Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion

OFFICE OF ‘THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN Bonorablo IiomerF. Rainoy, Praiidbent The Unlrortsfty or Terar AMtin, TO-a Bonorablo ho. Ii. Slmppar4 005ptr0uer 0r Publlo kooount* Amtin, Texae ubjnt to limita- xpaittua out 0r my au&O bo r0r mat0 0 purpvur. oa&omrablo 3mor a, dated Uaroh II, tha hod8 of rariotu rtlng a rooonaldera- tfon ,or 8ur 0 ter from Eonoamblo lnlon aa to Mother hm o? ETononblo Saia 8. ?&it- *aohurr,* Coll4g* Sor tmirol- o skeet&g of tho 3outhorn Aa- adary sohool~ end the kmtr10a11 Slnue thorn trro ropurnta irem Dr. Hairmy* leto? the ho ronqueotod raw warragta ooyorlng hie lmemoliqg ox- 0r sta8 trip. The Comptrollie rotumo6 t& oclaim r ep a ec that tlng a nlxplanatloa ( bth t e p u r p o ee8 or the trtpa br (3.roa In or&or that ho m&ht d~torafa~ Whothor the aooouat ir a Legal ohargo a@nnst State i~&da.~ So further faots appear. The poeition ot the Comptrollu ie rtated by Dr. Rainas aa fvllowa: HonoPeblo lbmr P.,Rainoy, Eonorabl8 Gee. 8. Sheppard, Page 2 “?bo 8umof the State Gomptrollar*r porf- tlon I8 that under the pre88nt law, ~108 the above optttloa refarred ta (0-llQ5) hIa Depart- laellt hse to detersine whothar or not iny trIp8 OVA bo iaterpretod as *8tato*8 busiAoA8.*a The tollowing queetlcmns are rubmltted to this depart- -At: *(l) kihothar or not I, and tbr othnr heads of our eduoationalfArti8otioA8, are aro3pt under the ourront law froa tb8 lilita- tIoA of having to be $011state*? bu8lnesn’ before our traveling OXpOACW8 oau be gsId; and "(W Khethor or Aot your Do~rtrceat will show the dl8tinotIon betriea tho exeoutlva dopartimnt of the 8tato goyornmnt, such a8 the SeOrrtary Of Stata. the Xi@Way DepatiiSeAt, lto. and aduoatlonai iAatItatIoAa.* ~II fti18~misg the 5POO~fiO QU9st%OAS prI38entOd in OpiDIon 100. O-il@S, WY impreeoed the o~lnion that: *In d&erminlng whether roImburs8mAt ?nay b8 vade for trareliag oxpuma in any ewnt, itau8t bo reooenlAedthAt IY)rola- buraaamnt IMJ be had tmla88 thm purpose of the trip ugon nhleh auoh axpen 88~ In- ourred UC@ the aoao~lishmnt of *;itate*8 bu8lxma8.' **3tate'n bualne88,~ as relates to tha authority of a depart3ent to Incur travallng erponrw to be gald by tbo State, 8eesi) to US to alabody at loaot the rolloainng elemntrr: "I.. A reasonable, aubstgatlal, ,znd UIreet relation b+nsm the bualao8e to be traA8aOted OA the trip and the 8oooiagliahAeAt of tha fAA@- tion8 or governmAt eAtru808d to th8 parttoular dopsrtnent . R2. A reasonablr, substantial, snb dlraot relatioA&ip betwean the method by %4iIgh the c gonorable HoenIp P. Wainey, Eonorablo 0eo. H. Sheppard, Pag8 3 partiOA.lar tiuBiE@BB18 intondod to aooomplinh the runotion or CoYommeAt entrusted to thO departmAt, an8 the powore granted the de- by law ior the aCOO3i~lf8h@4lseAt ?5l-ttib3At 0s such runotioAi3. ** i * -or oouriie, us botwMA the two extrernen, there AUBt AeO~886dly be a ZoAO Of doubt, whore the jud&xent of the departrnt heado, under the 5~ZlOtiOA0s their oiiialal oatha, baaoppas the only praotloablo orltorlon by whlah the quention whether the State*8 bUBi- LIew i8 iAYOlYd in tho partloular trip Mar be dotermlnod.” The house Bill So. 365, Iota 46th Le&laturo, lOSO, appropriating pub110 mnnya for the lupport and AAlxitoAaAoo of Yarlobu Stats BduoatioPal Inatitutlvnn IAaludIA3 th8 ori- rornlt~ 0s Texan proride8, IA Part, a8 fOllow8: *Subneotion (6) fiareling BXpeAf~8. All persons OmPloyed IA my eapaalty by the80 State odwatlolul iMtitutIoA8 and lg a ns ien who travel at the axpanee of the State, are huroby liritod to tho MAO am&tat8 authorkmd for employees of the State Departtie& aad the C0liptrOllOr and local diabUr8iAg AffiO8r BbA11 require the aam n&hod of elaip pronontation and rora. Bo traroliag: oXpMSo8 shull be IA- currod by any *olpioyeo of the ~ehoole, or other agenoieu naaod herein, outstdr of thu boondarien 0s th8 3tato 0s Tox.a8, lxoept for &tats bUBIAe88, and upon the adranoe written OOIIBSUIt Of th0 80hooi'B mrd Of xOgeAt8 Or Directors. The PrOYiBiOAB Of this iiQt with rrferonoe to traveling expense8 shall not ap- Ply to the heads of the iR8tItUtIoA8 naoltd in this ,ct nor the AeAborr of board8 who do not recleivo (r~ armual or Blonthig nalary. The terra *YIntenaAoo* day Inolude traveling OX- penees. The axponnes of'Eogentn, Presidents, and auditor8 0s the80 State eduoatlonal IA- ntitutions and agenO should bo apQrotOd by tho Comptroller of the State, PrerIdoAt 0s the goremin~ board, PrOBideAt Of the COliOgO or IAStitUtIOA and CollO$e iiudltor before PayAeAt rroa either State or vocal funda." (Underecoring ours) t Honorable f&mm I’. halno~, Honorable 060. XL Sheppard, Page 4 Seetlon 6, Artlole 16 of ths Texas Constltutioa pro- vides: "No a.,:rcpriatloa fbr grlvate or individual purposas shall be sade. A regular statemat, under oath. and ab aacoust of ths rsoelpts asd erpendlturee of all public loohey 6bal.lbe pub- ilshed annuaily, in such manner as ckll bo gresorlbed by law.* It was held by this departmaat in a oonier8nae opinion, dated October 1, 1033, Book 63, p. 333, Reports and OpIsloss of attorney Oeneral 1932-1934, p. 492, that offiesrs or ahents ot the Unlrorslty cf Texas may be reimbursed tar bravellng expenses oall where euch expenses are hourred In the dlsoharge of a pub- 110 or State purpon a6 dl8tlnguirhs4 try a private purposs. It was also polnted out that sot osly must the travel14 expense6 for whiuh r6Sllabursenentsay be allowsd, be lnerured IO the psr- fonnases at a,publlo purpose but must also be Wlegit18stely oos- neoted with the managemat or operation 0r th8 Unlverslty, in order that the paHomanOe of the Aot be the ottlolal busIm66 or as agent of the Unlv6rslty.v Be eooloaa a copy of the fore- going oplalon herewith. &iBCe it aGold clearly bs ti vlol6tloa of ao66tltutio66l prohibitions Sor the Legl81ature to attempt to sake approprlatlohs to the heads oP State Educational Xnsfitattonr for cxpensas ln- ourred in the dlschsqe of yrivats bu8lnm88, a6 distlhgtilshed iran State er publio business, we must presume that the kgisla- tare did not intend to exes# stmb affiesr6 tromthet partiarrlar provision oontained ti Bubseotlon 6, limlttg p-t of travel- ing ex3ensea to that incurred In the dlsalmrgs of State business. If, however, the hct 16 subJeot to no otbr oomtrustlon than tbnt suggested in the lstter or repout, then It must be OQII- desaed as usoonstltutlonal and aould act serve as as authorlsa- tlcn to pay trilrcllng expensss of he666 of eduoatloaal institu- tions rh6n aagaged in prlvate or ludfvldu6l bwimss. See au- thorities cited in the abovs :acnt.lonedoonferenoe oplnlon. nlth referonm to the seaond point presented, our Opinion Bo. G-1195, an& the llmltation upon the expsndlture o? State funds, does not depend upon the ssaning or ola66lfl6atlon of wDepartments of the State Covernmeatw. Tha anse oi Mahu&e V. Yalney, et al, in whlah the &prom Court refused to allow the ?lllng of an orlglml ap~llcetlo~ for mandamus on the grotlnd that officer6 of the Unlvezelty of Texas are not malflaer6 of the zxeoutive Lepartnents of ths kvermeat ot this State” wlthln &Dnonble Eoroar P. Kaln6y, Lbaorabla t&o. Xi. Sheppard, Page 8 th6 luUDing Of irrt1016 1935, B. 0. 8.. 1955, @iring Ori6iryl pBI1dBpIpSjurt6dfCtfOn to the GUpr6aI6 Couti, h&S no retition to the question now under oonr,ideration. Th6 limitations nhloh we are tire considering apply to the expmdlture of publla aonaya and not to any wrtlaular departnat or dlvl- slon of the State Government. AS pointed out in our orlglnal oplnlon whether a partfOU&r aat OOD6titUt66 “State bUSiD666* 16 6 ~66tion whloh ~61: d6jmDd upon the faet6 in sash partlotiu 0666. Smethin6 whioh might pro>srlp bs 6oMi6end Wtats blUf6666* in oonneotlon with instltutfozu of hl&er learning oould not in aauy iUSttUlCe6 be OlasSified a6 P plrblla fuuotlon or pUr- pose when applied ta soma one of the exeoutfre dep6rtments and visa versa. To thlo extent thus 16 a dfstinotion bat it 16 a diSticWtiO6 00-6 t0 6li 61ViSfOllS Md ageDOf Of ths state Coverntaant. 716 are sot p6pllud t0 say that 6VSrp thin& w&ioh llrr~“6dd to the 8u8 of hfm66 kiIOW1ed86= or whlsh lul "Pdd t0 the rSCO@litiOll aXId PrSStigS Of Our i66tttUtiOM uad improve&redly ths quality of teaehlng persoansla 01th~ dirsotly or lndfreotl.y, la irrall 0a606 su6h u fumtlon a6 to permit the expenditureof gublio a6mey. Beeause of the n6tor6 of the aaoond question, ws are unable to give a oatsgorl6al aaswer. The tact6 presentad in ths latter from Prssld66t Khftiey, and lttaohed to the ComptfO11er*s reQaest, are 66 fO~OW6: “I PPLwriting you this lettrrrfor tlr purp666 of making a request to make an out'of State trip for the im86k beglnnlng April Si&ht. The pplrposs Of this trip 16 to attend th6 -Stin$S Of th6 southern ksroolatloa of College6 .w& Seoondary zohoel6 whloh aiLl tieat In Atlollta, Gmrgla, April eight throuyCllthe tnlfth. The l&tat Texu State PeWhers CoLlog6 is a mainbW of the %xath- em ksmoelatlon, wiiloh LB th* ratlag eg~~ay for aollsrge6 ln the south. This i&Mtit&tiOa aakO6 onou6lly a report to this n66ealatlon, and lt 16 neoersury for me to ba pressat 60 t&t I may answer queetiono pertainlug to th6 St6lld6rds whioh the iiouthern ASSO@i~tiO~ h66 66t Up. 1 hme bean attending this m66oolation svery year 6lnoe 1 beoame president of this roll6ge in 10%. *I make two trips out of tha State 6t~~~lly to attend meetfnye of aSsOeiatiOn6 that pa66 Upon c Eonorablo wr P. Ralnay, RoBorabl4 044. 8. S&4ppard, Pa64 6 t& Ea8t T4x44 Set 4 ?'444P,n Coll4g4 at coQlm4r64. On4 of th484 1% th4 Axn4riean Aa- sooiation or 'ssaoh4rs coll4g48, about wbloh I wrot4 you raoontly , anb th4 otbr ie tE4 s0uth4m .k8800m40n 0r ~0114648 d s400~6- ary schoola. Th4 Amsrlcan AssocLatfon of ~4aoh4rs Coll4~se I.4th4 national rating agenoy, and the 3outh4rn Agaoc1ation ie t&4 n&ma1 ratinng agency rot thio 4Oll4g4. Should you desirs ti to make a 4mr4 &tailed 8trtt4mmnt r4lativ4 to tb purp484 or this ma4ting I 4hul.lbe hqpy and deligghted to &o 80." In addition to t&r raot8 84t out iB t&4 re4g4iu 8tat4mnt. it i4 a mattar 0r 4oamon krmw1*4 that the84 48- rooiationo 4~4 d48lgneA to promoto 4lrP maintain 4tudard4 oi th m4~~b4r Mw+l8 aod that mmb4nhip in, aila r~o~ltion by 8ueh 488oofatlon8 i8 0r rithl: iaportrae4 to th4 aar4 4frfoi4nt op4rationor th4 rariowl ln8titfAtl#n8 or h-e l44rningi tit&%8 Stat4. In t&4 WnfUeB44 opinion dakd OOtokr 1, lQab, 4~4108- ed &4r4rith, this d4prtmat approt4d th4 olalm for tr4v4lhi3 4xp4n848 of De421 Hlld~brand r&l14 iXtt4BdiBd the wting Of th4 narooiatlon or ~m4ri44a Law ScEool8, rhlcb orgenlaation haa aub- 8tanti4lly th4 4am4 purp4848~h&fi p4rrarm8 84rvid48 8lBllU to tho84 r4Btlon4d iB th4 cOmptroll4r*a 14tt4r. xt ~48 ruled iB OCR OpiBhi IlO. o-1999 that tk4 pm- tision irr8. 8. Ho. 489, rots 46th Idg., prohibitin(l nppearlB$ th4 paym4nt or axpan br 4mploy448 or Stat4 D4partamnt8 to oont4ntlon8 irm8psotlr4' 0r oth4r oon8iU4ration8 do48 not lp- ply to 4QplOy488 Or t&o &tat4 &h46tiOBd fB8titUtlOB8 Or h.i#l4r l44rning; 8. B. lo. Mb, id.8 46th I4g., containing no aisllu apeoiiio prohibition. It L4 ow: opialon that th4 had8 or State WU4atioB4l. Innatitutlons may not b4 repaid for thair traveling 4xp8n848 in- burines6. eurretl while sagsg4d In otkmur than Uttat.4 #4 ars lurth4r or tbm Oplnioll that att4ndano4 at t&4 4i44ting8 0r th4 SoutBun A88ooiation 0r coll4g48 4nd s44oa64ry ijobools an& th4 rmerloan maoolation or Teaolmrs Colhg48 by ,be Yr44fdsnt Or 4 Stat4 Paaahera’ aoll4g4 bear8 a r4amoaab14, . ,rtanti%l and diraat nlatiormhfp to tha ofiloial dutie8 -ad upon 8uoh orrldrr and 18 for a state or pnblio swrp484. Eonorable iiom8r 3. Irain4y, Ronolabh Gee. X. Shqspaz-4, P4,g4 9 AUthOriMd tiaV4lfBg 4XjWIi848 in4lWr4d i.B ltta Bd&DUO& mu4t- in&a may b4 49prov44 &ml paid by t&a Comptrollsr. ;:4 sxpr,re~% no Opinion upon the merit8 of the olaim pl’484Bt4d t0 th4 COlIi<rOlhr by b48id4nt i%!aLZl4y 4iBO4 t& raOt8 ar4 not befor u4. Yours rcrg tray ccc:Rs ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAG