Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion ( 1984 )

The Attorney General of Texas August 6, 1984 JIM MATTOX Attorney General Supreme Court Building Honorable Charles Evans Opinion No. JM-185 P. 0. Box 12546 Chairman Aus!in, TX. 76711.2546 Conrmltteeon House 4dministration Re: Whether a committee of the 512/475-2501 P. 0. Box 2910 House of Representatives may Telex 9101674.1367 Telecopier 5121475.0266 Austin, Texas 78759 accept donations from private organizations 714 Jackson. Suite 7M1 Dear Representative Evans: Dallas. TX. 75202-4506 2141742.6944 You have askwl whether "a Rouse Committee can accept donations from private organizations." We conclude that a committee of the 4024 Alberta Ave., Suite 160 Texas House of Representatives is not authorized to accept donations El Paso, TX. 79905.2793 from private organizations. 9151533.3464 Section 19 of article V of the General Appropriations Act, Acts r 31 Texas. Suite 700 1983, 68th Leg., ch. 1095, at 6016, explicitly appropriates "All Houston, TX. 77002-3111 bequests and gifts of money to state agencies named in this 7131223-5666 Act . . . ." Howerar, that provision does not itself authorize agencies 608 Broadway, Suite 312 Lubbock. TX. 79401.3479 to accep:: gifts; it merely appropriates those 606/747-5238 gifts accepted by agencies already authorized by general law to accept them. General legislation is requ:i::ed. Attorney General Opinions R-2680 4309 N. Tenth. Suite B McAflen, TX. 76501-1665 (1951); ~I.-4681 (1942). 512/662-4547 . . . , 200 Main Plaza, Suite 400 Legislatbre authorization for the acceptance of San Antonio, TX. 76205.2797 512/2254191 gifts is necessary . . . . -See 81A C.J.S. States 6145 at 530. An Equal Opportunity/ Attorney General Opinion H-1180 (1978). Neither in the Legislative Affirmative Action Employer Reorganization Act of 1961, as amended, article 5429f. V.T.C.S., nor elsewhere has the legislature seen fit to provide that it or a committee thereof, article 54298, V.T.C.S.. may accept donations, as it has for the Conmdssion for the Deaf [V.T.C.S. art. 4413(43)], and the Governor's Cwnmission on Physical Fitness [V.T.C.S. art. 4413(44)1. *. for example, V.T.C.S. art. 46c-6 (Aeronautics Commission); V.T.C.S. art. 3207a (Commission for the Blind); V.T.C.S. art. 4477-30 (Henophilia Assistance Program); V.T.C.S. art. 4590f p. 810 Honorable Charles Evans - Pa$;e2 (``-185) (State Radiation Control AgeIcy); Code Crim. Proc. art. 42.121 (Adult Probation Commission). Cf. 68th Leg. Senate Bill No. 772 and House Bill No. 622 (1983). -' Since we have found that a legislative committee is not authorized to accept donatjons it is unnecessary to examine other possible objections to the receipt and expenditure of such donations. See, e.g., V.T.C.S. art. 62.j:!-9b; Penal Code 5636.08 and 36.09. SUMMARY A House Committ,‘.e may not accept donations from private 0rganiaatLJns JIM MATTOX Attorney General of Texas TOM GREEN First Assistant Attorney General DAVID R. RICHARDS Executive Assistant Attorney General Prepared by Colin J. Carl Assistant Attorney General APPROVED: OPINION COMMITTEE Rick Gilpin, Chairman David Brooks Colin Carl Susan Garrison Jim Moellinger Nancy Sutton p. 811