Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion

882 OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN &onorable U. A. Davis Btats Registrar Tour State Board of Health Au&in, Texas You have ro of this department ou a:ix questions r tion of llle$itlmate rsoordsd or aevti- “(2)L..iIkthat provision retroaatlve, and doer It apply to a birth rcgfstsred prior to the paar- age of H. is. 1977 “(3) Shouid the County Judge, In aoaslderlng a certificate ftled under the prorisrons of Sea. 15, as amended, (1943), asoertaln whether the ohlld was or wa8 not legitfmate prior to the approval of the cortificete? 885 Bonorable Y. A. Darla, paBe 2 ‘(4) Would the provlalona of this Amendment be tiolated it the item of legltimaoy be marked out on the present form and used for the reglstra- tion of an illegitimate birth. '(5) Slnoe more than 95% of the blrths that are reglatared are legitimate, would a birth oertl- float4 upon vhioh no atatemeat 0r the legitimaoy appeared 5.ndloate that the birth was lllegltieete?" (6)"Should a birth reoord rhiah does not make rry ltateaent aa to the leg~timaey of the ohlld, and no name or other item8 IdentlSylng the rather, be accepted by the County Court, and ii aooepted by the Court and forvarded to the State Bureau, should a oertlfied 00~9 of that reoord be iaaued uhen ordered b9 a Distriot Court?* We believe that that ortlon of Xouse Bill Bo. 197 at the Regular Seaalon of the 4 8 th Iagialature, quoted by you, la so olearly unaonatftutlonal aa to render uaeleaa sag ana- ver to four queatlons relating to it8 appliaation. Prior to the paaaago of thla Aot, the only provi- aion of the Vital Statiatlos frv of Texas aontalnlng an9 rea- triotlon oimparable to the one quoted by you Yea aa follovar %elther the State Registrar nor any looal registrar ehell issue a certified copy of an9 birth or death ‘eertlfloate wherein a ohlld or en adult la atated to be illegitimate, unleaa such aertl- ffed 00~9 la ordered b a oourt of oompe&ent jur- ladlotion.' (Artiole 1477, Rule 47a (25), V,A,C.S.) But this new provfafo5 goea moh farther, aud even prohibita an9 indication of lllegitiraaay ln the reoord itself. Seatlon 35 of &tlole III of the Constitution of Texas provider ; "Ho bill . . . shall aontain more than one lubjeot, vhioh ahall be expreaaed ln it8 title. But ir an9 aubjeot &tell be embraoed in an lot, vhlch ahall not be expreaaed 1n the title, euah aot ahall be void only ar to 80 muah thereof aa shall not be 80 expreaaed." - Y 884 Xonorable Y. A, Davis, page 3 The title of raid blouse 8111 197 la aa fOllOQ81 “AH ACT to amend Section 18, Chapter 41, &a of the First Called 3easion of the Fortieth Legis- lature, aa amended~by Seatloa 2, Bou8e Bill Ao. 614, Aots of the Regular Seaalon of the Porty- alath Legislature, as amended by Seotlon 1, Rouse Bill Ho. 974, Chapter 564, Aotr of the Regular Saraion OS the Forty-seventh Le tl.dcre, as emtided by SeutLon 1, Eouae Bil-? Ho, 624, Chap- ter 525, Aata of the Reguler 3esaioa of’ the Borty- seventh Leglalature, lo as .to provlda for unliora fees to be oharged for the laausuae of delaytd birth and death ~ertifluatea by the Probato Court, Clerk thereof, arrd the State Reglatrar~ aml to provide ‘Wet my cltixen of’ Taxer wishing to file the record of any birth or death ooourring inside the State of Taxaa nob previously regla- tered, may aubmlt auoh record to the Probate Court in the county where. such blcth or death occurredi to provide 4~19aftisen of the State of Texoa wishing to file the reoord of any birth or death ooourring outside the State of Texas not previously registered may submit such reaord to the Probate Court in the county where he re- alder; and deolarlng an emergenoy.’ It will be noted that, vhile this title goes beyond a mere statement OS a purpose to amnd the previous acts of the Legislature named therein, and attempts to specify the things for wbioh it provldea, yet it la not ao uritten aa to put a le~iafator on aotlce that one of the speoliia provisions of t&e Act (and one new to the 1aU of Texas) prchlbita the use of a form for reaordln$ births whiah mey indicate thet any such birth was lllegttimate. In our Opinion 80.0-25, Ye held uneonatitutlonal en act vhloh provided for the payncnt oi half-fees to “off+ care and vltnessea” in eertain mfsdemetior aaaea, because the title o? the Act stated only tbet it related to rcea paid ~conatablrs. ” That opinion, end the authorities therein olt- ad, are, so applicable to the instant ceae, that ue take the llbertq of quotintog from it St lengtht ass Honorable N. A. JBvl8, pago 4 ". . . . "It ha8 been aon818tently held by all of our appellate oourts that a tit10 or oaptlon exprersiq 8 purpore to 8mend a rtatute in a certain 98rtiou- lu 1s deoeptioe and Isi8leadlng in 80 tar a8 the body Of the aOt purport8 to amend the prior &V in other partlaularr. 39 Tax. Jur. 104. While it I8 true, as stated tn paragraph 48, p. 102 or 39 Ter. Jur.2 Wm title or an aaendatory lot 18 ordinarily 8urriant to allow an naendment geman to the 8ubjeot 0r the origina I rtatute, ir it pro9erlr rpeallleo the ahapter and 8eatlOa. or the revl8lon and srtiale, to be 8awutod;~ the 88ma authorit further 8tater the lavt **speoirloatioq 0r rmd 0r atmndrPsnt.- “‘In addition to~h?i?it%iiient Of 8 pwp08e to amend a given lnu or provlrion, a title m8 agp OifJ the nature of the amendment nna vheFi doe. 80 thfi?itE -- -- m murt oonfo='-- - - ‘Among the many oaror alted in rupport of the text 18 to be round the ease or Katl: V8r state, 54 SW (2nd) 130, In that 0186, the aaptlon read8 as r0ii0w8 t “An aat to amend Se&ion 14, Artiolo 7047, or the Revlred Civil Statute8 or 1925, relatln to bnd imposing an ooaupation tax on money -----Id-- n era and darinlng wuw and providing for Qartain erasptloru, and declaring an emerge:.oy.’ “The body of the bill propoasd to plme a tax on Boner lender8, but the 8eotlon ot th8 rtatute to be amended vaa one taxing ‘loan brokerr’. The court held the amendatory aat void. In tho oourao of the oplnlon othe oourt 8ald; *‘In rtatlng the prlnolpler from vhiGh ft my be detormlned whether thr tltlo to a bill meet8 tho requirement 0r neation 35, drtiala 3, 0r th0 con- 8tltutlon, YO 6re not to be underrtood a8 holding that the titlo or an aot amendatory or an srtlolo in a oode, such a8 our Revired Statuter, 18 inruf- ridea ii it doe.9 no more than rarer to the oodo . 886 Bonorablo U. A. ~vir, p6go 5 and the nuab~r of tho brtiQl0 themin. Tha OOUPtS or thin Stat0 have hold that a r8forenoo to a num- ber ot an artlok in a Code, Such 88 Our Revlssd StatUteS, I8 SUrrlOiO5t ~JI th8 title Or a%i4Ot aamndatory thOrooi, to allow auy aemndwnt ger~mbn0 to tho 8ubjOOt troatod in the art1010 rorerrod to. English & Boottlah-Annrioan MOrt. & Inv. CO. v, Rardy, 93 Tex. 289, 55 SN 169; Stato v. #oCrscicsn, 42 Tex. 334. Tho reason ror th0 holding appears to bo that th0 nAming Or the artfalo to tn rprSiId- ed dlreota attention to all Or th0 ~l’OVi8iOn8 therein, aa the rubjoat of the amending lot, and that suoh provl8lon aan b0 aroertalned by read- lng the artlolo to bc amended. However, when the bgirlaturo rortrlotr th0 title 0r an ammdator act by reiorenae to tho number in the oode ot t Srtlole a?86 UOd. and anuounoo8 Its Durpo80 to deal with th0 o~k.inalbill in re8Doot to Dartlaular matters therein it 18 bound to gwern itself - oordlnnly. and koeo within what itself dOalar$ would be tho liIIlit8 Oi LtS D,rODOSOd a0tiOIi. guther- d Statutory Conrtructlon (2d Ed .J V01. 1. Sea, 3tate v8~hmrioan bkigar~Rer93& Co., 106 La. 553, 31 so. 181, 106.' . . . . l “The trU8 rUh in ruoh OaSOSa8 Y8 have here pre8OatOd is ruaoinctly stated in Texar Jurlrprud- Onae, as rOliOvS$ ‘Wwther a tit10 18 oompr8hen8ivr or rortrl.at- ed, OXprOSSOdin gcnoral +aPS Or 111th partiaular- lty, it must be in agroomont and oonforralty, and not at V’Wi5~Nrs, with the SUbjoCt Or th8 hgiSl8- tion. . . i h tit-l, 18 dOOeptiv0, ial oP PLiS- leading ii lt dirguiser the tru0 purpose or the not and ilnpOPt8 l SUbJOOt dirrOr0nt rroa that to whioh the aut rOlatm. and uhether or not a title StOtSS the gOIiOPa19UP908. Or tho aOt, It 18 Pia- idbg ir it 8t8bIB8 SptOiriO pUrpOOO8in Such lMIllk8r88 to dOnOOal Othbl’ 9lW908OS not Stated.’ “(39 Tox. Jur. 100, citing Bitter v. Bcxrr County, 11 BY (la) 163, and OthaP CaSeS.) goaorable U. A. Davis, page 6 "The original 0 inloo in the ease 0r ltr parts E$ut8111, 38 SH (2d? 803, held the attempted amond- story SOt invalid, and on SUbSOqWot motlOM for fzpv~8ing 811 tWbO~8 Or th0 00-t OXp4JSSOd them- . Said tho oourt through Judge I&timorol "'hll -VA JMSSOd by the k@ShtWe Or t.hiS State orLglnat8 la blllr, Upon laoh oi whloh must appear a aaption or title, and Seotlon 35, hrt. 3 of out Coastitutlon iorblds that any bill, vith oortah oxaoptlona ohall ooatala aoro tbm on4 SUbjO%t, vhioh Sh8i1 b o~orood ia it8 tith. It has beoa held br the court8 that whoa the ex- ~e88 vorbiaga Or such tit10 linrit8 onb r~Stl“iQt.8 tho 9W9080 Or the bill, q StteIII9t to lOglSklt0 OtherWi8~ Fn 8Uch bfllmriant rrofa the pW'pO80 prerorlbad, i8 in exae44 0r the 1egl41at1v0 paver, and that A 18P SUbjQUt t0 this OOm9lalnt iS UA- conrtltutlonal.~ 'The aaptlon of tho ammdatorg act hero under conrlderatioa lndtoatsd the 9~r9080 or tho bill related to ona Si.4510 thing, l.o., to the feO8 9aid oon8tabler. The tramore 0r the bill thus in- rormed the publla and theLr rellou l4gi8lator8 that the pUr908e 0r the bill war to arreot the feO8 of aonrtabler only. In the body or the bill substantial change8 vero made arrwm.0g all roe orflcers. All of them would be oatltlsd to hali their costs in all their mi8deme8nor oa868, ex- copt thoao di8lal88od, and mama vould bo 9ald by ~8varlou8 0ountlO8, unla8a paid by tho dofond- . "The Suprome Court in the ease or Yard Cattlo & Parturo 00. v. Carpenter. 200 Sli 521, Wherein an aot Of the Thirty-Third fsgl8latkWe (1913) 188 ln- volvod, reiured to ranatlon an amaadaent to Artl- ale 7235, R. C. S., exoludlng Xatagorda County rrom a list or laumratrd oountict8entitled to la- voke tho 8tOGk hV. Such lo tomittsd nstagorda County under a aaptlon lnaludlng othernamed coun- tiea. Chief Justloo Pht11ipS uaad the rOllOWg languagei 888 Boaorablo li. A. DaVl8, pago 7 "'lhr purpO80 Or the OOMtitUtiOMi PrOViSlCn la r48peot to tho~titlo or logi8lat1v4 aotr 18 well und4rstood. It 18 that by mans of the title tho lOBiSht0~ lEaYbo rOS8OMblY aDpr184d Of the SQODe I the bill SO that SWDri84 and fraud in lOBiSlU- &on may b wevont4d. True, aooordlng to provlour a40i810n8 zr thf8 OOUTt, ir th0 tit10 had O&p do- oluod that th4 ptlrpO84 Of the aOt Van to 8m4nd artlolo 7235 or the R4vl8ed Statutes, it would bov0 lup p o r an toSot d amending the artlOlo 80 as to omit Hatagorda County. But with thirr tit14 anaounoing, as it dobe, that the art1010 Was to bo anendod In a partioulu Yay, no lsgislator uould rrasonably havr aonoolved that it ma@ to bo amended in another vay lx8Otly contrary to that stated. This la a oaso illustrating the vlddom and Justla8 of th4 oonatitutlonal prov1- 81On.' 'For addltlonal 08898 and authorltler on this propo8ltLoa, a001 "guthorland on Statutory Construotion (1st Rd.) Sea. 90, pa 99. '39 Trx. Jur., sea. 48, 9. 102, et 84Q. 'H0h8an v* Widen & Sutherland (Clv. App.) 158 sU 571 (vrlt 0r error roiured "Bwxusbttv. Stato, 42 SU (26 Rlia<on v. Rallvap Go,, 283 SU 75 'Arnold v. L8owd, 273 BU 799 "Bitter v. B4x8r Cbunty (Tex. Coma. App.) 11 SW (ad) 163 Vulr Roduot1on co. v. Garrett (Tel. Comm. App.) 24 SU (26) 389. 1). . . l mTho 0r 8 statute Q,gtls haa no lnawzq roroo. Vhsn tho body and thr tltlo are in aonfliot, th4 latter lW8t yi4ld. . . lI In view 0r the abovo rules, therefOre, it 18 our oplnlon that that part Of said HOuee Bill NO, 197 vhioh pro- vider that 'no pr48orlbed form for reaordlng birth cartilloates 889’ Bonorable it. A. ikwlr, page 8 shall indicate that any birth reoorded or oertifhd wan ll- legitimate’ 18 invalid h4vlng been pawed in oontraventlon or %GtLOli 35 or hrtioie III of the Texas CoIl8titution. Very truly yourr ATTaflrn o- w mxA3 u. RI hllen b88i8tWlt