. .
OFFICE OF THfi A’ITORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
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lanarablsJesrreTrLght - page 8
lQwBxc DOB8 THIS 80~-ATT&I1prwcrc
ADTOMATI-
XATICbtLIYAUTB BIS OSFICB03
DIR3CTORAB'DTiUASCIUi3L?
'4. still anotherM r ep toha* r aoaepted aer-
v-be,on salary, irom the U. fbr A&oultural De-
Me 8orlc4.~litTexan.
pttPtEn3nt.
'QIESX: DOlzSlXIS IIOA-ATl'&XDMCS
MTOMTLCAL-
LX YAOATBBIS CFFICS OF DIRi3OfOllT"
tie el.igibiUty d perwms a8 dirwtoro of the
D&&riot is presoribedby Seation83, of the Acit'areating
the Dietriot,a8 ammded by liaB. 80. &M, of the 48th
La@3latura, (p. 10x3) ud ia, 80 far as iS pertinent,aa
fOl&aTSC
*It ie further provided that any person ap-
pointedas a dlreatoror abtornepof the Metriot
shall not be eligiblato hold any such ateplqment
or appointslent In the event soeh dlreateror at-
torney Baa, during the precedingfire (a) year8
befoPehiaappolBtment or employmnt been emplq-
edbyaq eleatriopower cou~pany~~~dcdf'urt&er
that 8ll personsappoinfedor.emplqed as direator
or attommy of the Metriot a8 a prerequisiteti
their appointment or empleyaent ahaX take and cub-
ecribeto an oath anl aaka affidatitthat thay
hare net during the preoedlngfive (6) year0bean
enplqed in ruy oapaaltrby w power omnpaq here-
in referred to cud that thq have not reaeiradsay
monqs from such oharactarof enzployzkent, and suah
eSSl.darit shallbe filed with the Deoretaryaf
State of the State ef Texas bp all annobpersoDa
appolntedor emplqed,andeaidaffidavitshall
be opaa to publiulnspettioa at all times. Pro-
ddadfu~thha that none of the prmirioxm hdreof
&-hat :pply to any engineer amplqed %$ the Die-
.
8e8lioa 33, US &Wale XYI ef the Gomtitution, de..
olaPe0I
#The aooountingoffioers of this State shall
neither draw nor pay amirra~~tupon the4tremury
4.nfavor ot any person, for salary or ooa~penaetian
PMeble Jeree Tright - page 9
ss agent,effiaer or appointee,~210holds at
the amif3tlm any other offlO or pod.tion ef
honor,frustor profXt,under the State or the
united stetse, exsept 88 peeoribed in thla
Osnatitution.b o vlded, l + l .*
Illtheu..ghtofthia oonatltutloMlpotialoa,
a ndth eltatote of eli&ibllit7
abOW qaote8,~3 till
annupar queatioasin the wde~ youha~a pmpaonded
.
1. The rot%on of the Bomd of DIreatoP 8aa
not in violationof w eonatltution or at&ate of the
State of texaa. lieneed not to de&e whetheror net
the refuaslof the Board to eaoept the direotor~aresig-
'nationsaa effeotioefar fbnypurpsaeor mat.
seeafion40, of ArtdoleXYI of the Constitu-
t&on,deol%esr
lXopewaon ahall hold or eueraiaeat the
same tlllm, moronthan one OlVAl offloeof emoln-
ment,e** (rith aertrinexOeptionanotpati-
nent in this Inquiry)unlearn otherwisespeolel-
1~ provfdsdherein..
ZhhsB~srtlmsmbara of the Muesea BiYer~onasrva-
tioaand Ectala~tionMstrlst sre decigxmtedbr theBOard
of later BDglM)ers, etubjeat to the approvalof the Umerner,
and nerve fop a stated per&ml of 83.x yeara. They are re-
qatredtetake a ndlub sa c lb o toen oath of offiee,aiallar
In ChaPaoteP te tho orths adad.niatuedto county coaldeaion-
ua,amito weeate bOnt¶Ln the ~nroi 00.00 eat&, pap
sbl0 to the Biatri~t, the aItfieieney 0P vhleE bond ia to be
detarndmd b7 the Stat0 Boanl af Water Bnginesra.YaMne%ee in
AonerahleJesa0 Wright - pa~o 4
tha B0ad of Dim&ore axe to be fillsdby a dssignatlonof
the Mate Doard of Uator Augineora,and shallbe aubjeotto
the approvalo? the Governor. (Ii*3. HO. 141, Ch. 427, 1st.
CUled Seaeiozt,4lat. Legislature,See. 6, p. 1667)
The nreabers of the Board - Direotors-- therefore,
ue publio offioer6, within the meaningof Section40, of drti-
ale A71 of the Constitution.
Aorooter, we think they are holding a aId1 offloe
of sroluuaut,thus bl’iesing tham complete17within Seotion40
Of Arti XVX. (leaf&on 7, of Kb 8. lo. l-41,ch. 137, Pirat
Call0dSeaaionof the 44th Laglslature,deolaresr
lThO members of the Doard of Dirootorashall
reoeive a p0r di0m of n0t more thaa Piva Dollars
($J~.oo)aaoJ for the pori~d asned which shall
iwlude trareliugand other neoesaary0xpamaea.
Providedthla per diem shall nbt moeod tafmt7
(20) days in any one year.8
Undoubtedly,a boputy Sheriff,a DeputyTax Aaaessor,
and th0 like ofCleora,are holders of a c&vi1 officre
Of emalu-
mat, from ~hl0.hit folloua any direotorholding such further
officeof Deputy sheriff,or DopntT Tax Aosessor, is doinl[so
in riolati0nof the Constitution.
In au0h aitu5tZonthe acceptawe of and qualiflaotion
for the oeaoadof'fiaeipso fsoto v50ateathe first offioetthat
is, it oroatoa a vaoenopfOP the pslrpose
of being filledby the
appointing paver.
3. There is no statuteor rule of law autOrmtioa117
taoattigthe direator*a0ffiaa for szithor
aP the rtvamnm stated
b7 r-0
4. liortl
nOn-attendsnoe does not raeate the direotor*s
offioe,nor ue wa ublo to aqf from 7our letterwhether Or not
the gOniOe on wlary fron the 8. S. &qloultwal Departsent oon-
atitutesarc21aivil offios of enalunantaa woaldrork afarfcdture
of elfioeunder &%tion 40, ArtioloAVI, Of the Conatitutioa.The
lersi0enanUonad by yOus eroath0uAh ~naalary,aaybethatoia
mere emplqeo, and this lleafion of the Q0netitutionapplies onlr
to holdersof oivil offiae of wltu@nt. There is a diffwimoe.
& enplo7eepertow a aerrioenot aa an offl0erunder the State,
th eo fflo pe~ er fo r8ms
lenioe, but It imolrea the exeroiae of
soplepert BP the gcnenllosn~lfunotian rhdah differentiateeit
. . -
5’43
Jews lrrl&t - page 8
AonoraIble
fiwm that Of a mere positionor employmnt~
If the positionwhereinyour directorhas acoepted
servioeon salary fropltheV. Se Agrioultu~l Departmentis
ona iarolvingthe dischargeof a part of the ~gorarmmntal
tunotion- an Mfiae -- then the answer to this queetion
is the aamtlas that &iron to Ho. 2 tLbm01
YOPy truly yours
0018 Sper
Ass1 etant
OS-BA
ATTOFtNEY OiZNZF%L OF TZXAP