Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion ( 1958 )

Mr. E. B. Germany, Chairman Texas Industrial Commission - Austin, Texas Opinion No. W-53~4 Re: .Mhether Section 56, Article ,. XVI of the Texas ~Constitu- tidn-prohibits expenditures .. :* ! by the Texas Industrial Com- Dear Mr. Germany: mission of donated funds. :Your request foran opinion ooncern~sthe question of whether Section 56 oftArticle XVI ofthe Texas Constitut~ion prohibits expenditures by theTexas~Itidustria1 Commission of donated funds for thepurpose of planning, ,organlzlngand opera- ting a program for attrac.tingand locating new industries In . this 'State. : Section ,56 of Ar&cle~XVI~ of .the Texas Constitution, priorto its amendment at fhe'Genera1 Election in 1958,provided: ?l!heLegislature shall have no power to appropriate any of the public money for the'establishment and main- tenance of a Bureau of Immigration, or for any purpose of bringing Immigrants to'this State." ,'~ Article 5190&.of~Vernon*s~Cl&l-Statutes provides: ~"In addition to: its.other duties, the State Industrial Commisslon is:here- .~.by authorized .toplan, organize and operate a program 'forattracting'and .ldcatingnew industries in the State of Texas; provided, however, that 'nostate.fuhds shall 'beused for this purpose. ..TheCommission 'may accept Mr. E. 9. Germany, page 2. (w-5341 contributions for such purpose, all of which shall be deposited in the State !lYeasuryIn a special fund to be known as the- 'State Industrial Commission Fund,' and~such sums are hereby appropriated to the Commls$ion for the purposes of this article. In our opinion when the Commission accepts any private contributions for this purpose and deposits them :n the State Treasury and in a special fund known as the "State Industrial Commission Fund" such funds become public money, notwithstanding that these funds come from donations. Section 6, Article VIII, Constitution of Texas. However, Article 5190s of Vernon's Civil Statutes provides for an appropriation of these funds for the purpose of such action. Section 56 of Article XVI of the Constitution of ~Texasstrictly prohibits ~the.kgislature:Z?rqmappropriatlng any of the.-publlc.:money:for theneatablishmerit',and~intenal?ce. ofta Bureau..& Iburilgratloh 9nd~cont~nues.zlzyS~yina_1or for:~;; -i any~purpo.se:dfbrLnglng.;Imtigranta-to:``ia~st``.~!sr:~': ~.?-.~.::,:I~ :.i ::;;:.;.~,: I; T c-~I::,;:.i Pi .: ,,,. _.L.. ~-i ..' -::- ,J 7i:: t..+:: 22 ;*::.;:i+'~ : .:r;J'i:.'; a3.t-(j T,.'h 71 k.It::must .~e:remsmb.ered..tha~.;ba~3;869, -and&efore, the greater portddn;of .~e.-~ea;-of;:T~xaa~i``.a-INf3rderness Mr. E. B. Germany, page 3. .&W-534) and that those in government and 'outsideof government realized that in order for~the State to function and grow, Immigrants would be needed.' Obviously, 'there was little or no industry that could be attracted. What Section 56 of Article XVI of the Constitutlonof.Texas prohibited was the expenditure.of State money to attract these immigrants from Europe and perhaps those who temporarily settled in the eastern states.~ .~ In our opinion the function of.the Texas Indus- trial Commission would, under Article 51904, Vernon's Civil Statutes, provide for a different type of activity than Is prohibited by the Constitution. We are sustained in thisconclusion In view df the fact that the voters of Texas adoPted an amendment to Section 56 of Article XVI of the Constitution of Texas at the general election in 1958, which -. r.eadsXn part~as .. follows: : "The Legislature of the State of Texas shall have the power to approprl- ate money and establish the procedure necessary to expend such money for the purpose of developing Information abont~ the historical, natural, agricultural; fndus- trial~;``.``du``t.l``~;~‘.~arket~ing,~':recr:eational and living resourccs.o? ,~,e:;ds, :and..sor the-purpose of informing``personsand corporations of-other states through advertising In-periodicals having nation- al circulation, and the dissemlnat,lon~of factual information about the'advantages and economic resources offered by.the~ State of Texas; . ..,." ., In Webster's International Dictionary, 2nd Edition, "Immigrant" Is defined as "one who immigrates; one who comes into a country for the purpose of permanent residence." Webster's further defines the word."immigrate" -- "to come to dwell or settle;-to come Into a country of whit; one Is not a native, for the purpose of permanent residence. It is our opinion that advertising which would attract new Industries to Texas could not be given the same meaning as attracting Immigrants to the State. Mr. E. B. Germany, page 4. mJ-53J+) SUMMARY Section 56 of Article-XVI of the Constitution of Texas, as amended at.the general election In 1958; 1s not being violated by the 6x- pendlture oftfunds under-the pro- visions 0f‘Artlcle 5190$, Vernon's Civil Statutes. Yours very truly, LFP:bb:zt:rm APPROViD: OPINION ~OMMITTEFi Geo. P. Blackburn, Chairman '_; REVIEWEDFOR TRE . ATTORNEY GEmAL BY: W. V. Geppert