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The Attorney General of Texas
Dcccmbrr 14. 1984
JIM MAlTOX
wxlIoy GoIlwal
Bonorable Joe Uancit: Bell C~inioo No. 311-253
Trinity county Attorwy
P. 0. mox an Be: Mbether . chief deputy uy be
Groveton. fewa Y!i845 appointed tu lsstsoor-collector
by l comieeionerr court of which
her cousin ia 8 nember
Deer Mr. Bell:
You otaca that e recency bes been cruted In tbe office of tax
r dutb of the incwbcnt who bed lerved linee
lueuo r -c o llec:bytothe
Jenuery 1. 1961. 1Im chief deputy bes been continuously employed io
the office in var%uo poaitiono for twenty-tuo ycarr and bar been
chief deputy for :pGcera. She ia a first coud~~ of l c o u nty comb-
sioner vho bea served continuously in office liucc Jenuery 1. 1961.
A lexu, sune 702
noue1m. Et. 7mo2-3111 You wk vhet’her the colpireioners court my lppoint the chief
7lw22ssM2 deputy to fill the vecency without violetlag the nepotism ltetute.
Article 5996e. V.T.C.S..on nepotin. provideo:
No oi'ficer of thie State . . . nor my officer
or .merbmr of eny State di&ict. county. city,
school district or other upicipal boud . . .
dull rppoint. or vota for, or confim the
appointlent to any office, pomitioa, clerbhip.
emp1OJY.t or duty, of eny parson dated within
. r
the MCOI$ degree .by ,affinity or within the third
degree 'by conunyinity to the perwn w
lppointdmaor lo voting, or to any ocher member of
amy lxh board . . . vhen the ulery, fem. or
compenu~tion of aufh eppointee IS to be paid for.
directly or i.ndlrectly, out of or from public
funds o:c feeo of office of lny kind or cberecter
utut*oever; provided, tlut nothIn herein
coateinotl . . . rbell prevent the l ppolntmeat.
voting for, or confirmation of my, pereoo who
shell hmc been contiououely employed in lny such
office. PO61 tiOIL. clcrkehip, lnployment or duty
for a period of two (2) years prior to the
election or eppoincment of the officer or member
eppoint Lug. VOCiIQ for, or confirming the
eppointwnt. or to the election or l ppointment of
D. 1128
Honorable Joa Warner Bell - :?trge 2 *(m-253)
the officer or ember related to such employee la
rhe prohibited degree.
First cousioa are related within rhe second degrea by conaenguinity.
See
- Attorney General Opinions O-6221 (1944); O-4670 (1942).
The county ta xlaaesaor-collector holds an elective office. Tex.
Conat. art. VIII. M14. 16. 16a; Tax Code r6.21. Thus. ordinarily the
tax laeaaoor-collector would be ~alactad by the people end not
appointed by the comlmi,c~oers court. The court, hovaver. is
statutorily auth&ited to fill a vacancy ia this office until the next
general election. V.T.C.S. mrt. 2355.
Article S996e. V.T.C.S.. bars the comisalonera court from
appointing the firac cousin, of a comiaaionar to any office or
leploymaat . Attorney Gencrrd. Opinions O-5452 (1943); 04987 (1942);
uee also Attorney General Opinion 04670 (1942). The acetu~a pravantm
any member of the comissionera court from voting for
any pereon ralettd wlthin the second degree by
affinity . . . co t:ha person ao appointing or so
voting. or to any other member of any such
board. . . . (Fmp~asia added).
V.T.C.S. art. S996a. Thus, nooe of the coamiaaionara may vote to
appoint the first cousin of a coamlasloucr to the vacant office of tex
aaaaaaor-collactor. See
- Attorney Ganeral Opioioa O-3016 (1941).
You raise the l xceptiou to article 5996a. V.T.C.S.. for a person
employad by a governlog boa::d for two yaara contiauously prior to the
alaction of hia ralaciva to that board and suggest it may apply in
this eaea. It 18 irrelevmt to the problem before us. The tax
aaeaaeor-collactor lppoiata hfa deputlaa; the cowiaalooer6 court
cannot control or ioflueoce his aclectloa of individuals for tbat
post. V.T.C.S. art. 3902; Attorney General Opioiona S-993 (1977);
H-697 (1975); O-6221 (194A:). The deputy ta x lasesaor wae oavar
appointed by the commiuiontrr~ court. She therefore does ooc come
within the two-year proviso elfarticle 5996a. V.T.C.S.
SUMMARY
.
The cowisaioncra court m6y not appoint the
firet cowin of u commissioner to the office of
county tax eaaasacw-collector vacated by the death
of the incumbent.
Ilowrable Joe Uitmer Bell - Pq;c 3 (JM-253)
.
TOM CREW
I:icst Aralstanc Accorney General
DAVlD R. RICHARDS
Executive Aaaiscanr Attorney Oc!ncral
RICK CILPIN
ChaIrman, Opinion Committee
Preparad by Suean L. Garrison
Assistant Attorney General
APPROVKD:
OPINTON COMMITTEE
Hick Gilpin. Chairman
Susan Garriaoo
Tony Cuillory
Jim Hoellinger
Jenni~fcr Riggs
Nancy Sutton