OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
@ALa c. MANN
,“U.. ..**.A&
Eon. E.G. Towle, Opt. D.
3tut.eDoarC 0r XXminers in Optoxiietry
Auatic, Texas
Dear Lr. Toxfle:
Se are in re etter 0r June
lath, requestLq an op epurtrnent,ro-
gwdingthe aiithorltyo d 0r acarnin-
ers 0r optomtry to rer ror exedna-
tion on the gro
or the ROVES-
ed civil St
sbil bc entirely fair
recb&zed school of cjptom3try. All Q>-
-Jlicaztsexaeinod ot the mm time silall
be c:vm lCier:tlc;~l The board
cLtiesticr,s.
cay rerkze to a&At ycrsons to its exacin-
atlou or to issue liox~~es for 3ny or tte
r0iio;eg r;3as03sz
Hon. H.C. Towle, Puce 2
*I. The preae::tationto the board of
any untrue atatment or any dooumht or toa-
t&my uhiob was illegally or traudulently
obtalsed, or when fraud or deoelt hna been
pmotloed in pesalng the exanlnatlon.
"2. Conviction OS a relony, or or a
mface=eanor whloh lr,volvoanoral turpitude.
"3. Other ,gosaly unprofessionalor
dishonorable conduct of a oharaoter likely
to deceive or defraud the p&bllo, or ror
habits of 1ntc;;zparsnc.e
or drug addlotlon.
my appllaant who may be rzruaed an oxamin-
atlon or a Ucense, after legal notloe and
a full and lmpsrtial hoarlag, shall have
his ri@t or action to have suoh issue
triad in the district court or any ocmnty
ln zrhlohone of the &embers of the board
shall rus:de."
AS we intarpret this statute, the bomd
nay by fair and reasonable exercise of dlscretlon,
r;ake rhdhgt3 rc~ardine the fpduriOtlti00a Of the ap-
pllcant. It 1s stated In your inquiry that the bonrd
has found the a?pllcsnt hna heretorore nlarepreaent-
ed iocta re+rdine his prior expcrI.enoesnd train-.
Tho board has rwther round rr03 its observation 0r
the agplloant, that by reason of said untrue state-
rents and other oocduot, he has baen guilty of g.ro+s-
ly unproiesalonal or dishonest oonduct of a ohmacter
likely to deceive or defraud the public.
The rlndi.h@ oi your board are preauolptlve-
ly car;-eotaccording to the principle obtaining in
respect to adrnlnlstr:~tlve
bosrde gonerally.
see Shap~e v. kailroad Coztisalon 13 Tes.
521, '73S.?;.(26) 305.
It is our opinion, therdore, that your
board my refuse to atit a person to its exazilnation
a license to subh psrsm in the race of
or to 13jliue
lion. H.C. Towls, P-&e 3
fFn$lnG~ on the part ai the bobwd as to prevlou8 un-
true etatezxentsand unprof~salonalor dlshonorable
oonduot or a oharaoter likely to deceive or dafraud
the ?i;bllo.
Your8 vary truly
ATTCRX~ GIZNZRALOF TQAS
APPROVEDJUkl22, 19%
ATTORNEY.GENF3A.LOi TEXAS