OFFICE OF THE AlTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
Hoa. Olevoleab Da+18
aowbtr httoraoy
waror ooutt
lolfot0n,~ TeLIs
Hon. Cleveland Darle, >aqe 2. -
Z-?. E. Xoi. 262, Forty-“ ,erenth Le~isLatcre of Texan,
reads as follous:
".'.a.2ot authorlzlug the Camlsaioners Zourt ih all
ooutles Of tkis State to p-ovlde firs Lrotectlou ahd
fire fighting equlpaent Sor the citizens of the county
outside 0r any city, tov:11,or village thereia, either
by the pUoh&Se end salntenanae by the c;unty of the
necessary e;utjment, or by entering Into s;ntrects xslth
tha fiorernfne body of cities, tarns, or rillages looste?
within the czuuty nnd/or adJoining couatl?s for the
use 0r the rir0 tigitizigaqulpezt of the city, toun, or
village; providing that tte operat:on or any ffre right-
lag equl~nent outside tha olty lir,ita of say city, torn,
or vllleEe, gmsuant to oohtrosta xlth the Comissfon-
ers Court of the county, shall be co::sidered as opera-
tions of the county, and all persons eaga@! lh suoh
operations) notwlthstacdiog they %ay be eqloyeer of t
city, town, or vllla~e, shall be considered as agents
for the county In ell reqectz; _czc~idio~ gzchase of
f I;-e fighting equ::,:oentT-uzt be ciuthorlzed t3y election;
and dealerihg en e.zer(-enoy.
nSe4tion 1. 7729 ~09~:83:0~4r9 court ill ell collntlea
of tAs State ahell be authorized to furzisti fire pro-
teation and fire flg,htisf equls?zert to tt,e citizens of
such county residing outside ttie city lLrlt3 of any alty,
tom, or villa@ -1tbin the ccuhty 2ac/zr zZJolhlne, coun-
ties. 'r‘heZom=issioners ,Cz,rt shall heve the authority
to purohase flr2 tx~ks 6nd other fire fight& equlp-
next by first advertising and rccelvin& bids thereon,
as ;rovldad by len. The Cmissloners Saurt of my
county of t&la Ztute stall also b2ve the auttority to
enter into contreats v.lth any city, tom, or village
vlthln the county end/or adjof~lry oounties, u;on suoh
term cad csaditlona as shall be age& ugot batv;een the
Comdssioners Zxrt and tkie @ver:llq t:Cy of suoh city,
town, 01‘ V:11SE8, for the use of the fire trucks and
other fire fl~kting equljxieot of the city, tom, or vii-
la&e. It la apeClflCaLly provided that U-22 aats or any
person cr ;.ersons x-rile flg::tlhg rlras, trcvel:nE to or
fioo. Cleveland Davis, pace 3.
from iirao, or In any 3anner inrnishing fire grotaotion
to the ~itirans or 8 oount, outsiaa the oity limits Of
any city, town, or villa~.a, shall be aonsidarad aa the
eats oi apants OS the oounty lo all raapaats, notri,th-
standing euoh parson or parsons may ba regnler amplogaee
or ilranan o? a city, toun, or tillage: Eo oity, town,
or village within a county end/or adjoinin@ oountias
shall ba held IlabIa for tha acts of any ot ita eaployaes
while engaged in ?ighti.ng Sires outside tha oity limtts
pursusnt to any oontract tharatofora anterad iato ba-
troan the Cmmirsionarr Court of the oounty and tb
eorarning body OS the aity, tovn, or rillee. Provided
horater, thst any iira equipment porohnsad by any Coun-
ty rho11 be done only by a msjority rota of property
orning texpayarr and pualifiad totar of suoh oounty et
a countpvrlda election oallad Sor such purpora.
Tee. 2. The faot that under lr istb g
laws, County
Com~~ssionerm Courts era without porar or authority to
prorida tire protmtion for the oltlzans ot the mxanty
uho reaida oateida the city limits of any city, tow, or
village within tha county araata8 an amerganoy and an
imparetlva pnblio naarssity that the Constitutionel Rula
raquiriag bills to ba read on three several days in each
Eousa shall bb suspendad, an& tha name is hereby euspen-
dad, snd this hot shall take altaot Worn and after its
paassga, and It is 80 anaotad.
*Passed by tha Eonsa, Maroh 6, l94ll Yeas 112,
Xaps 0; passed by the senate, Hey 15, 1941: by a tire,
woo9 v’ota.
*hpprotad X!ay 22, 1941.
YWisctita 90 day8 after July 3, 1941, dcts of
adjourmant.”
:;a are unable to peroelta any relid canstltutimel
objeationa to the Act. It is tharafora our opinion that the
Act 1s oonstltutfonsl and ralfd.
It is our further opinion thet uuhan fire fighting
*Wont Is purahasad in compllanaa with the conditions 1816
do In the hot psyment for sexa should be mode out of fb4
8aneral fund OS tbs county.