OFFICE OF THE AlTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
Hozorabls Omer Burkett, Chairman
Ccmmlttes on Federal r\clatlone
House of Repreaentativra
Austin, Tsras
Dear Ylrt
et4
ths ridare on
lslon
0 vet0 pOw4r 0r th4 OOV~S~~OF is r0abd
this 3tate.
" Ii any ball prosonto to theaGovar-
nor &t&.&3 ~ovoral ftsrUS of 4ppr3pri4tiOn hs
may ob jeat to on4 or mm4 or such item, and ap-
pxov6 the other portion of the bill. In suah
373
gooorable Ghwr Burkett, CheIrmaa, Pago 8
Case he shall append to the bill, at the time of
aigm%ng It, a statement 0r the Itwis to which he
objects, and no itsm 60 objeoteA to shall take
srr4ot. . . .-
The Go~4rnorts power under the Constitutionwith
referenceto an appropriationbill is Aesaribed by l4r.ruetioe
Dibrsll, apeaking;ior the Supreme Court al Teralr,In Fulmorr
7. ~0, io4 mu. 499, 140 s, w. 408, a6 r0ibf8i
qowhere In the Constitution 14) the author-
Ity given the Gowrnor to apprQWb fn part aad
dieapproveIn put a bill. The only additional
authority to Qlrapproringthe bill In whole Ia
that glvoa to objeot to nn ita or iten whaze
a bill aontalaa sovera Iteu oi appropriatian.
It follows eenolurivel~that where the veto power
is ettempted to be lxeroloed to obfeot to e para-
gra h or portion Qi'a bill other th8n UL Item
or f tema, or to lmgwg4 qwirying ai 'jappropria-
tlon or direotlngthe method of it8,uses, he u-
oeda the Oonatitutlonalauthority recrted In him,
~6~~:ebJ~~"~~~g~~*~~~~~;~~ &f:z::
tlca, or ciire0tIn(:
the nothod of its we, beotxmr
non4rteotire. . . .
” If o bill pas8eA by the Legislature
cumta&*rs;~.xal 1tomal0r appr0priation,the
Governor Is authorizedto object to 084 or more
or rush ltem6, atidrruchItem or Itcmu 80 obfeoted
to shall not beooaa a part oi the law, unles6
the Legislature bo in seadon end mOh Item or
items objeoted to be reaonslderedand apprOY4d
by two-thirds of the m&mzs 0f both HouOes,
. . .r
Ho partfoular Sow, or method, or verbiage, Ir
:mquIreA to conrrtltute an item of appropriation. A prori-
&#&.In e+ appropriationbill whloh dael not lI& poaitfsns
or otitain speaffied Items 5ey none the 14~4s be sulrioiant
BI an Item of appropriation. It mar oonetitute a suifioiont
appropriationalthough It doe6 not n&me a oetiain sum or a
naximllmsum. 8ational sisoult C~mgenp vs. State, 135 9. W.
(al) 387.
Honorable Oaar Burkett, Chairmen, L’age 5
&a Item of appropriationBhould not,.?foour~m,,be
aonfueedwith provisionsIu an appropriationbill whioh quall-
ry an appropriationor direct the ae%hod of Ite wage.
Typloal ot the rI8er8 to vdilohyou refer In mu.?
letter IO o&4 which reada aa iollowsr
*In addltlon to t&e muma hereInaboveappro-
priated out or reoelpta aocruingunder Artlole
603R, Revi44d Olvil Statute@, lQR5, anb any amwd-
mants thereto, thers Is hereby appropriatedfram
said receipts, for the eniorcrement or the Oil
and Gas Conservationand Regulation laws, inolad-
in6 salaries, travel and other neeemrary expeamea,
a mu8 not to 8XO4eb 0n0-ha12 ($1 or such fee8
aoorulng each fisOa1 year over and abole the to-
tal ltomleed appoprlatI0a for the respeatlve
year8.*
It Is our opinionthat a rfder OS this time eon-
8tituteran Item of appropriation with&n the pumlew of
$eetion14 or utiole Iv or th8 Coolrtltutton of Teraa md
ia rubjeatto the veto power or the Chler Sxerutive.
Yours very trot