OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
Honorubls George R. Sheppard
Comptroller or Yublio Aooounte
Au~t+n, Texas
K’e have your re
*Article 6694, Statutes, 1925,
by the Comp-
*All appropriations for the Texas
Highway Patrol ehaJ.1 be mnde by tho Legie;
$.;$y from and out of the Etato Highway
.
“This last provision oaes under the AOb oreat-
ing the Department of Pub110 Oafsty.
c
c
Hon. George H. Sheppard, Page 2
“The question haa arisen In the payment of
claims in this department ae to whether the Chalr-
man of the Highway Commlselon and one other Cm-
missioner will be required to approve the account8
incurred by the Texas Highway Patrol before this
department Is authorized to iaeue warrant in pay-
ment of moh account. Or, la the approval of the
Public Safety Co:~niesion euffloient to authorize
this department to paee such ecoounte for warrants?”
. : The obvious purpose of Article 6694 in requiring
the Chairman of the State Highway CommIr;slon and ono member
thereof to approve vouchers drawn against the State Highway
Fund was to af’tord aUth8ntiO verity to the Comptroller be-
fore accounts for warrants ehould be drawn again&the State
Highway Fund.
Article 4413 (26) requiring all appropriations for
the Texas Highway Patrol to be made by the Legislature from
and out of the State Highway Fund does not cane within the
meaning of the requirement for approval provided by Article
60Q4, since it. le a leg1elatlve’appropriat1on from the State
Highway Fund.
The appropriation for the present biennium expres-
alp make8 the appropriation for Texas Highway Patrol divi-
sion (as it should) out oi the State Highway Fund.
The renson for the requirement of approval by the ‘;
Chairmen and a member of the Highway CommlsaIon having ceased,
the requirement’itself ceases as to vouchers and warrants
thereon to be paid out of the laet-mentioned appropriation.
So that the approval by the Publld Safety Commission
la suffioient to authoriee,you to paea such aocounte for war-
rantr. ‘.,
r”
Very truly your8
ATTORNZY GENERAL
OF’TEXAS
ATTORNEY
GhNF&.LCP TE;WR