OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
Eoaorable C. 2. Patterson
County Attornap
Erewster Comty
Alpha, Tsxaa
Dear Sir: Oplnlon No. o-3895
Ral Comlssioasrel Courtr - 8m-
gloyment of roll trappers
Your request for opinion hae been rooalred and
camfully considered by thls deprtsont. Xa quote from your
request as follows~
“Can a county le~slly ?ay out funds to
apply on l/3 of the salary for a govermont
trapper, and if they oan are they ltiited to
number or trappers that may be employed?
“The praetloa as fOllOwed 1~: for an.
assoolatlon to* my l/3 of the salary oi .:overn-
zsnt trappers, the state government a l/3
and the commissioners aourt the other l/3.
*Aatistated before, I would agproolate
an op’inlon as to whether or not the Corz.is-
eloners Court can. lemlly _3ay the i/3 or
said salaries, and if they oan, are the limit-
ed on rumbar or trappers that may be thus em-
gloyed.”
se assume rraa your roGueat that you are reterring
to wolr trappers ecgloyed by the United States Department
or agioulture, Eureau of Slolo~lcal Survey, in cooperation
With the Chalrzan or the Llvest.ook Sanitary COmmiGSlOn of
Texas and the Commissioners’ Court of your County, end our
answ3r hereto Is b2sed ugon t&t assumption.
Article 192b, 3action 1, Vernon’s Annotntad Texas
Civil Statutes, reeds as r0iloprs:
“380. 1. T:?latthe %htA Of Telli Will
cooperate through the Live Stock Sanitary
’
1
Eonoreble C. 3. Patterson, Page 2
Comlselon of Texna with United States Depart-
mnt of Agrloulture, Sureau of ~lolo~lo~l aur-
voy, In doetroylng ooyotes, wolves, ziountaln
ll&ms, bobcats and other .medatory anlzala, end - .
throw the +rioDtural and Eo’sohanlcal Coll3ege
of Texas will cooperate with the United States
Depar??ent of Asrioulture Bureau of Slolo;ical
arvey, in destroy1 pra rle dam, pocket
;o+srs (salammders “g jack
i rabbits, ground
s&rrols and othsr rldent pests In the lnter-
eat of the proteotlon of live stock, crops
and ranges,”
Article 192b, seotion 4, Vsrnon@s Annotated Teraa
Civil Statutes, reads as followsa
“SBC* 4. The Chalman of ths Live Stook
-lanitary Comleslon of Texas la hereby au-
thorized and dlreoted to exeoute a ooopsretive
a rtie~nant *::lth the 33oretar:: OS A&.oulture
or ths i7nlted States of America or the ijuraau
or Blolo&ioal Survey of the United Statee of
A~erloa for carryir.6 out euoh cooperative work
iz predatory anlml oontrol in such manner
und under such regulations as my be stated ln
sali! agrement. The president of the Agloul-
tural r,nd XecZhaaloal Colle,:e of Tams Is hereby
authorized and dlreotad to execute a ooopera-
tiva ageement With the Seoretary of Azrloul-
ture or the Bureau of Blolo~loal Survey for
carryisg out such cooparative work In rodent
control In suoh manner and under such ragula-
tlons aa fray be stcted in said agr3ement~m
Article 192b, Section 5, Vernon’s Annotated Texas
Civil Statutes, reads ar followa;
*Sec. 5. Tbnt the Comlsslonors’ Court
of any county within the State or the govern-
in;.: body or any Incorporated oltp or town
within the Stata 1s empowered and authorized
at Its dlsoratlon to appropriate tunds for
the proaeoutlon of tha predatory animal and
rodent control u:ork oontelaploted by this Aot
(Art. 192b; P. C. art. 1378a) end In ooopsra-
i
.- .-
. . 443
Honorable C. 3. Patterson, Page 3
tion vSth &ate and Federal authorities to an-
ploy labor and to mrohaoe and provide supplies
ra:*zlred for the o?feotive prosecution or this
vor!:."
Article 192b, %&ion 6, vernon*s Annotated Texss ., .
Civil Ltatutos, roads 25 rollowsr
"SBO. a. All furs, sk.insand 5ytELmens
taken by h'&ters or trappers, pild froraState
funds shall be sold under fules rrescrlbed by
tha Live stock sanitary Cocmlsslon of Tews
und .thsprocoeds o? suoh sales shall be paid
iiito the State Trsasu2y to be Oredited and
added tc soid.?rsdatory an&al fund. All furs,,
skins, :ci s;octiens taken by hunters or trap-
pers ?aid from-county funds &all be sold 3s
prescribed by the Cormlssl~nsrs~ Court of the
comty, and the ;rooasds cl euoh sale shall
be ?!~lc 1r.t.othe County Trsasury to be credited
A& added to such predatory enimal fund, jro-
vidod t.hetncy speohen so taken rraybe pre-
sented free of charge to tho iqpicultural and
L;'ocharloalColler,e,or any othsr St3te lnstl-
tution or to the United States Rational ?r'usasm
fcr scientific _=ur;osos.*
@inion Xo. Q-2709 of this de;?artzentholds that the
Comlssionorel Court of Havarro County had authority to help
pay the srlzry of a wolf trqqe,r where the United States De-
gzrtxnt or z&gloulture, Bureau of ?Solo~lc3l Survey, i;aid
'rh9rs.m+ndsr of ths wolf trapper's salary. Ye enolose here-
?ith a copy of said o~lnion for your informtion.
You are rosgaotfuily idvised thet it is the oplnlon
sf this de~~rtmnt th3t the Comisaloners~ Court has authority
to gay 0ut county funds (fro31the general ruad 0r the county)
to agplp on the aalery oi suoh government wolf trapper. It
is our furthsr opinion that the Cozmissioners~ Court may eclploy
or assi:st in the payzont of the oalarles of 85 raanyeuoh govern-
lrentwo:lr trappers as the Court In its sound dieoration detsr-
m;ncs t,obe necessary.
Your5 very truly
3P