JIM MAlTOX 

Attorney General 

suprma Cowl Bullding 

P. 0. Box 1254s 

AImtIn. TX. 7S711- 2548 

SlZ475-2501 

TdW s1011)74.1357 

Tslecoplrr 5121475.0255 

714 Juk8.w Suite 700 

Dallas. TX. 752024505 

214rf42a044 

4S24 Alb.m AW.. SuIta lS0 

El Pwo. TX. 7Sm5.27n2 

OlS!5S34B4 

.Ml T.rar. Wt. 700 

liouaton. TX. 77002-3111 

7x3mx3.w 

w6 Broadway. SUIW 312 

Lubbock, TX. 794013479 

5w747-5238 

43X N. Tenth. Suite B 

MeAllen. TX. 7S501.WI5 

512iuS2e47 

200 MaIn Plaza. SUIIS 4ca 

San Antonlo. TX. 7S2OS2797 

5121225-4191 

The Attorney General of Texas 

I 

,. 

Novdaer 13, 1984 

Hr. Bill Rale 

Executive Director 

Taxae Cormiaaion on klwnen Rights 

P. 0. Box 13493, Capi,tol Station 

Auatln, Tuaa 78711 

Opinion No. ~~-228 

Re: Authority of a local hrelation.4 comniaaion to file 

auit under section 4.03(5) of 

article 5221k. V.T.C.S. 

Dear Mr. Hale: 

You raqueat clc.riflcation of the source of a local human right6 

c&eeion'e authority to file employment discrimination actlona. 

Spccifitilly, you mk vhether e local comisaion may file civil 

actlona purauaat to oection 4.03(5) of the Texas Commission on Human 

Righta Act, V.T.C.8. ,#art. 5221k, without a local ordinance authorizing 

arch action. We conclude that once a local coum~esion ia created 

pureuaat to eectioa 4.02 of the act, the local commission la 

authorfzed by aectlm 4.03(5) of the act to file civil actions aa 

specified In section 4.03(5), which is controlled by section 4.04(a). 

No local ordinance LIO necessary. Thio does not. however. prevent a 

political aubdlvlsioe from either adopting and enforcing an ordinance 

pursuant to eection 4.01 or delegating to its local cormnission the 

power to enforce its ‘ordinance. 

Ae a preliminary matter, when e political subdivision haa no 

direct interest in 4, particular claim and, consequently. no standing. 

it also lacks stac,ding to act in the public interest. city of 

Jeffcroon v. Railroad Coumlssion, 453 S.W.Zd 906, 908 (Tex. Civ. App. 

- Austin 1970. vrit ref’d n.r.e.); Ridalgo County Water Improvement 

Dietrict No. 2 V. Capron County Water Control 6 Improvement District 

No. 5, 253 S.V.Zd 29'4, 300 (Tex. Civ. App. - San Antonio 1952. writ 

rcf’d n.r.e.) (polizlcal subdivision may be class representative In 

suit relating to thtr function of the political subdivision). The 

legislature may place the authority to represent the public by filing 

suit where it choaaw. 80 long as it does so constitutfonally. The 

question of who may amaintain an action ie a matter of lav and is not 

subject to tha cont:rol of the parties. Pieldton Co-operative Gin v. 

Urtiht, 259 S.U.Zd 603. 605 (Tex. Civ. App. - Amarillo 1953, no yrlt). 

a political ~rrbdivision may confer upon itself or upon its 

deleiatee the authority to aeaert another individual’e or entity’e 

cawe of-action only as specified by lav. 

In addition to the jurisdiction of the state commission. article 

5221k provides for two local methods of effecting its purposes: one 

p. 1023 
* 

Hr. Bill Bale - Page 2 (JW:!;!~) 

by the political subdivision itself and the other through a local 

cowaiseion. Section 4.01 lnilicates that 

[a] political subdivision may adopt and enforce an 

ordinance that prchibite practices designated aa 

unlawful under this Act, or otheruiee declared 

unlavful under fecleral or state lav. (Emphasis 

added). 

Section 4.02 provides for local com~fssions in part as follows: 

A political subdivision or tvo br more political 

subdivisions acting jointly 3 create a local 

cormission to promote the purposes of this 

Act. . . . (EmphaM.s added). 

Both of these provisions are permissive; thus, a polftical 

subdivision need not enact and enforce employment discrimination 

ordinances and need not create a local human righte coamission which 

vould promote the purposes of article 5221k on the local level. No 

local action is necessary :lor enforcement'of article 5221k on the 

local level by the state compj:sslon absent these actions. A political -- 

subdivision prry delegate the authority to enforce its oun section 4.01 

ordinance; hovevet. once a poltitical subdivision creates a local humen 

rights comnission pursuant to this statute, which specifically 

authorizes certain powers, the local cod6sion has at least the 

power* authorized by the ewtute. See Attorney General Opinion E-753 

(1975); see also Attorney -GralOplnions Ii-1092 (1977); E-619 

(1975). 

Section 4.01 is a provision which emphasizes that a political 

subdivision is not preempted from preventing employment discrimination 

and which grants authority to prevent local discrimination by 

enforcement of a local ordinance which may or may not duplicate 

article 5221k. Generally, l.ocal regulation that is ancillary to and 

In harmonv with the general lmcooe and ouroose of state enactments is 

acceptable. City of Brook&de'Villag; ;. Comeau. 633 S.W.Zd 790. 

(Tea 1982) cert. denied.-459 U.S. 1087 (1982). Article 5221k 

specifically authorizes 1ocs:l ordinances: nothing in article 5221k 

p;ohibits a-political subdivision from delegating ihe power to enforce 

its ordinances to its local :mmission. 

Section 4.02 Is an indlependent provision, with regulation by 

local commissions guided by-the provisions of article 5221k rather 

than by the provisions of ;I local ordinance. Therefore. a local 

commission created pursuant to section 4.02 has the authority to file 

certain civil actlone to enfmce article 5221k. as directly granted by 

section 4.03(5) of the act. Section 4.03(5) grants local commissions 

the pouer 

p. 1024 
. 

Mr. Bill lisle - Page 3 (~~-228) 

to receive, investigate. seek to conciliate, and 

pass on complaints alleging violations of thia 

Act, and file civil actions to effectuate the 

purposes of thia Act if the federal government or 

state emission hi;8 referred the complaint to the 

coamission or has Tleferred jurisdiction over the 

subject matter o:? the complaint to the COW 

mission. . . . (E$asIs added). 

A local human rights comrm~.esion may file civil actions in these 

instances, as further controlled by section 4.04(a), without separate 

authorization by locsl ordinance. 

j;UMMARY 

The authority of a local human rights commission, created pursuant to section 4.02 of 

article 5221k. to file. civil actions pursuant to 

section 4.03(5) 16 not contingent upon enactment 

of a local ordinance. Nevertheless, a political 

subdivision may ttdopt and enforce a local 

ordinance pursuant to section 4.01, and nothing in 

article 5221k proribits a political subdivision 

from delegating to its local commission the pouer 

to enforce the ord:lnance. 

Very truly your J - A b 

JIM MATTOX 

Attorney General of Texas 

TOM GREEN 

First Assistant Attorney General 

DAVID R. RICHARDS 

Executive Assistant Attorney General 

Prepared by Rick Gilpin 

Assistant Attorney General 

APPROVED: 

OPINION COMMITTEE 

Rick Gilpin, Chairman 

Jon Bible 

Colin Carl 

Suaan Garrison 

Jim Hoellinger 

Nancy Sutton 

p. 1025