. ’



### OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN

Eonorable ;P. P. tierma, Jr. county 

### Auditor Xaller County i%empstaad, Texas
Dear Slrr

de are in 

### reo the 

### opinion of t quote 

### rrom yo communication re+esting e above stated matter. ;‘le

em it neceamry for 

### king and oversight 

### 0r County horlty to require that I ty purahaaes?

en for requisitions to be urohase , County Judge, and .iowever queetlon has arisen a8 to can regaire that he approve requiai1661 !& C. 3. memia tia oover the questioers Who rhall sign requiraition; hawaver ouch Artlo~i=a not prealudo the Audi

### tor’s re&rement or approval, in addition, ii such 6uditCW deemed it nsoem~ary ta 

### th6 ‘-pro&r polleetion, oheoku and 

### socountiq (italias mind) 

### 0r the. . 

## 462

iionorabls ‘ii. P. iiarmr, Jr., pa69 2

revenues and other fund8 end fees balongine to the county’, as stated 

### inArticlr1656. H.C.S.

*For 

### the*propar

. . .sooountiug 

### or the Reveauas and other fun68 and tee8 belonging to the county* under Article 

### 1656, I deemthle neaeeserg, for the 

### 4iaplo resson that it is neoserery that I reriry thst ruoh funds are availsble ior the purchase under the budget end thet purahsre mot8 other requlremants or 

### ler. -If I o8n not 

### epprore a purohaao before sanm in made, than ea Z uudrr8knd the sltustfon, eny purohssa msde for mstrriel8 or aerviaer used by the county, oan be aolleoted 

### tar by suit whetFor not such purchase aonionssd to budget 

### orother rec,ulremmtr of law.
-It is maohawe practical to r4jeot auah purohasa berore it is smdr--by rafualng to sign raqulrltion yther*for--than to rejeot dam4aftar it ia made, and arter auoh aaterlels or aervia=a used by the 7sizY. This ia an Invitation to law suits to oolloot the amounts OSsuoh purohsser. 

### *Thereron, ror the rbcsonr **ateted** 8bovs, I deea it 

### neaeseery that I, 68 Auditor, el8o siern daoh requisltions.

‘04 1, as Auditor hsvs the authority to require ng signature on npuiaition in atlditlon to the other 

### r4Qair4asntrOS8 r4puirltio5P

“1 an not a purahe8Ing agent.

“1 shell 

## greatly appnoiak 8s prompt a reply as posslblo regards this met&or, rI.llce It in 

### 0r glwat lmportano~.80 me, 

### andsl~ao I 8h411 not know

### uhdt aours 

### toparour until I heer 

### from 

### you. Hodoubt 

### youh8r4nndond l p rior o pinion regardingthi8 mdtter. but I.

### rail to rind 8enmin my

### threerolumer 

### OS**opidon book&-**  YOen 

### inrormrdby 

### th4 st4t4 oomptroll4r*r 0rri04 th4t 

### ounty ofriaorr la nrllor County 41.4aomp4nr4t.d OA

### th4 basks 

### r r448 semsd by 

### thOmin their 

### orriaial oapeoltl4a. 

### Tar the. ’

iionorable ki. E’

. Eermd, Jr., PirtP 

### 3

purposes of this 0pini0A w4 shall confine our disCllSsiOA t0 the 

### statutes sppliaable to counties operating on a fee 

### basis4

GeAerSl provisions with reference to the purchase Or suppllss ror the us4 of the county 

### are found in Articles1638 and 1659, 

### Vernon

’s llnnotatsd Civil 

### Statutes. 

### Article l638 providers
?3ido shall 

### bs ssk4d ror 

### all auppli4r.~for stationery, books, 

### blanks, records, 

### and other supp114s 

### ror 

### the various orrioers ror which th4 aounty is r4quired to pay, and the purahs44 msde 

### rrom th4 1ow4at 

### bidder, sitar rmAg 

### said bid with the Auditor for r4aord.m
Article 

### 1659 provIdeat YNpplies of every kind, 

### road 

### and bridge mstorial, or any other meterlal, for the use of said county, or any of its officers, departmanta,or 

### Institutions must be purchased on competitive bids, tha contract to 

### be awarder%to the party who, in the judgment of the aommisaionerr 

### court, hss eubmltted the lowest and 

### bsot 

### bid. The aoanty 

### auditor shall 

### advertlss for e 

### period or two wseks in at least ant 

### daily newspaper, publish4d and 

### ciraulatqd in I&s ooucity, **for** suoh euppll4r and material aaoordlng 

### to epaaitiaetlonr, giving in delis11 what Is 

### needed. such sd?4rti84m4AtS shall 

### state whera the apeoifiaatioA8 are to b4 found, 

### end stiall giv4 the tim4 

### aAdplace for receiving such bids. 

### AU such 

### competitive 

### bids shall b4 

### kept on file 

### by th4 oounty auditor as s part of the 

### zwaords of his Ofiice, SAd shall 

### be subject to fASp4CtiOA by any OAQd4SiriAg to 844 them.. Coziest Of all .~ bids r4o4irsd shall b4 fUAi4hed 

### by the aouuty auditor to the 

### county judg4 and 

### to tha aommleslon4rs 

### court; and when the bids reaelvrd are not satLsraatory to th4 said Judge or county aommiseloA4r8, th4 auditor 4hall nj4at raid bid4 end 

### n-adv6rtiru for A~W

### bids. In 0eses or 4m4rgonoy. puroharrr 

### not IA 4x0488 or 0114hnnar~d and arty 

### dollars f+y bs

### msde UpOA

### raqulsition:.~ 80 be ap 

### proved by the aommissionere court, 

### without adver

### tlefng for aompetltirr 

### bids.*

## 464

.ociorable ii. 1. .:ams, Jr., 3*g4 t

F~rorlslon8 pertairniig 

### tothrpirohaass 

### or arrtdn 

### suplfer 

### by th4 c@mir4lcm4rr 

### * court BSO

### rotid ia AXTXG 23xb 

### ;;dita”,d seotion 1, Arti 389yb, ir4mion~r Anootstad Civil

. Art.1014 

### 2358**proqld6s;**
*Thr 

### ooiiiialrsionero of r4aor8, s4r oontraot oourt by an 

### order **entered** as homaluf tsr ~rosaribod,

. -. sith soma ruitablo 

### far&onor prsonr 

### zosupprytne county 

### withb&m& 

### b@oks, a11 l4.@1 blaons and 

### l t+ tloiiwy 88 k#y b4 

### rd&r4d by 14~ ta 'b4~urAls&d tii4 oopatf 

### orricialr.~ **Article 2359** prooid6st
Vh4 aamirslan4~r 

### oourtsir&UadvJrt%w, **?t lsast**  01104 

### in 4rorr 

### twoyrtrr, 

### ror444144 prop08414 to furnl4h blati 

### boakr, 14gal 

### blanks, rtatlorrr~ ssd such 

### otbsrprintlAg 6'0ieey 54 

### m&red **for the**  **county**for 

### the terraOP ouoh 

### eoiitratot, plodshall mc4fvo aaparato bids ror 

### thedifi#ZvAt alaeo4s 

### heninafter dseigzuitad. iiuoh adv4rtlwrawAt ohslf. b4 01184

### bythecouiatp elurk, whosb8ll 

### notdfy by **regiatereb** l4tt4r, 

### aash 

### nawspswr aud jab 

### prir,tina hotlo 

### in **!&ho oouafy,**  and 

### at 

### l~srt thaw 

### stationery 

### and prtnting hew348 lo th4 istetsx,

### 0r t9r 

### time **raid oontrnct**  **lrr to**  **&CJ** 

### erati@d, lurdof the wobabla emat of 8uppller noedad.*

1;4OtiOA 

### 1, Artiole 3699b JU?OV~~QS~ "Th4r4 shall b&ellowd ta 

### C;ountyfud~346, Clar~r of 

### thm0istrlotend 

### county r^ou.rts 

### smrlris, County ‘Trsasurerr, 

### .X%x Assoasors 

### and Co11. 

### CCtOrS, SUeh books, SitCitiOA4~, inoludin 

### plalnlr, #Ad otti04 

### f blw mu baodr and aluIc ao+ UTA~tUlW 

### a* My be 54e4rs8ry 

### ror thalr ofHoa#, to be prfh far on the 

## order of the CORaission~rs 

### Co& oub~of theaounty **Tr~esrury; and** **rut%-** 

### sblr OfriO 

### Shau 8180 k pTOTide& 

### by t&8 COadSS~OA~rS 

### GOUT%for

wit OctiOOT8

a$ aml xgwle@ or 8he ooullty. And suoh 

### books**aad stationery**  **es ore**  neoorsr~ in th4 performmoe 

### or th4lr huti 

### shell 8180 be rum3.sh44 Zurtio4s or th4 P4eo4 by

### ‘rclld Coamirrloa8rs 

### Court. 2ovlded all puroh4ses her4Ln 

### must**be**ogprovad by
. th4 c ssloA4ra Court 

### andmet be cm&4 **u.nd4r the**  pr0Ti p”’

iOA8 Of Art1414 1659, 

### ii8ViS4d Civil ststUt48 

### of 'ADas8, lY25..

## 465

Donorable iv. P. 

### iWrm0, Jr., page 

### 5

Provisions pertaining to purohaaes and %xps,ndItams by county offiosrs ror certain items; when said orfioers are aoupensated on a ree bawe roua in 

### 3eetfon (a), Artiale 

### 3899, Vernon~s Ahnotated Clvll Statutes, lhloh provides In part as r0iiow8; 

### *At the olose or aaoh month or his tenure or

orrhs eaoh orriccr naned herein who is oompenaated on a roe basis shall 

### makeas part of the report now required by law, an iteaised 

### and sworn statement of all the sotual and neoesssry expenses Inourred by hF4 in the conduot 0r his orrio%, saoh as stationery, stamps, telephone, promlums on orrioials* bonds, In

### eluding the 

### ooat 0r snrety bon&r r0r hia 

### mputies, ~prea.Iumon fire, burglary, theft, 

### robbery insurance proteoting pub110 

### funds, traveling exPens%s and other eeoeosary expenses. The ComuIssion%rs~ Court of the oounty or the Yherirf*a 

### resIdeno% my, upon the WrlttenSnd sworn applioetlon Of the Sheriff stating the nooeasity therefor, purchase e:quIpment for a bureau of orlainal identifloation suoh a% cameras, fingerprint oards, Inks, ohemioals, microscopes, radio and labora tory equipment, fillng oarda, riling cabinets, tear gas and other eQuipsent In 

### keeping with the 

### aystsa In we by ths 

### Department or Publlo 

### Satety or this 5tate or the United 3tates Department or 

### JUatlO% and/or Bureau Of Criminal ldant5fIoation. Ii auoh expenses be 

### lnourrsd Ia 

### oonneotion with any partloular CBEB, suoh statement shall name suoh case. Such expense aooount ahall be subjeot to the audits of the Couaty Auditor, if any, otherwise by the 

### ConimIasIonars~* Court; and If lt 

### appears that any item or such expense 

### was not 

### inourred by suoh 0rri06r or suoh item was not a

### neoesaary expense or ofri00, mob Iteln shall 

### be 

### by suoh auditor or oourt rejactod,.~ in whioh 

### oaao the oolleotions of ‘suoh item may 

### be adjadioeted In any oourt or 

### oompeteat jurisdiotion. me amount of aalariea paid to Aaalstants and Deputies ,shall also be clearly #hOrmby suoh orfioer, giving th6 nsae, position acd amount 

### paideaoh; and In no 

### event shall any oifioer show 

### any gnater amount 

### than aotnally paid any suoh

### Assistant 

## orD%puty. !Phaamount or sush expenues, together with the amount or 

### aslari%s paid 

### to Assistants, Deputies an6 

### Glarks shall be paid auf 

### or 

### the fees earned by suoh orriesr.

. .a In Opinion 

### 36. O-1753 

### this d%partment passed upon queotlona relative to the Interpretation 

### of statutes pertainlog to

## 466

iionorable U, P, treraa, 

### Jr., page 6

the mnner and

### inethod 0r purohaees 

### by oounty orrioers 

### ror the ~6%of the oounty and upon %xpenditur%s authorized to 

### be -de myoertain oouuty 

### ofrloers In the, oonduot of their orrioes. $6 

### we enolosing a oopy or said opinion ror your oonvenI%no%. ieid opinion held that Artioles 1638 and 1659 were general statutes applfoable to the purohaee 

### of supplIes, an4 that ~rtioles 2358, 2359, =I eotion 1, Art1016 3899b, and Section 

### (a) irticle 

### 3899, ‘aupra, Nero sp%oIfie 

### statutes r%latIng 

### t,o the subleot 

### or purohasa oi oertaln suppli%s 

### and th% asking Of oertain ~xpendltws. 

### It was

### further pointed out In said 

### opinion that rhere there 

### is a ge5eral 

### statute deellng with the 

### subjaot, and 

### it the 

### sametims 

## l peoial 

### statutes relatln,g to 

### a portion oi the taze 

### subject in aaors debit0 way, 

### the oorreot 

### rule or statu- ;ory oonatrustion In suoh 08~s Is 

### stated la the opinion of Lx

‘arte Townssnd 144 S. iv. 628, 6&l, as follows:

*It is aloo w%ll establish%4 that, where 

### ona statute deals with the subjeot fn oompr%h%nalv% term and another statute deals with a portion of th6 a.+% subjeot 

### In asore d0rieit0 way, the two should be read together, If poaalble, with the view to giving 

# 6freet to a conaIstent legIslatIv% policy. 

### Xowever, If there Is any neoessary aonrllot between two suoh laws, the speoial will prevail over the ge5eral statutw. Where ths 

### speoicrl ntetute 

### la plakmr, it will be regarded as exoeption to, or qualifioation Of, the 

### rior general one, and, when the genema 

### sot is Pafar, the speolal will 

### b%oonstrued as readning an exoaption 

### to

### its terms, 

### ualeas- it Is 

### r%pale4 in express words 

### or by IatplloatIon. cyo. 36 1151) Rodgers 

### v. United 

### States, 185 U. 8. 83, 

### 2kStip.

. ct. 

### 582, 46L.

# lsa.816; Rosentra5s 

### v. u. a., 165 u. 5. 257 17 

### sup. Ct. 302, 41 L. &dr 708; LazonbJ v. S&they, 151 ILO.App~ 285, 131 S. Vi. 

### 708.”
he opi5ion 

### rurjihr pointed out that srotlon (a) of Art1016 3899, upra, oontePaplak4 the purchase 0r the ltmu rnumrated by the 

### frfcerb or

### t&uoOtity as show5

### by the ~quIrem%nt that all 

### of uch pnrohaaos or expenditures Jauntbo ap roved by the 

### oouaty aditor, 

### if any or oth%nisa 

### by th% aoad asla5ers~ oeurt. Aho, 2 thl8 oonaest~on we oall 

### your attention to thi raot that Ar101% 3891, Jeraon’s 

### Annotahd Oirll statutes, bp00iri06u.y 

### rOVide8 ror the peywnt of the 

### expanaos authorized 

### under rtiole 3899 

### by the orrioor hb86lr. 

### Said opinion further sld that the 

### purohaue of legal blanks JPPlIes by the oomaIsaIoners* oourt o 

### stationary ana siroilar $ the county itbelr, Is. 1 

## 467

Xonorable ‘if. P. ‘JlroU, Jr., pew 7

aontrolla& by the prowlrio& of Article8 2358-2367, and Beotion 1, artiola 3899b, a8 to the aannar or 8uoh purchaear 

### and the 

### manner or 8rr00ting 

### ao0ptitir~ bid8 thereunder; and rurther that the emarganop 

### provision8 or 

### Art+* 1659 are applioabla to purahese8 by the oO,ami88ionarr)' OOkirtOf 8uoh 8~pi~~l.ia8; and th8t the pWo!msa of oartein 

### 8Upplie8 by the, oounty DffiO0rS who41% aOnQ34nsated Oil8 r00 b48i8 5.8OOntl-Ollad by 

### BOOtiOn(a) OfAJZtiOl0 3899, dupra, rayuiriw 8UOh

### puroha8er to be subjaot to the audit
or the county auditor, If any, Otherwise by the COL&Ui88iOnar8' aourt. Thus, 

### under our atatutac), In a oounty operating on a r08 bBSi8, them 8l'4 thX00 @+RerEd 01888itiOatiOll8 Or &Woh88a8l 

### (1) rhm~a puroh8sar 

### mstdaunder oontraot by the ooavnla8foners* ooant, ertsr the advartiring 

### iOr bid8 88 

### providrd by kW; {2) 

### Saarganoy purohWa8 (got In bIGa88 

### or ~150.00) made by r*C318i8iOlI 8&.tpMWdbJrthe OOmmi88iOnar8* oourt a8 authorized under 

### Artiola 1659; 

### and (3) Oartein puroh88ar snd 

### axpa4ditura8 by aouaty ofriaerr 

### 8UthOrizad to be 

### peidout 

### or thsir rer8 of ofrfoe,.



### ‘Share 8upplie8 

### h8Te bean 3NXOh88ad under oOntr8ot by the :oD3lQlasionar8’ oourt or under axiarganoy 

### rttqti8it~Oll8 authorized )y the CO0Dli88~OIl0r8' OOW't, the 

### fMOtiOII8 Orthe OOUUtyaudltor cith reepeot to euoh puroha868 era defined fn 

### Arti 1660 and 

### .661, FxTAO~'SAnnotated **Civil .%8tUt** **’ ik,**  iJndor the QrOVi8iOIl8 

### ri said Artia~es the County Auditor'8 rUIIOtiOiI18 to amnina '611..018i.1~8, bill8 

### and aooount8 against the oounty* (Art. 1660) md "he 8h811,not audit or approre any 8uoh olati unlea8 

### it ia8 bean contracted a8 

### provldrd by

## law, norant 8OOOUQt ior ;ha purchase Or 8Upp1ie8 Of 08tePi818 iOr the u8e Or raid oounty 'r 8ng Or it8 Orri00r8B ~dO88 

### in addition to other raqulreaLlt8 Or law, there i8 attaohaA themto a 

### mqUi8itiOa **signed**

### by ha 

### otfloer ordao~ 8US4 end 8pQrOVed 

### by the oount~ judge. 

### said aquisitfon ~~28%

### be made

### out

### and ri&nati 

### and approved in tripliata **by** the 

### aald OmOer8, th8 

### triplioak to 

### remain with the 

### rri08r da8iPbg tihepurahau , the duplioate t-0

### be tiled 

### with ha oounty audltor, 8nd the 

## original to be,delivered to the arty from whom said pufoha88 i8 to 

### be

### ntadabefore any p~Ch48a 

### hall be made." (Art. 

### 1661.). . 

## ‘

. 

## 468

Lonorabla if. P. 2arm8, ?a&* 8



### ;i:ith rafaranoa to thematter 

### or raqulaltion8, artlola 1661 

### clearly 8tata8 that requisition8 

### nre to ba slgnad by the orrioar making the purohasa and 

### approvedby the county jud&e. 

### #e find no authority for 

### the oounty auditor tomqulm, 

### a8 a praran,uisita toapproval of a olnlmbaead on 8uoh ~urohasa, that tba**raquisi** tion shall be **al&nab**

### or approved byhimwhen thepurchase 18rnada. 3aotlon (a) or 

### Artlole 3899, Vernon*8 Civil Statutarr, 8upra, authorizer expenditure8 **ror erpenrar**  incurred by oounty OfflOlai8 who are compansated on the fee b8818 iIlthe OOAdUOt Of their OrriO08, ruoh 48 8tatiOnary, 8tUQ8, 

### telephone, premium8 on offlcials' bonda, lnoludlng the oost of suretybond8 for hla deputies, premium8 on rlra, burglary, theft, robbe& insuranoa 

### ljrotaottig pub110 rUad8, 

### trqvaling axpen8a8 an6 other 

### naoa88ar~ expanse8 subjaot to the audit of the oountf auditor, Ifany, otharwi8a by the commia8lonar8~ oourt, 

### and 

### ii it appears thatany item 

### or 8uoh expansewe8 not lnourmd by euoh

### orrfoe~ or such Itemwe8

### not a recasaary ax~anae or orrioa, 

## suohItem 8halibaby 8uoh auditor or court rajaotad, inwhloh **u8aa**the ~oiiaotlon8 Of 8u4h 

### tte4 maybe adjudlcatad,ln anp court of oomptant juri8diationi ~The amount or 

### 8uoh expunae8 shall be paid out or therd.8 earned by such orrloar. With rafaranoa to 8uoh items 0r expanse lnourrad by oouuty Offloar8, we find no authority for the oounty auditor toraqulra hi8 approval of 8UOh Item,ofax~an8a at 

### the tima euoh expama 

### i8 lnourrad, 

## 488prepqui8ita to iai8 approval or 

### an orri0d3 axpenaa aaoount.. 

### The OOIMty 

## auditor*8 ftltlotioni8 to 

### audit suchaxpanra aooount, 

### a/tar the mport haa bean rubmittad by the ofrloar 

### todetermIne whether 8uoh ltam of l xganea hare teen aotually jnaurrad 

### and am naoaeeary In the legal oonduct of suoh ~frioa. Altho;lghtha

### ootmty auditor ha8 general ovar8ight over the Sln,anoa8or tha oounty, tha exarolw.or suoh ovar8ight with mraranca toQIArOh4808madeand axpan incurred for 

### the use Of the countyor by.~artainoffloar8 In the oonduot of their OfriOCI8, 

## i8 darinad

### endaontrolled~by the OpSOifiO provi8ions.

### or the 

### 8t4tdte8 Pel'tainin~t0 8UohpllrOhe8a88nd eXpen808. In view 

### orthe rom6oing and in view or 

### the raets given, it18 the opinion or thl8 dapertiant t&at the oounty auditor 

## tr not authoriaad 

### to mquim, 

### a4a.prarequl8ita tohi8 approval 0r a olalm or 

### ltaa8 

### or axpanre, that411 raqui4ttiOn8 for 8Ueh puroh48a8 orexpanre 

### item8 shall. 

### bealgnad or approved by him 

### at thatiae the purchase 18made or the 

### expanse I8 inourred.



### ‘Setrurt 

### that tha foregoing fully answer8 your Inquiry. 

## Your vary truly,