Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion ( 1946 )

6!38 OFFICE OF THE A-ITORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN Rcoomble CO iI* Csmeee fitrte Auditor Austin, 11, TeXee Bet Wbotba or net the fhmeral M6nsgesr tow or 6n7 at the ~167 legall 8 tee* or ammm employeea boo8 r8 hare re-ntnmbecsdt eraI mmaager 6m emplo7eem mmunts o? nueb pe~eau tot 8lle+Lng nerptlre On que8tiaa Be. employees who hate boon ees st $%bOO per emspe be e pr.i.6``1 pernkmnell who oam 10&8117 db to be a •tru~tym &WY tor what perled Fleers alto governing etatutem.) '4. Can conriots leEally drive aver the hi@mqs ot Texan in prl non omed motor ~ahlal aa, vi th OF With- out a ward or other prison employee beina preeent? .s. Can such conricte lemlly ohtnln a drlrer'r or chaufieur's Ifconae to drive prison nwnad or other motor rehiclen over Ptate Hlghwayst 633 Bonorahle C. 4. Cawtesn - page 4 "4. Wet effeat does this praotioe ot allowing priumers to drire prison owned motor rehioles hare cm the prison fnemranoe aorerago, oorering publie llablllty autlproperty damages? (Mosae alto stat- ates, if any). '7. What lagal rights aw allowed~snah prison emplo7ees and peace of'fiaersinpnraulng sn eaeap$nK aenriata5 to entering priratel~ mod holldlng:n,6to.t (Fleaae aibe statatanpfapert7' fmbnequent to re6eipt at 7aar inquir7 we requested trrr- thsr lntonnation relating to the first two quest*onm, and goa re- Flied as tollowsr lX r eo eiteda letter tblr mo r ningvhioh indi- oatem that there are no Written oontraots or agree- ~menta between the glple7ees of the Prlaan efstgl snd the Beaerul Maaager 0~ PriaOn Board eoaaecainp: the oolleetioa of aa 8motmtmof mO#tOyboOmme 8~17 BUOh 8mplo7eo ma7 hare beea respanaible iOr allow- hg a aonriat to emape~ Be are told that it IS simpl7 a praotioe that ha 8 beeu hmded down throu&h the 7tara 8nd tbat there are ~lb dfwot indloatlonm am to whether it is UI ‘admini6trat~Te peli~’ ox- aapt that it is a verbally handlad matter, aad that a11 Primm employees sneb.as gaard`` farm naaagarsr etoer are told at the aondition on bein& hIted 8nd thet thef al? alearly mdarrtand tbat they are wb- jeot tn the lasermsat of nob amOunt Ot Waay* The moma is oolleetad dlreatlr tram tbs amplayeem most re~pomslbl e for the emo8p’kvl(of tbe eefavlet, and trmkl7 wo are ansble t.a detem%ne just whore the nutharlt7 for thlcl ariaee.~ we shall ansrer your qunetLms in the order ahore stated. 1. seation 10 of Artlale XVX of the Cnnmtltutlm . Emorab:e C. ll. Cwnesn - page 3 *The Legislature shall protIde for deduotfons from the salaries at pub110 otiiaern @ho may neg- loot the porformanoe OP an7 duty that xay be as- mimed them by 1 SW.' There are no statntee authoriling tho Board of RIman Comls&merr or the Beneml Yana~er ot the Rim bye- tein to lmpc6e tine0 or pecuniary assesnment~ anon emplo7eos at the Prl@n 8ymtm who am7 negY eat the perforaanoe ot their du- tien msslgned them by '1EW. On the oonfrary, PO reapeats the amnosed aasemmentcl involved in 7er0erqtl65ticn1, the Ceglmla- ture has enaoted Artiele 318 at the Penal Code, QrWidings aAny omeer, jailer, or guard who has the lernl au6todf of an7 pereen aooa66d Or COnvi6f+ ed nt a felCn7 not ORpitS rho ~I.lfull~ pOWit snob person to osoqe or to be remcued shal’t be confined in the penitentiary not less than two nor more than fire yeaw-’ Again, in ArtSale 321 nf the Penal Code 1 t 15 prcrldedr ‘Any aitiaorl jailer or guard who ha5 tbe leeal eustady ot a peraonaeeuned or amricted or a felon7 not capitsl who ne~ligenttl~ pewits 6uch person to eeaape or be remeued mhall be fined not exoeeding one thoueand dallsrs.’ Wnoe the T:eaislkture ban thus speaieiOal~7 dealt with the nroo