OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
xeno?able it. 8. -w
Exroutlte Mncrtor
State lbpwtment of Publia Welfare
Atmtln, Texa*
mar art
r8letanOe g9aat8
indmddepoadent
jritret be we.
Hamnble J. 8. Hurehlsan, ?age 2
“‘Apt. xx, sea. 2, (1) !?hen shslz be
appropriatedand allsseted,trumfemed. sad
oredited to a speafsl fund b the Tna8tWgA
to be knovn ee the "Blind Aaslstaneo Fuaul,
Sor the purpose of p*lUtag sad ulabbterlng
rsslstsnae to the blind in the manner es au-
thoplsed by &mate Bill No. 36, Aats of the
Regular Beeslonr PO&y-•lxth Legislmture,1939,
wh put or Foul-lhnAsed mouund Ddlara
?$ Wl,OQO u)th elffootlveporlod of thie
Act for the flssal par eadbg August 31, lgu.,
beam to the entire rimed year, and then
rhUbetxwufemedattdweditedtosu&fuud
theSumofFouPxunAPeAT- Dollme (44Qo,-
000) for euth flseal rear thueafte~, uld a-
agua~s~~ahied on e buls of ouwl wath-
.
"((2) Then shell be qtpkaprfetrdend
alloctatml, tmnefemed ad eredlted to a em-
olalrtImllnthetFeuuPy,tobelrnamuthe
lOttl.ldr
Asr is
uu~
tuwIr
e ua fo
d,’
rth e
p te g wr r e
of provtding rob Irldntoterfng asslstanae to
dependsnturddssti+uk ahadrehlntheauner
as UIthOPlud bJ seute 8l.u no. 36, Aats or
the Regulm 808sion, Fort -rbth Legfmlattme,
1939, such jwt o Ibe ltl L fen, Five BIuadnd
ThouuaA Bollem f $1,!500,060) as We lfieotire
period oi thfe Aat fop the flea& reu, upd
there ehall be tmoefeored aad creditedto
lushRand Oaellilllo~,IrlveHuadmdThauusd
Dollars ($1,5oo,ow) for s8ah flseal you
thopedtec, s&id eaount to bs ppo~IRec? an a
buls of equal xtnthl~ lnat&llu¶lts.’
'Seatlon 9, the
eloslng tm emrgeaay alwse
oi ihmae ~fll le.
8, 4:th Legfslatwe, etetee
thattheAotehallt@ke lifeatandbe Ln force
froaendaf%pthe &t of ltspassege.
lubeeatfone?1) snd (21 of Bsotlon 2, Ati!%
of thfs Act use the espnselan 'pariding ud
rtiainlstedng rsrlst4uaee. . . . In the aan-
MP am m~thoriseA In 8ewte Sill &o. 36, lots
of the Rsgubr Seesiaa, FoHy-shth bgisb-
twe, 1939.' Senate8111 NO, 36, Aeta OC the
Portg-sixth Legielatwa, a6at8fas among other
l?emrtsble J.. 8. Humhls~n, Page 3
things, the followingprovlslonec
"*Sea. 5. The State Deputaent shall be
aharged vlth the adsdlstrstlon od the velfsra
ectivlties of the Stete ee henlnsftez.provided.
ablnlstelr o r ltlIter v1R @**
. IWr r J,
l-s-
=;& . ; ~. a. ~boLtliii& VltIitbi Feileral
marits Board, arested under Zlt1e.i of
the SocIel 8ecturltt Aot euated by the 8eventy-
fourth Congress ed apprweQ Au&t 14, 1935,-
and axt~aaendmnts thereto.mb vith sw other
of Aot . . . . . . g. Establish
that and pro-
method 61 load e&WataWioq 8s $8
lseble ~~IAEWOYI& lIIuaBsmrsomUa8
artybe found aeaeesw for cm-- out lh an
etxtntaiw.ltry the &lminist~tloa of this Act
. ..*.. (uaAerscoreeun).
"POP the state Dspartaent to put into op-
enticua th ep r o g r a fo
m rlld to dependent child-
ren aatlold to the blind, and to abtsla Fedwal
rid for thew progmme as dlmated by Senate
8113 lo. 3&, 4,gthLeglelrture,Regulee &selan,
it WilZ be neaessarythat a St&e ilaa of Op-
entlon be dref’ted. Vhls plea ust lnolude the
mAem of ellglblllty,the flee&k proaeAtwee,
lnvestlgationsl~owdures, amidsn outline of
z ~~~tatlal.aistawtioa to be SolloweA by
To obtain P8dOZU1 did, this
plan mist be &pro~ed by the &olel %awltj
Bomd bef'me it wn be put into opentim, end
sf'tersuah appmval, It will be nacess@ry t&t
the Stete Departsenteaplo an5 taain proper
personnel, and make fr0tU J isrestlgstl.oas of
rll mpplleatlonebefore s4 rssletume paymente
wn be rde under either the progrsm for Ae-
pentlentohlldren OF the p~oqglm~s ior 8id to the
blind.
"1x18adltlM to the p~ovlmlons to Sanate
Bill 3b, b&h b~,$iStit~~~, we;r;l*P&Sai(JIL# ee
qwte4 ebove, them are 0uttiUU Qa ~~~ w-
tiom of this Aiot aerkln speol?ia sdaU%istEStl~
f~&$ow tat must be performed b? ahe #MM* bc-
p~rtaeatbefore the dependentohlldnacradbl~
Honorable J. S. brcBlsen, Psgs 4
progrsw csn be put into @ewstlon. The Act
also wntalnrr ths ?ol.lov~ provlslcms~
*'sec. 34. Tim purpose of thle Aat le
to lnsmte a progrea of soalal seoarlt~
snd to provide necwsssry sad prompt aselst-
mae to the oltltens of this State vlxoare
entitled to era11 thanselvesoi its pmvlslone.
*'sea. 40. It la provided tht no peats
sh8llbem6deto~aeeIly
bmaeflt or any depeadent
and destitute 0hil.duatil the upl*tFon af alaety
(90 y) lfterthe effectivedate or nay ~evaate
Act of cte that r~ be pused by the Legl*3~tmre
I& Rfunds
lvaile+ble to be used for the mamoe+
"XOUM Bill Xo. 8, Aots of the 47th Legisle
aeIlaad8lgneAbytBe00velstoPon
The Aatapproprl8tedsndallcmted
to the tBllaiAeslstan*e ?uai%*one-twel?thof
4400,030, aontBly, I3egfaulau
Ml7 1‘ 194r; the Act
ale0 approprletedsacIakloertsd to the WUdrens*
Assletsace F&ad' one-twel?thcU ~1,5QO,OO3,mmth-
lp baginning N6y 1, 1941. Goa6$derlq the fart8
outUmtd shove, ve re8peatNU.y Vet mr
opinion on the follcwing qu8st+3nst
'1. Nay the Comptrollerof Fubllo Aaaounts
and tb6 st.mto Treaeureri.medUtely honar wwzwats
drosn s&art the tBllad&elstswe Iruad'as are-
sted by House Bill 8, Acts of the 4~:thLe lslature,
Regular S6861011,for the ptmpoti of estabP 16Wng
and setting up the sdmlnistntive nsohinnx7 asc-
esury for the aid bo the bUnA pzyogmusif suf-
fiolent mnisa d1170 in this bud?
“2. Bay ths Coetptrollw al%i&s AaIccwnts
and the iitateTreaoure~ Lmmdl.ate4I.mawwmrukts
dnwn againlrt the tChi.Mrsns~A88letfiMe Fund' 8e
Hanorable J. 3. IlWahlsQlt, Ps&e 5
croatad by Xouse Bill Uo. 8, Acts of the
Fortpseventh Legislature, Regular Sesslou,
for the ppose of estsbllshirrg;
s.adeetting
up sdmialstrstivemwhlas* asues- for a
pmgrua for eemndwt uhtldrsa I? stafllolent
meaies axe la this fuad?
"3. Iby the Strate 2epw8aeat of ?ubl.io
Vel?sre mske payaents of asslataaoe grant0 to
tb needy blind sad megloat& dopanda& &&la-
rea prior to August 1, 19410
“It la the desire of this Beputaent to
begin imodintr4 to estsbllsh sa ad&aletrs-
tL*e o~utlon, ta lpmews maesssry printad
?oras, to pPoml@o ne6uuPy rul*s aad Pegu&-
tltma for the efflaluat adnialstwt~oa of the
Law providing 614 to the mody bliad u&d to
nagleatrd dependent ahtltbm. An 4~1 opinlapr.
on the qwetlata hemirtr subritted vi Lbe
greatly appreoletod,’
The flit problem vhleh pwsonts ltsolf ia aoauatbn
ulth tho questlottsyou hue esked is vhather subpsaugrsphs(1)
utd (2) of tiatton 0, &tlelo 20 of HOUU WU. MO, 8, quoted by
you ia pour letterRR~ be amWmmd to be &p#nvb$z48tlmsof
money TOP the parpores thonln do8lgmted oc vhmther thq mn-
lr aoastftute8llooetions or dwafa8tlona of wy ta l 8peelfio
fund lnthetPemntry. Let us 6QnaldOP subpsrsgxwph(l)rslstiog
to aid to 8Be seedy blind, the &et pert of rhltsk ?aAs a8 Sol-
lovet
“+ * l and there shall be tmnefemed smd
d lwh
a r edito to Fund the SUMof FOUP Euwbed
Thowand Dollare (f4~0~93.QO) for ewh flsorl
year bhereefter. .
ltetferml
thlaga era to k noted ia coaasctlanwith this
provision: (I) the vcmd “sppraalriate” KS matiused1 instead the
dlxwetion 1s a- in the future tease, that ths aoaey “dull
be tmmsfwrsd smd aredlted ho suah ?nnd,” snd DO dimwtlaa la
asde by thsLsglsl.stu~eta t&m the smasy out of etwh fwxl la
ths tmsury. (2) It la to bs noted that tkmre lr ao l-lrpitetlon
a8 to time La this cAmma. In eaaptlng to aonstrue 8hls pm-
tri~ion am an approppistioa we awt bsar in mind Article VIII,
Seation b of the Tear Ooastltutioavh%~rhpmwldes, tn Parts
‘6 l l; aor Wl my approp~iatioaof
mmeyb emde toralo~~@~rtIm~ tbantvoyear8,
* l t,”
A oinflarpwbl#ot eorutnrotionwar kfontb
au reme Coup of tuae in Plokle ve Finley, 91 Tu. 484, &4 l5.Y.
48$, vbmln it wo oantonded t&t “the lav vhieh oreated the of-
Pica of 8tenographoc fixed the aapeaeatioa at Tuelve Slur&od
Dollann p8r annul, ~88 itself Isran l
ppropriatiea." Chief Am-
tiO0 oab%O8 flm fOF th0 UQUI't in Wk8tPUiXQ thta 8tatUtO md
holding that the 8-W8 aot8aa$Qn’QprlAtfoadeuhPedr
'ff AFti6J.Ol.Ol3OX tJ3eRevlred Stat-
UtO8 -8 8A-i ~POJfP~tiOSJ fOr th0 pO)rraf
Of th0 tiX’b8 Of the 8tWO~phW8 Of the
OOUX’tS Of OiVil.
it 18 u1 UdtritOd
WmS
rpprop~ation. ~l'O18Mt~WWdtOia-
dloate #At it -8 the -080 t0 FO8tl’iUt
it8 OpOF8tiDa t0 bbs t4W Of tU0 pm.
ThenroFe, to pPe8uw the the Leglslatw6
lrmmded by Ohrt prcfvl~lon, not Qaly to fix
th6 eabwy of the offfoe, bat ale0 to m&e
LLI appz’ogli8ttiOn fOF it8 m-t, i8 tQ
preeuae that thelP pfupeee lfae to do that
UhiGh th. CCQOtltUti~ toFbid8. Thi8 OUI-
not be m8lSm.4, -88 th0 ]Lursarge b0 80
oleur a8 to adrit o? a0 other aoa8trwtlon.'
fn Dilb8 &fBlb~ V. %diOEb8, 140 8. w. (8d) 1109, the
TO%a8 arprrr, court dealmod unQenutitut1oaal the genePal ta%
nai0010n bill f~? t& 19eeon, in PU@~, u 8ktOd W jortlO0 Griti
at page lu.of
90 t& g~t~alnda,
attempt grant ta
or dmato the 8kte
tax& above de8aribed
for a period of five yearn to the vartoun
cow&tier of thlr 8trte pmvtded la the Act,
ViOktO8 both th0 8pitit ad the lettOP Of that
part of Seetlaa 6 0S ArtlLle VIXX, aupra, vhioh
pl’Qhlbit8 the ~@8thU'8 SPOHlw 8.n f&p-
puwriatlon faira lwger term thrn tva -8.
*Plalatifi in emor ooaV4ado that evea
if thi8 a preprlatiaax-tmnUg fsr five ymx-8
18 ilf Vi0 L tiOSl Of’ the tU0 m&F8’ T4POV181OXh Of
Sootian 6 ot hAlo MXI of ow Corut~tutionas
spplled to the five year paaiad taken aa a who28,
8tin 18 JWt %I& Vids8tiOll Of ?bU&dz WUJtftutfO&U3l
3WQri81Oli 08 applied ttf th0 firet tU0 JrsaP8 Of
the Pivr year period. xt S6eH to bo the law that
~oaomblo J. S. %wchlson, Page ?
l-08’ p8X’iOd th8U tV0 3BU8, lp & VO& Wia -
8uoh
tlon my b8 upheld fOP th8 ftr8t tv0 m-8, ud
would b6 fllopemtlve th6PeatteP. Pl&o v.
Flnloy, 91 Tex. 484, 44 a. li,4&J* 482. It will
be aokd tbtths a%lh Of k8VanmUW.d fo Pi@8
0. Plnley, 8upr8$ omtemphter that that eppiwprla-
tlon -1 be m6dO '3.nuari8trlrableterm. YO
IntU~POt th18 t0 Y8.Yl
t& tifULlp&WQpriati’Sl 18
aad6 for UKW6 thAX& tV0 78W8, it eara be enfomed
for the first tva par8 if it appear8 that th6
LogldAtw8 unhubtedly batemded 8uob lppropria-
tioa to o p a nte
for two y e a rngaMleo8
n, of
Weth o r o r no t it a o ulddo lo tb r ~fter . We
thiak t&t thi8 ?Ub UtSWt aid thf0 mmrfa-
tion, boaawe vhea all of tbm pmvlrlcnu of thlr
4ot am WXISid*rud togetheP, we oeanot cay that
the L*gir~tuse WQuhf undoubtmlly hwe pr88e4 it
to OpOMte f6P tW0 re8P8 wr inrtO8d of five
yeara a8 movid64 by tha hat.
m0 Oorri88Lap 0s Arspealo fa tab0 m0a.e 0fm0 or 8kte
0rTexu v. AwWlnaOOmt~I not~tr8vertM,llWwl8e rtmek
downa8 taLOW8t~t\3aioMl ikruk ill&llo. &I, hots of th8 &thkg-
181&UIW ash @Out&t to I#lit 8oIk t8%@8 to OUtdS &8t hw
COWhi to n-0 tbr fO* we 108r Of SW-8 dor t0
large gumhares Of laml in tbmo aomtle8 W the Febr4l Oarem-
wnt, -88 VfOktiVO Of tb&t pxlar281m Of 8OOtim 6 Of &-
tlele YXU of the bnetftutton Vhf&h inhibit8 a frglelatlvolp-
p~~rti8nfa~alomgortha ?&etm (O)re8n,"
lbtlll direUO8fn# the ‘J$w8tlon u to
vhether thlr Act VfObtO8 lh6tl0n 6 o? Art1010
VIII of OUP state teautmlt1oa, we arm of the
opinionthat, even Xi it should bo held that
8Uob OS%MtitUti'BS@&jWVi8iCXl -lie8 t0 th0
&x&oMb%8 3. 8. hmhi8oII, p-0 8
vhlch deOkrO8 that "th8re 8ba%t be tnn8iermd and credited
to 8U8h fW.$dth8 sUPLOf Four &%&red fh5WUkd DUllUbl'8 (+400,-
000) for eaoh iSma par theroritd@ Ray not tw aoastrued
to be an appropriation,b8Cau8e to do 60 VOuld be a ViolAtion
of Sootinn 6 OP Artielr VIII oi the Texas Corutitutlonin
that it i8 XWt limit@d t0 tU0 (2) YOWe’B.
It 18 true th8t th8 flwt portion of rubywapaph (1)
la limitedto tins m3 0a not to oonfliot slth 8eQtlcuab of Ar-
tioh nrI Of tha COll8titUtiCUX, yeti 0th.P diffitultl.8pP.8~t
th8U8dWl8 if ve attempt to em8 PU8 a8 an appPoprtitic+n thf8
ffP8t plmg~a#i of 8ub&mz'a@'aph 91) vhioh read81
"1phere8hall b8 upproprfated and alloceted,
tmnsterrad, end Oredlltrdto a 8pOOb1 fvnd ln
ths fP8&8LIUCJ,t0 be - U the 'BlindA88i8t-
ume Rutd' for the purpoee of pmvidfng end
admlnl8tsxbg afm~etmo*totha bllad inthe
UiUMP ~UthWfSed by pkrruk Rill ROi 3& &+t+
of the Re~u&ar beasion, 46th kgirlatum, 193Q,
ruoh put of Paur limdredSWur8nd DclXar8,
($400,000)a8 the effective pe&ti of thlm Aut
SOPtlw flmal pap .a&-J yg@t 21; ~!a$l#
bearntctthe entire fro l .
'hvarna to 8en8te Blll fo. se, A8t8 af the 46tb LeR-
lalatura,xvfwPe4tQ lntbew~quetad~B:oa, will&
la 8eotlon 37a thenef the follfnrlngr
“It t8 pP0Vid.d ttrstt%hO tcr :8&tU’O, Out
o fa ny m ne~~
l&aoatedto rid Lts S-YW-
propP2ate ON of mmey 8ufrloient tcp
aid Uld a88i8tUUM t0 m oit:Bmr, Of
T"&Mb8
an& for the Pendulng of ether eePvl.e*B a8 pro-
Vfdd fOP ia t&8 &t. Xt ir fwthm pravlded
that,ou8ofuld 0md,theLe@rlatttmma~
appmp~~nte WXi#2F8 to be UMd for the ptrpo8U8
of admfnf8tex’~ thf8 Act:
Thi8 pP0vi8ion would keem to fndfoate that tbo ~f8~tUl’O ia-
tsnded 6epamte appropriationafo be mule for (1
7 fpbut8 OS u-
8irtanseand (2) cdmlnl8tlrlrtlve
expuwe8. You bare quoted ln
your letter, bsgtloa 40 of Ssrute Bill lo, %, vhlsh pmviderl
"? u t that nu grants of aid and anrirt-
awe 8heiilbe mdo to erq needy blfnd perma
or to?? th8 benefit of any depsad.xlt uld desltt-
tute child until the explmtfon of ninety (90)
day8 aftsr the @Pfeattvs dat8 sf any Wv8nue
Act OF Acts that may be passed by the &e&e-
.laturcrprklng funds ChvaLlablsto be used for
tha purpaeeProf &wsltfng ouch al4 and asslrst-
amJ~.*
Thla p~o~lrlan 18 a Olw q8inat
prohibtbition tha 188ura40 Of
Uy WU'PUltB fOP SOtUd @'Ult8 Of S8018toZLCOt0 IlOw bltnsl Uid
to de8titutr ohildrua u&L% ntne (9) ddl78 d%@)F &Iy 1, th8
8ffUUtiVO d&S Cl? &tl8e B!.ll b. 3 thS AOt vhiC!hpPoVid88 POV+-
LLUe8 for 8Wh aid. It88WU! Ma&blB t0 SUPpOW tfLat th0 kg-
i8bttm intspded tb l&l&J (90) &ly dOty t0 &Y8 the Stat0
D8parturrt Of Public UOlfW6 time to ret up it8 sdrinl8tlrrtlve
rrsohlnwy, and oomequa&ly ye do wt baliwe that thir 8eotlon
18 q pmhllritlori &@&%8t th9 S~CdftUI’S Of noXL4yfbP 8&!&X18-
20
l8 llot df8tiaguid b&%f8~ f’KW!O VhtOh U$
be U8ti for -BtlPitiV* 0~903l808 U&d thO88 Vhi0h Uy b8 wed
fOP MtMi @UntS Of t88ittUiCO. a th0 a 8MOO Of 8Uob d.rigna-
tlrm, if th8 flrrt part of 8ubpmqpapk (1P , quoted aboVe, were
to be ometrued a8 en applropriation, it vould authorice the ex-
patditurs of all a? the mcney thsroln provided prier ,to:July
31, 1941, fOW -8tlWtiVO rp*a8+8 Ml&y. %f, do Dot b&W’#
t&t th0 kgi8bltUlW Carild hAV0 iatd.d t&t r;ll Of tb 1101L4J8
allouted to th28 fu?M prior to July 31, 191, &ould be dl-
verted to e&R2xk28tirttve
UponHI, so&uqual%tiyve do not be-
12~0 that the fiort part 8f su@famgm* (l), quoted above,
my be 08Mtrued a8 mi lppPopP2at2o3t
for any puP&W8..
uo bausve that the effeot&ad mp?38e of 8a2d oub
pW&@‘aph (1) f# the 88B8 OI tkd Of & 8iriuP 8t8tUtOw PEW-
Vi8iOl¶ Whhh Wa8 OOZl8tl'Ucrd
by SudgO #o~fHXbXl iI&&&8Oa V.
Fer(pl;~o!a, 55 &. X. (2d) 153 in the follwlal: l-e1
‘As 8UOh alloaationVe tbfnlrit h8.dthe
.
of polil?y6nd a dlrwtion to the Cltatoweas-
"pep that the fund v&s not ts be 2nva4sd for
wpc-iearothsr thao thoes MEWd ti the 4U'%t@l*.'
PUndemcmrtrq o'W8)
Honorable J. 8. Hurahlwa, Pqo 10
It is our OPinion, the~'Ofos'e, t&t PO part of sub-
porsgmph (l), Seatlon 2, Artiale 20 of House Bill l!Jo. 8 cm-
stltutss UL s~roprlotian vhfah vould authorixs the Comptroller
of Public Aaaounts to ls~ue varrsnts against tha fund thssreu
providsd.
Subpsrsgrsph(2), Seatian 2, Article 20, House Bill
go. a. vhiab mfsn to the “ahildren*masslstsnae fund" is
vrftteiu in Itdenttaal langusge to lihstused in subpwsgrsph (1)
80 that the uime nasenfng aw3 authoritier apply thsrsto. Us
snsver your ssaomd questian, thsrsfore,In the negative.
As lndlaatedabove, Seation 40 of Ssnate Bill 310.36,
Aats of the lbth Legislature mohlbits ths payment of my assist-
anas gmntstonee4y blindmd&s~~tahildnnMt~anLnet~
(90) days after the sfioativs dats of ths rsvsnus Aat. For this
reason, unl.88 this prerlsien is amanded or repsslsd, ths Ststs
Department of Publla Yslfars my not msks pajrPmt8 of lsslstaaos
grants o newly blind snd asglsatsd dswt ohlldrm prior to
nfnety PO) days frcm Nay 1, 1911. Wamante msv, hov~ror bs
issued against the bled uslstanas nurd curdm ahildrsn~sas-
~18tanoe fund for payments of 8xpenme8 for setting up the ad-
mln@tratire smahlnsry ta admlaister thee0 aids as soon as money
18 approprlatad from the88 funds for such a purpoti.
Wa aught add in alosfng that we believe It arch ufer
to aormtPue anj &oubts thare might bs as towhsthw mttbparagnphn
(1) and (2) aeamtltuteappraprlationmsgainst suah a oonstmatlm
beasuee ths Lsgislsturs %a nou in session and msy easily provide
appeoprlats appmpriatlens. It the LO&B~tUl-B aheuld OajaUrn
vlthout vlchg swh appreprlattom and the*eaftsr ow courts
sh o ulddeolde 2p laoordanoewith our ooaolu~iensIn this oplnlon
it would NQU~~B a spoolal session Of th4 Le~lBlaturB to make
ayalJ,able the moneysneaessary to provide aid to the destltde
ahlldren sad thsnsody b&ad.
ROVED MAY 27, 1941 Yours very truly
FIRS':AS5lS'.=ANT
ATTORNM GENERAL
Walter 1. lSoch
A8BlBted