l
*a 68Ol8ring th8t 110 0118 18 WItiti86 t0
lxolurlv~ smpar8te pub110 lmolumontr or prlrllrgrr ,
but in oOn8ider8tiOQ Of publlr 8OrViO@8, th8 eon-
rtltutlon of Taxa (IMOUILOe8the prinoiplr oi
lqU8litf ia QOlitiO81 rigbt8, 8&d (L d8ti81 Of 8n
tit18 to lndlrldual prirflOgO8, honor8 8Bd dir-
tinotlonr from the 8ommunlty, lx o r p fo t rpub110
a~~tlo~s. Th8 SUQr,mO &uTt hrr mid thrt th8
prmirlon k dlreoted egalnst 8u rrlorlty 0s
perroar and politioel rlghtr, d1 rtinotionr of
rank, birth or 8tOtlOn. and all 018ia8 Of emolu-
ENIt rra the 0olmuEit b$ Sny MB Or 88t O?
mea over 8Ilyother OitI' 18118Of thr 8trtO. It
doOinr88 that hoaOr8, lPolUR0lit5 @Iid priVilO~O8
or l Q8r8On81 Ifidpolltloal ohareoter 8ro rllkr
ire8 and 098n to 5n thr Oiti58n8 Of the dab..."
Art1018 9788 0s the Penal Cod* 0s Tax.3818, ln part,
88.fOiiOW8:
“8ootlon 1. ?h8r@ i8 hor8by Or,atOd 8 Diti8iOn
ot the Our., m8h and Of8tOr oomPi88iOn t0 b8 knOm
On6 608igZI8t86 I8 thr ‘oO88t81 DiTi8ion Oi -8,
rirh 8nd Oy8tOr &n9#fii14iOn.Y
9380. 2, T&8 Oarno, lrlah 8nl Oy8t.r 0omml881on
8h8ll hwr )W8r 8Bd ruthorltg, IUid it rhrll k thrir
dutr to 8 point aa rxaoutlre otrlorr for tha 8816
aM8t81 D!V181On to br kIlOWll
rnd dosi~rtod 88
'Dlrrotor of CoaJtll Dlrielont, who rhrll rot a8 the
0hi.f 8X8OUt;VO OffiOrr Of thr Ditl8lon UBd8r thr
dlnotlon Of Mid ~UII@,?i8h 8nd ol8t8r ~OSIB&~C+~OIL.
8’72
Hon. Murre 11 L, Buoknrr, 98~8 5
“%8 ctnBid8BiOn may QOrfOm it8 dUtl88 thFOtI&h
8t2dd Dlreotor 0s coast81 Dlrl81on ma mry d010g8t0 to
hir @UOh 8X8OUtlw dUtiO8 a8 8816 &IO, Fish ad
0 rter ~05488105 d8WU8 ro>or. PrOVidrdl that in th8
li8,noo of thr COll8td DPrOOtOr tbr 0Oti881OX rhall
bt~;owrrod to de8lgnate an rrslstrat to perform hlr
914 Dlrootor 0s Coamtml Dirislon ah811 8100
hrtr piw8r and ruthorlty t0 OppOlnt Oaa0 and Fl8h
wOrdm8 and othrr ulQfiry*88l8 la hi8 di8Or8tia my
bm dO8UiOd nWO88rry t0 Oarry Out 8ttd rnim0, thr 1.rW8
Of th18 gtato, *Ioh it 18 the duty Of tb 68~0, tirh
and oy8t.r bIdt38iOn t0 OSITl Out, eX8OUte lud ld-
mlnl8ter, an6 to perrcwm 811 other dUtib8 on4 8O?TiM8
authorized and roqulrod to b8 prfomed byr oil O-a,
mth 8nd op8tW cCWd88iOILt sna 8hrii ha+8 th0
end ruthorlty ot other 8mploge80 of thr Omm,
and oyster Cogarlssion. 3dd Mrre*or 0s cO8otOl Did-
slon 8h811 88rvo rt the will Of maid Qm0 'Flab lml
OysO*r Comlarlon. T h eOthOr lmQ&O~9C'S OS th8 0088tbl
Dlrislon shrll servs at the will of thr~Di'reotw of
Corstal Dlrl~ion. . , .*
"S*o. 'b. Th8 DirOOtOr'Of 0088t81 Dlri8lon ln4
A88i8t8ut Dlrrotor of COOOt81 Dirjrion mhall raoh
enter into a good lnd 8UffiOiOnt bond in thr m8 or
hro !!hOU88nd DoiiUS (#2,,0001 QOY8bh t0 th0 ?t8t8
Of Toxa8, to ba 8QQrOVed by thr QOla8,ri8h md Oyster
OQrmisrlon, ooadltlonod upOn the fmlthtul porfommor
Of hi8 dUti88 Mdor the 18wr m0 Qr8aillm OQ rush bcadr
oha be pm14 by the st8t8 Out Of SMdLI 818118btO to
the Qenrr, yirh 884 Oy8tOr cOEUti88iOn. Th. Di.rrOtor
Of cOa8t81 mittiOn On6 A88i8tant Dlnotor Of cfM8td
i.llVi8iOD 8h811 tlk8 th. ~OllBtttUtiOnal Oath Of OffiOO,
All other l mp~Oy8er oi the ~Orrtml MVi8101l rhall
rX8OUt. l bond iII Oh8 8uIIOf 000 %lOU88nd ($1,000) t0
bo 8QQrOV86 by th8 Dir8OtOX Of CO88tOl Dlrirlon, plya-
bla to the Stat. Of FOX88 a56 OOllditiOKi~d OR th6 fait@-
ful pafomC~~.'of th8 dUtiO8 Ot hi8 Offir.. thr Q-0,
Ilmh and Oy8tor Ofnmi8riou My rrquiro any rq~loyoo who
hsndlor fund8 belonging to tho Daprrtment to 1~ a
b o nd up to l8 high 88 T8u ThOU88Dd bll8r8 (# e o,~o)...”
ROtl. mrral~ L. Buokaer, 9aq.c6
The lettor to you trcm Ii. 0. Eanla o? Rootilla,
Taxaa, lnoloerd with your requrat tor an OQfnlOa on tbie
quartion, oontalna the ltrtemant thrt Bald 0. W. Roblnaoa
la, fine bra barn to? the prat to ut y a a tal87pl0pe
, 88 boat
oaptfilntar th* QISO, r&ah rnd Or&e? L1aml881oa,under
J. D. Arnold, who ,ia Mrrotor of Oorstal ‘Oporetionr ot tho
Cama, Plah and Oyatot Oomdaaloa~ therefore the lqloment
o r lald 0. W. Robinron ooaa under the prorlaion ai Artlole
w8m of tho PoMl CO&O Of TOXS8 8bWa ret out,
Tha0 18 nothin& h Ml O? tho 8bOV8 .8OaBtitUtiOn-
61 02 8t6tutWy protidbnr that would prevent 8816 0. n(.
Robinsoa troa l’UMill(~tO~ oftioo, ot that would ?8qUiSO him
to &lo up hla O?tiOO a8 aUS0 w8rdon la order to oontinuo
in the reoe for Sheriff of Bae County.
Rotor6noa la mado in the letter to you tmm R. D.
zcanlato Chaptor 251, House Bill lo. 393, Aota or tQo 48th
Logialaturo, RopAar Sosalon, pager 375-376, aad the oon-
tentlon 18 aada that auoh bill prohibit8 any rdmlniatrative
ottSpar of the Strto oi Toxaa, with tho oxoeptlon ot lagla-
latito and jUdlOl~1 O??lOOra, uirbnr Ot UM fA(iIl8tUO
ln& r8dgOa Of the oOUrt8 af %Xa:BI, ?TOn! ?UM~ZI~ ?Or O??~Oe
while holdln a0 Sdd~i8tt8tilO OttiOa. ti O&U 0 inion,
suoh 18W, whf oh 18 Arti 2929a, tOrUOtl'8AMOt8 Pld Civil
Statutol, wool4 in no event, bo otfeotlle bon 88 it war
inbonded t0 a99i,il Onft to tha 9038On8 llOOted OC lp p Oint6e
to an lxeoutivo or adslnfatratlto publlo oti100 in tho
stat0 of TeI8a t0r a tom! of mora 6h8n two goara,
It Will b# 09011 ttO8 8 rOfidiIi$ Ot btidh 97g,
ot tha Panel Oodo ot roxaa, 8bOt8 rat Out, thrt raid a. 111.
Robinron 00Uld not hare boom 8ppOltttOd tOT a km Ot more
than two yoara aa ho ratred oaly at tho will of tho Dirootor
or the CO8atal Dlti8lOn. Arti 16, $00, 30 O? the COnatitu-
tlon of Teua, proridaa "%hrt tho duratloa of 011 oftla~s not
tired by the 6onatitution 8hrll IIO?arlxoebd 8wo roam.* Thlr
rorlrioa haa'baan ha1d to 8ppfy t0 8 deputy oouatr olsrk.
P Dongaa va, Beau, county Clerk, et 01, u II.U. 2d, 53l.Wrlt
roturod). Thoratoro, rlaoo no grovlalon wanrmrda tor the
omploreoa oi tha &ma, Flah and OJ8tot Oommlralon to 8aa-m
mar* than two yoera, sale CI. 3. Roblar~ oould not 10~0
1ongar than #hot pethod ot time without being ro-appolntod
. *
Hon. Yurrall I. Buakner, 98&e 7
EWido8, Arti 29298, 8boto rOtUrb& to, mar,hold UOOLL-
atltutioaalby the Suprema Court of Texas on J’uo 24, 1944,,
in tho 0860 of bulTOU&h8 at ll, to. Lyloa, OountyChalrmaa,
6t al, 181 9. ;t.(ad) 576, Oa th0 ?OlhWiILg g?OUa&!
"4h8 quall?loatlon8tot the ottloo of st8tb
Sena to me
r lot out in &tide ~111,Sootiom 6, of
the Oonatitu8loa; ft WO8'hale by th48 Coutt in
Dlokaoa vs. !2tr~oklaad, 11) ‘ZSXlC, 176, 265 8. W.
1012, that nharo t~hqpon.atltut%on proaorlber 'the
qur&~tioatioq8 for Oftine< lt 18 hrqnd thq.la&t
18tile powar to oh8 oi r&d to the qur,fi?i.qati~oma,
unless tha Conathut *f”on gltoa tbat,pbwor. ZBat -dw
olalw was rtattltaoe la'Stitb^u.rol. 68a~fit,
ot 81 18,of Clrtl Appwlr
Court 6 ‘.a$ .rl , 113 Texas,
549,.#5 ,a. q. 24, 253. The ,8tat,ute, hue ,inrolrod
roekb to impoao an rdditiopal fink :ot .oll(liWit7,
g&bar than rhot 18 prbSO?lbd by.tAi UOnfit~%Utiolr~
on 8 orndlebte for Stat0 dttloo; and for thrt roeaoa
it 18 TOid.
*&tike I, Seotlon 1, of .tho O~natltutlon,
~aPanta6a to all perroar rquali$l of rights. Tbb
proTi8bM of the CoIMtltutlOib 111shorl&@bd ‘to preloat
WI7 DOiSOll,Ot 01888 Of pir8On.8,‘ttCS@; bfiilk@
fiili&ld
out 88 i. l
peo~~l rubJoot.tor U8arlmln8tia or hoabile
logi8l8t~on.~ 9 Tixaa 7uril~~eoao~, pogo 5f.I,'%o. 115.
Thla prlnoipla of lquali,ty(Ilao~rppliia 'tbppOlftiO81
tlghoa; 9 Tern* hrlmprtiogo,e, age 553, SOO. 116.
Uatlu $ha toregoln8 protiaionos the hm.titulion,tha
ke&irlfituT6 hpa t&e pOWOrto 8dopt 84 ll8~8it1Oatioa
It aoea tit, protldae thao 18 a tO88OQ8blO kala for
suoh olaaaltloatloa.h prrta ?glaon, 93 Toni Cr. RI
&03, 2I,$8. 7.~3bJ; L*rrin(t1. Eughia loit. ARO*), 24b
8, W, 556; blotlman v. hod88a Surety. Oolpry of How
York, 137 Texas, 149, 151 S,.V. 24, WO.
Vho atatut8 h@l?irIatoltod putpotts to rpply
'aplyto *6raoutiro or 8dmt~rt~tlra~ ottlPora., sad
ir ah6 H6OXie 9a?8@8#A lX$ twS&lU,$
~. t8
lub b t8Of
the Leglalat~ro md. the ~Ue~bi8tY~dhm dla8flUae-
tioa la apparent and wo oaa pezyolro ao ?aa8onable
bra18 for tha olaa8~tio8tlon. The Aqt tlolrto8 th8
oonstltutlon,sab la, thartioro,void0
‘875
Ron. Mum311 I:.Buoknrr, pm70 8
“Thlr 8tatutr 18 Invalid for other remsonm.
It dois not oontaln the usual olaueo prorldlng
that Ii my part of 8uob rtatute rhould bo held
invalid, the rom8inder thorrof rhould be uphold.
Theretore the hot must be ooncltrurdIn it8 la-
tirrty. it undwtakor to plror oartaln rrstrlo-
tlonr other then there prosorlbod by tbo Conrtitu-
tion, on person8 who drrlrr to rwk dflor. Thir
omrmQt ba doom. &no, it ornnot be 8~8$d thrt th,
Legialsturr would hare prrrrd thlr Ao.twith emr-
tcrlnpart8 oi it omltt8d. Tharr 18 nothing ln
thr &at whloh wmld jurtlir thl8 oourt to 80
oonstrue it. Suoh oonrtruotioa would result Ir
thir oourt’8 rr8hap‘ing thr ontira Aot, and 8uah
a holding would bo oontrrry to wall establishad
ruler. Taxas-Loul8lanaPower Com$any ~8. City
or Farmersrlllr, (COm. A~pP*.l~ 67 3. W* 26, 235;
Devls t. iValJros,259 U. 5. 4’76, 66 1. Ed. 325; ‘.
Rmpir, 068 a Fuel Oomprny T. stat. 0r Toxsr,
121 Texem, 138, 47 3. +. 26, 265; Lewie’ Sutherc
lsnd’8 Stat. Con (26 rd.), Vol. 1, 306; Ruling
Goss Law, Vol. 6, p. 129, Sea. 129.”
It i8 our opinion, thrrofora that a Om;r Smlm
would not harr to re8lgn hlr posltlon h ordbr to br 8
08ndidate ror I oounty OrriObr
Trusting that thi8 ratlefaotorilyansworr your
lnqulry, we reuieln
Tour8 vary truly
ATTORNEY OENPRAI OF TEXAE