Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN Bonorabla 0. B. IAvnwo state AwAter Au8tin. Texw Deer UP. Ow-B~sa Le$g~slmIro, or bate the iB tb8 188 erred to sata forth is sressed by the state ed state Auditor mha11 experienae as 8 aoountmt inmdiatel~ preoad- t, and he rhsll bo a m of grity and moral ohvaoter ood tioient experienoo in bUriDOm8 properly dirdl8rglJ the fullotioa~ of the otrioe. ES shall bW0 b#B S OitiWSS ad reaideat or rWb8 for at least fita ye8r• iopullrtel~ prlw.Alng hi* rppointrmt. 80 rdull qualify by trklng tbo aonstitutfoaal 08th et oifles aml eteputlng l bogd to be qprwad,by the eppointing pomr, pyeble to the Gwernor of the state of taras end his 8UEOMSOP8 in oftias, in the um oi Twenty-Sire ThhgosamI (@D,oDD) Dollars, aolditioned upon the tdtlb .* a,.,..., 0. 643 Bonorablo 0. 1. Catn4e8 * We P tul dieehargo of tb0 &tie0 of hi0 ottiee, rltb 8 ae1teultsurety eompaq 88 euretyr mr pro- m&m to the eurbty sompm~ ?or the neoutib~ et maahbodl ehall bo ptid by the State.* Ssotioa 11 of the Aat prwidee in pcrrtas tollo~et WI4 ?irst Aadetmd sat4 Auditor ehal1 perform euob dutias and bee%pnents l0 the t&eta luaitor my preearibe, and aball aat a8 State Auditor ia the abeenoo of the Ctete Audito r l Au ludb ra4i8taat uditore ud h iaaleriaal aeeietanto eball b4 lteno g r ep and namd and appointed by the state Auditor, ...' Seation la proridee in pact a0 tollo~ec *The Stete Auditor elm11 be free to leleot th4 most ettiGi4nt pmsonnel 8rail*ble for eeoh and ever;rposition in his otfloe, to the end that hemal reader to themmb4re of the Legielnture that oemlee H-&oh t&q here a right to Oxpect. . . . . The State Auditor is hsrsby authorised to conduct euoh protee- eionel sxaminetione as h4 may deem expedient in detsrmining the qualiPio4tione OS the per- eons rhom he oont4mplatee pl8oing oa b&e staff.@ aeation 13 of the Aot providoe in part1 *The gtmte Auditor WRY rewwe or dieoharge any assistant auditor or any mtenogaphia or olerioel assistant* at any time and for 0x17 mesons latiefaotory to himeel? end ritEout 8 hearing." The above-quoted portion8 of the A8t oonatitut4 ~11 that ~8 find in the Aot b44ring upon the ?lrot Aeeietant Stat. Auditor and the other seeistamt auditor8 la the St8te Auditor*8 40pl0y. It will be obeenal that the Leglel8ture ha8 not leem tit to prseoribe th6 qu4li?i4otione to be poeessemSw the Piret Ao~ietimt State lpditor, oc by any other loeieturt audi- tar. TlmrePoce, the State Auditor ie free to data-mine the qualiiieatione he 4111 require of those whom h4 4mplqe. That the la4 provides that the First Aeei4tust State Auditor ebsll aot se State Auditor in the lbe4no4 of the State Auditor does not milit8ts rgsinet the oonolneion expreeeei abore. us power and duty to sat ae Ctate Audltor in the lb- 650 aenereble c , II,cevneea * page a mnae 0P the CtatsAuditor is derived from him oeeupeaey of podtion 4? Piret Aesietent I&toteAditor, to whioh oiYf44 or place tha L~gieletur~ hem sttaohtd the putbor- itr to aat am State Auditor IR the rbesmo4 of the Stats Auditor. Yailo a4t.ing am state hditor in the ebeenoe o? th4 Stat4 Auditor, the First Aesietent doee not hold the ofrioe ef State Auditor, but ie merely rcpowered ee Ylrmt Aeaietent State Auditor to exeraiee pro te the powers and duties atteched to the pcincipel otflae. Prertr v* aahnlut, alo 0. ‘Ir. i@31.