OFFICE OF THE
lustIn,
Sonorabls Lo)1 A. Keith, ChaIrnun
RallrorC Coxmissl:n cf Torr,
ToxQr
”
1040, teokr our opia-
loll 80 to the eats ellt twari or traure
of uffloe oxplre am rtolted in 7cur
flee of Rallroed Coa-
motion In lSS4 for the
'A. II. X. .9plelltl, hari'ag
bad bben appoint66 rha
Piorson sdada-
ge sIlllean
03 on Jaauor7 19, lQe6 ax
I wal lr.oted to
mvalibor eleotlon
e on sanuar7 19,
tona ln thb Porbaber
Juafr .G. 6. Lettlaore edainirtrred
fl& tin J6nuar7 lb, 1Qb5.g
Theis woa emote4 b7 the Ls&rlaturo in 1959 (Aotr
1939, 46th bg., p. 13tO Ch, 486, 0. 1) tbo followinC. stat-
utr whlob rpware FM dclr 2929a in Vernon*8 Annotated Cl+il
Otatotsrl
I,,-
Rononblo
trrma
ofiicorr
Lon A. 6mlth,
*lrom and after
Llbutrnant
of offlor
Pa&r t
tha lffrotlvo
of all ~.OtiVa
a4 the Stat0 of Toxa~),
drtr hereof the
8tato and DirtriOt
rxoeptin(l
Governor, xmbara of the Senate, and
QovWnOr 9
Yabrra of thr Houar of ReprWsrntatlvrs, rhall br-
gin on th8 lrt da7 of Januar Brxt followln(l thr
Ooneral Eleotlon at whloh ra1d reepeotlvr 8tata and
Dlrtrlot ofiloorr wore rleotod,g
ma offlos or R8llrona Comalodonrr lr an rlootlrr
Statr off100 rnd 18 not one of thr offlorr lx o r p ted
by thm
bxprear prorldonr of thlr AOt. Thrrsuml@r your 8uoooaaor
18 authorlrrd to quallf7 for and aa8uma thr dutlor of the of-
floe on the Irt bay of JcLnuaq, lQU, at whioh tim), of .
oourao, 7our right to hold the of floe longor would ooa8e.
Seotion SO M ArtlOle Xl’Z of the COAatitUtiOllOr
Tars8 &laratlteOr a 81X-7-l tO= t0 Railroad c~88t.OnOr8.
:;t&ppesrr that 7ou puallfled on thr 15th da7 of JanUar7,
ior t ha dx-yrar term to whloh 7ou were alooted at thr
~ar&al rl*otlon of 1934,
d
Thua lr posed tha guestIon of shather thsra ia an7
legal obstaola ti the applIOatIOn Of Art1010 29e9a, aUpra,
under whloh atatuto your auoce88or ms7 000~~7 tha offior on
the 18t da7 of Janu6r7, 1041,
we rhall brlrrl7 revlaw the hirtory of the 0rri00
Or h3llrCMIdcOSId88iOnOr.
In 1890 there wa& ldo?tod 8rOtlOn t of ArtlOle I of
thr Conrtltutlon, whloh raadr;
rRaIlroaUr heretofora OOn8truOtOd or rhloh meiy
herBafter be ooaetruotra in thla statr ara hereby
drOlarad pub110 hIghUa78, and railroad ~oapet~Ie8,
common oarrlers. The Lb&irbtUrO ehal par8 Lswr to
ragulato railroad, freight and parrangbr tarlffr, to
oornot abu@@nana prevent un ust dI~orImInation and
extortion in tha rater of fro i ght and paraangbr tar-
Itfr on tha diffarant railroad8 S thi8 St&o and on-
forpI the 8ama bf adopttat ponalt f 08) and to tha further
lOOOBlpliBhYi6nt ~Of thO8r objrotr and pUrpO808, IM pl-O-
vlda and eatabllth all requisite &aana and aganc I 06
Invested with suoh prmerr 68 ma7 ba dseml adequate
and adrIaabla,w
706
Honorabla Lon A. Snith, Pee. 5
Furruant tharrto, the E&d Laglrlaturt in 1691
croatad the Railroad CoaIaaIon (Oantral Lawr. Vol. 10. 9.
s.ct1on 1 of thr AOt providing 88 r0llowh
-B. it enact.4 by tb Ls&!i$latulv of th. State c
of Texar: Thet a Ral&otd Cctudbtlon it barab7
oraatbd, to be oompottd of three parsons to br l -
pOl(I3t.d by th. OOVtrlWX, 08 iOiiW8t ff the Lagfl I-
latura be then in ttatlon the Wrarnor ahall, upon
the taking tffaot of thla act, or ea 8oon thereafter
aa praotlaabl., b7 and with th. adrlo. of thr Ssnat.,
if th. Ltgirlaturt then be In arsalon appoint aald
CoiaEi88IOn.raj but if th. L.glslaturt b. not in #.I)-
olon, thr Covomor ahall m&r 8uoh lppoIntm.nt8, and
laoh COmm!a&Io~~r10 appointad rhall hold hIr orflce.
until the ttoond Kofor?bay after tba Inauguration of th.
naxt auccaedinC) OovbMor end until hlo tucott8or 18
appolnt .6 and qu4lIr~ad. Xeoh 8UOOttding Oo*trnor
ahall on the troond YonCey artar hit ineuPmmtlon,
or ba .oon fhartaftar aa praotloabl., appoint ml&
c0ml88Ionar8, rho ahsll taoh hold hla orrice until
the acoon ~onds7 artar th. Inauguration oi tha next
euooetdinp, oovtmor and uotll hlr auooe6sot Is ap-
pointed anil ~utairiee.~
The fortgolne rtatutory rm?vIaIons revriaed Ia the
lta tda sOr Sexa5 iAnti1 1926, attrr W!ii.h ArtiO.1. 6447 read:
*Tim Railroad Cca6leaI~ of Tbxaa shall br com-
go864 of three (S) mambtre, on6 of who6 ahall ba
aleot.4 bi-mnlall7 attaoh conare election for th.
tbn or 81x part.*
In tb. 7.8r 1894, hmavar, tharr X88 8dOpt.d 8.0.
tlon a0 of Article XYI of the Constitution of Tent which
mad8 aa r0iim6:
vtr duration or all 02fIcor not tlxml b7 thla
Coartltutlon rhell n.vtr txoeed two years; prcvlded,
that .whtn a Ballroad Comfssicn la created by law 1 t
thall be ooepooed of thra. Comaairsloabre who shell b.
altotad by the people at a Ccmtral election fOC State
orfltxrb, and thblr tens 0r 0rri0b shall be Jx parri
707
Ronorabla Len A. Wth, Page 4
provided Railroad CommIarlonera f lrrt tloctod
after da 856ndmant goes Into tffaot rhall hold
orriot $8 fOiiOW8: one rh.al1 *aCta two yaert , an4
one four part, and one air ttmayeare; thalr to
bt 4aol4td tit&T they lhall
by lot lmmsdlett~y hare
quel~fl*d. And ona Railroad CosmireIoAer rhll be
elected every two gear8 tharaortbr; In cost of ta-
orno In aaid 0rri0t tha Governor 0r tha stbte 811811
fill raid racanoy by appointment until tba next gtn-
oral llaotIoA. *
Furruant to t?Iia OonstitutioAal pmvitlon, John R.
Reagan, L. L. Storty, und AllieoA ~ie~fleld wera altottd Rall-
road Commlsrlonerb et the general alaotlon In 1890. It lr
recorded in the of riolal t laotion rtglrter that tJllson key-
field qualified for tbt orfioa on the 5th bay or Januer7,
1097, and that John 8. lieegen end L. L. ttOT6p ?&alIfIed on
the 17th da7 of January, 2837.
Th8 hlrtory of rubaapuBAt qualifioationr for the of-
fICe rtrtalt
that there haa been no day otrtala upon which the
Coptaisdoatrr hart qurlifiad; the dstt har bean terlsblr arter
‘the lrt da of Smuery, followl~g, the general tleotlca, usually
about the I Gth, the letrst, agerontly, bel~g upon the 2lst
t6y Or &~AUU~J.
the tlaa
At the Iirnt thme elected Comalrrlcnrra
wtrt tloctad and pualifltd, the rtatutsr were alltat rtlatlot
to the t~aot~rt offiob of Railroad Comrdr8ioAtr. There wa6
oal7 Snotlon SC 0r Art1018 TVZ of the Cunatltutlon.
Horeowr, Artltlr 1957, 19&B, end 17S9 of the Rtvlaad
Statuttt or 1895 (proriding for llaotloa rbtupts, for tht open-
ing end oouotIA~ or raturns by th8 sscrctary cf St&t, end
ror the d~11vsr7 0r 00rtirioatt6 br altotlon
Govamior by the
oA the fortiath dsy after the general eltotioA) did Aot ln-
oluet tbe orrloe ol kall.rca& Cosmlarlaner in the enumeration of
St%te officer to which the ttetUtt8 wsra lpplloablt.
.*m P5th &&shturo in 1697 (rrubsequant to the taking
or ofrloe by tha Efrat Rellroad Cozuclselonert) amtn484
eltotte
Art1018 1957 to in0iuet tbo stat8 orriot of Railroad Co5anIeeIoner.
Ronorablr Len A. smith, logo 3
m8r4rorr rtth4
in04gtloa or tk4 4104tir4 orri0r
of Rallrosd Conaalrr~mrr thora oxlrtrb only thr provirlon
in 6eotlon 50 0r Artlole xvx or the conrtltution thtt th4
?b t llOOtOa R8iirOd cOd88iOn8r8 8hOUld h8~8 8tSe68r4d
t8l.Q8 O? tUf0, ?GUr, Lti 81X yOPI8, SKld t&t 8Ub88qU8ntly
8hOtOa biirOSb cOIWIhriOZi4r8 8hOUiQ h8V8 t8m8 Of 81X
y8W8. Neither the COn8titUtiOll nOl- th8 4t8tUt48 8X~UO881y
64t4tain9d 8ither UhOIl tbe Ori&intIl 8tA688rOd t8WE OO!lUii8lJO4d
Or WhSn th8 8Ubs4$Uent 01X-y4Sr t8lTl8 W8r8 t0 Cm8n.O..
Th8 SdOptiOil Of ,CtOtIGn 30 C? ;.rtIOl8 =I O? the
COnstftUtiOll 8brQc8t86 th8 8p?OilltiV4 COllEfd48100pZWid4a for
by the LlgidetUr8 in lE91 pur-S-t to S8OtiOn 2 of Art1014
I O? th4 COn8titUtiOll. Thi8 n8C46Strily wa8 OG!Uul8umtedat
th4 n4xt "g4neT4l 8hOti3n ?Or St4te Q??IC8r8", 8W!%8 b41Y.@
th4 Eonnsral 814ctlcn In Novrmber, 1896.
Ill OOll84l-#8nO8 the thre8 &?IIlrO8d COloei881On4r4
olrotea rt the Eener81 ri4ctlon in 1896 oould hrvr thrr8upon
qU4lifi4d tar 4lld 444UlWd th8 dUti84 Of th8 O??iO88. Ob-
rit?U~~ the tppOintiV8 COnr;'-881Cn4r8 tier4 LCt 4lltit.146 t0 lOm4r
hold thbir Office8 buOaus8 they Wre 4~p8rceded Undrr S8OtiOll
‘SO O? Arti XVI Of th8 CLnatitUtiOn by th8 el.CtOd OffiOOr8.
To oonsfdsr otherdse would reach a result contrary to Section
&~d this by force c? hn act c-f t?.e 22:nyi LoCislature in
.
Thr g4n4ral rule oler the UnItod Stat88, prouliarly
oppliccble in thir iE8tanCe, 18 thtt rhtr8 110 tilll8 ?Orthe
008c4nOoment O? 8 tars3 O? OfflC8 i@ ?iXsd by th8 Co~8titUtfOn
or by rtatutt, lluoh term comisanO88 rrm th8 CSt8 0r 4n rleo-
tioa or rrom the logal 4804rt8lnm4nt or thr rrsult8 0r the
414otion. 22 k* c. L., 6 251; RO A. L. Il. 1290; 46 COr. JUT.
955, 6 104; Whitmy 1. Patriok, 64 iii80. 191, 120 1. I. SUpp.
560.
In ruoh 0888 It slay not be htld thet the term OWI-
fiOlIQ48 at th4 t1w O? pU4lifiOetiOn for th8 O??ICC. ThI8 ?Or
the obvious roSson tb8t ir it uerb so an orrforr would bo on-
8blod tO.,bnhr$8 upcn the terIQ Of hi8 pr8d8048SOr without re-
ducing his own, in virtue a? hi8 preCeco88or*8 holdI% otor,
by the ex dlent of dolsyi~ thr ti54 o? hi8 qutiifiCatiOii,
or, 8hOUl r h8 b8 hi8 OM tUOO488or, 45ler&8 UpoIl hi8 iX48at
term by pOctpOnillp th4 dAt8 Oi his C.U8ii?htiOU for hi8 8UO-
csoding term. 508 Jowttt v. !;oC!cnnoll, 112 irk, 291, 165 6.
G. 954.
ROnOr8bl8 LOQA. bdttt:, h&8 b
88OtiOIl 19 Of Art1018 XVI O? the C4ll8titUtiOlh 9r~-
adO8 1
*Aal Offi44T8 uithia thir 8tet.4 8hal1 4oBtiau4
to perform tbo dutler oi tholr orri044 untli thrlr
euooo88or3 #hall b8 duly qulliflod."
TG the 48P4 OffOOt 18 Arti u Of th8 ROri84d
Cl111 Btatuteb OS Terarr
"Z8Oh orricer,whtthor ti4ct8a or t~pOint8d urldor
th4 law8 O? thifi Stat8 . . . 8b311 kOk3 hi8 Offi
for tbo tern provided by 16~ and until hi8 0UoO488or
18 4140tea or tppointrd and qU8iifi4d. . . .-
Thr conoluslon la reaCh44, thersfore, th8t the.t6mr
0s 0rri04 0s th8 flr8t Willroad cOItiOi8tiOnOr8 rlrotsd purruant
t0 SOQtlOn so Of Arti xn Of th4 cOB8titUtiOB’Of POX88OOIE-
m8aood at thr tin8 o? thrlr dOOtiOB, 8nd thir rOg4rdl484 of
WhOntb4y qUdi?iCib $0~ an& 888~tXOdtbo dUti48 Of th4 O??iCI48.
Th4 ti4t three 4iOOtOa COlU6i88iO~Or8W82'4 @lSX'Wit486
vT48p40tit4 tOTI Or tW0 iOUr, 8ne 8iX y48r8 88 d46idtd by
lot; eucc44dlng C~tdsslontr8 wore gusrante*d tit-yaar terci8.
It he8 beon ee~t~r46 by the Supraee Court 0s fern8
that -th4 te&it~tIUO la 'without power to eboli8h OOn8titutional
OffiC48, Or t0 8kGrt8n t4A8 Of G??iCO, WhlOh 8~4 riX4d by th4
Con8tltutlon." Couell 1. Ayers, 1X T8X. 346. Thsro 14, how-
4?8f, no 4On8titUtiOM1 objeOflOn tc a legl8latlr4 regulation
0s th4 oomamraa4mmt 0s tOhb8 0s 0rri04 provided the result 1s
not t0 8hOrtOlJ 4 4Olr8titUt;Oll81, tom.
68 boforr aantlimod, the 2btb Legie&turo
in 1099
amended mtlolr 1969 0s the Rerlsed atatutm
to :tnoludr Of U95
th4 0rri04 0s 1~0llroad cormol4sIoner, whorotor on tba fortieth
dny after thr goneral eleotlon tha Governor dellverrd orrtltl-
eater 0s 414otlon to the nesly deotad Railroad COxnl88lon4r8,
04 ~011 88 to otbrr ofSlcrr8. Tier the dootrlne reoogalt4d in
th4 0884$'0? Tom T. ni,pper, 192 s. K. 72). (writ 0s error re-
fU84d) , stezpt f. Tittle, 169 S. 8. 996 (CiV. App.) and Hanil-
ton v, stst.4, 61 E. x. 219 (GOWt Of CrihLMl. APpOtit), eubar-
quent term8 0s 0rZi04 0s Railr~ab GOXVai48iO?lOr8,tna other ot-
fiOUr8, o0wn4nced on th4 fortieth day rfter the general oleo-
t$bni4ths tf58 wbm the el8Ot8d titlorr could qdiry for the
.
710
Boaorablo Lon A. smith, Pa20 7
It was bold by this Mprrtmsnt in en o~lnlon to
Ld Cd881~0r J. 9. Xslko? UndSr bats Or CSOSPlbOr 1,
lea4 (Lottsr Opinions, vol. 374, 0. 461) thet thr term o?
ru0h off108 oomunord on the Sortleth dry sitor the ~ononl
slsotion. Likorlso et to Dlstrlot Judges u&or 68te o? Jan-
uary @, 1937 (Lottsr oplnlons, Vol. 374, p. 99s). Esoh o?
these oylnlons was rendered prior to tho eluotmuit of Art.1010
2929s.
The 8ffnOt G? ruklng th0 forty-day provl6lOn sppll-
oablo to the off100 0r Asilrocd Comdssloasr we8 IkGt 8 short-
snlrrg o? tho terms. Rother, it aff6rcod the incumbents tholr
?til tome en4 t tenure in nxcsss 0r tho term had they qusll-
fled when their torn8 oommsncod.
It may bo obserrod thRt 6 -t.zre. c? ofiloo” 1s the
tlmo during wblob, b law, BII office may bo held by an olootsd
or appoint06 0rrioia 1 ; 8 *tonur* of 0fri08- is tne tlrdo during
wtloh ID. 0frioiai riotuelly ssrfos, Ths tlmo 0r oath loa not
oolnoldo . For oraxplo , en offloor map dolay his qurllf f oatlon
and thtrobg etortsa his tsnurs in tlrtuo G? tbc Srot tbat tie
-tom had oG=snood et tho time rhon ho 00~16 bars ~uallfled.
Or, an of?loor play qualify &en his term co~onoss end hold
over beyond tho oxplratlGn of hlr term until his euccsssor do08
0: amy :uell?y, ln rhioh osaa MS tonurs sxossde his term.
The tortia of tbo first three olootod Rall.r~;~tt~;;-
alrslonorr oom~enos4 rt the tins c? tholr 0loctlGn. e
lng rrom the noted nmsndsnont to hrtlols 19b7, Rsrlsod Stat-
utes o? 1895, by the 25th Lcgiulbturs ln 1897, subsoquont
tortis of the offlco oom6enOsd on the ?ortloth bay sitor the
eonera llsotion. fa oonsoqusnos of Art1018 29298, ennoted
by the 45th Lo&lslaturs ln 1937, tho tens o? subssquont Rsll-
read Commlsslcnors begin on the first day OS Jsnwry foll6wlng
tbo general olootlon.
Xn no ooze has tho oonotltutional tone baon r%rten-
06. Tho f eot that bUCO0680XC lr t&o oiflco boeo 0Gaslstontly
delayed their tlms o? qusllfloatlon does not gainsay tho oom-
menconent’of tholr tome prior thereto. custoai osnnot alter
that whloh is, by law, otherwise.
you are thorofors, respsot?uZl adrlssd that it 1s
the Gplnion o? this Doprrtment that Art10 f 8 Z929e, suprs, nay
be oonstltutlolurlly applied tc the otfloo o? Railroad Colsais-
slonor end dstormlws when your wlecoBscr say quality for and
73.l
Bonorabl@LOIIA. aah, page 8
i
888~ th8 duti08 0s tb0 0rri08. This is on tbr lrt 4 of
Januaw, 1941. xi ana when such 18 done, wbstbor 00 th7 8
date or lstor, your rlgbt to hold the o??los longer tbors-
upon 08~888.
Yours very truly
ATTGRREY
GENERALOF TEXAS
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ZCSsBBB
APPROVECDEC
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Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion
Combined Opinion