Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion ( 1940 )

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTlN Dap8rtunt of Agrioultiuro Amtin, Tsxes Attrntilm: IIr.the OM888 or now oar6 en otmr ,than ul8pOUR eppsoprl- a tha q+propr%a- ,ooo.oo8et aut. l(b) The ap;ropriatlona herein provided are to be construed es the seximum 8ums to be ap~rcprlated to and for the ssraral purposes named herein, and the amounts am IntendmY to oover en4 shell cover the entire oost of the respective item0 and tL4 same shell not be SUpFbSm6nted from eny other eouros; an@, except as other- wlae provided, no other expenditures shall be made, nor ehall any other obll;atio 8 be incurred by any dapartmantof this % tate, provided however that nothing herein ehall prevent any department head fromyaying 16~s than the maximum smount set iorth for any salaried posftions.* Vlease advise if the Divisions of this Zepart- ment, other than Weights and Xsasurse Xvielon, can Furohass car8 from the regular traveling expense ap- Froprlaticn or is it lrirndatorythet all purohasos of new cara for any 4lvialon, other than Spsoial i%nd l.ump sum approp:.iatlone, be from the approprl- atlondFour Thnuaand ($k.OOO.O~) Dollars as as% out above.* 6 Corpus Zuris Gecunctum, at paea 123, gives the fol- 10x5~ definition of the terns *sgpropriationw: "The word implIes use, an0 has been defined as meaning set of setting apart or assigning to a particular u6a or person, in exclusion oi all othera; act of turnin9, ssttirg aelde, tsklng pea- session or, CT apply?ng to a rartioular use; a~- plication ta a special use or purpose; setting apart formally or officially for a special use or purpose. . . . Used In connection with public funds, tee phrase ~has keen held to imply a 1eglelative ln- tent an6 aot en4 s specific pur~osa for which tha arprcp~4.etlon 918s .msde, e specific authority to spend, ownership, and the axletenoe of funda appli- cable to the designated purpose, eithcs a genersl fund or e apeaiflo designated fun5 in esse or for rtf~oh provision hos been DBBQ.~ Thus, w s6e thet the very definition of the term V*e?propr~iation"involves thrzq,hout an idea oi a fund s?t aslse for apcific purpoaa cr uoe. Followi~ tic this Idea, 1% find that it is a ~11 e:rtabllshed ru,la that public :nonsys my sot be :‘jiverted from that specific purpose fdr whioh they were ap- proyriute0. 5ee 6 Corpus auris Seoundum, pq:e 12:, 4 Corpus JUIS 1640, 25 Ruling Cam Law 396, 34 Ter. Jurisprudmce, 314. Further, In the ease b&ore ua, it is plain sod ob- vious that the Legislature did not Intend the traveling expenas fund to be used for the purahaaa of autosoblles beaauae the treoeling sxperm fund is efit out in Item 3 with no mantior. or automobiles wherein in the very next Item (No. 4) specifia pro- vialon 16 made for tha puPdUUJs or new aara by satd departmnt. Therefore, WC conclude with our opinica, and you are reepectiully advlacd, t&et, the $30.000 travel expanse appmTp~la- t8d item mey not b6 ured ror the purchase or automobiles. wording of thle particular motion of the Appropriation Bill would i!:diaaQe that only that fund of #l,,OOO.OO ae set up by Section .$would be avellable tor suoh a purpoae.~ Trueting that thle sati8ractorlly anewarm your puestions, vi8 remain Yours vwg truly Ki”JYlRlUEYGE?iEXALO?TEXAS BY BY (Suned) Grundy Wllllzw~