# The Attorney General of Texas
August 17, 1983 JIM MATTOX Attorney General

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An Equal Opporlunityl Affirmative Action Employel Robert Bernstein,M.D., F.A.C.P. Conrmissioner

of Health Texas Department of Health 1100West 49th Street Austin, Texas 78756 OpinionNo. JM-64 Re: Whether rider to general appropriations act violates article III, section 35 of the Texas Constitution Dear Dr. Bernstein: You askwhether a rider in the currentgeneral appropriationsact satisfies article III, section 35 of the Texas Constitution, which prohibits the enactment of general legislation in an appropriations act. The rideryou refer toprovides the following:

None of the Ul0*ep appropriated to the Department of Health and Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardationmay be expended for the training or medical treatment, except in emergencies,of any student or patient who is not a citizen or resident of this state. For the purpose of this provision, affidavits from two reputable persons shall be deemed adequate evidence of citizenship or residency. (Emphasis added). Acts 1981, 67th Leg., ch. 875, §Ze(l),at 3604. While Attorney General Opinion MW-538 (1982) addresses issues related to this rider, it doesnot specificallyexamine it in light of article III, section 35. Having applied the standards of that constitutionalprovision to the instant rider, we find that it meets the requirementsof article III, section 35. The principles relevant to the present inquiry are succinctly summarizedinAttorney GeneralOpinionM-1199 (1972)as follows:

An appropriation bill may detail, limit or restrict the use of funds therein appropriatedor otherwise insure that the appropriatedmoney will be spent for the purpose intended. Moore v. Sheppared. [sic] 144 Tex. 537, 192 S.W.2d 559 (1946);Lindenv. Finley, 92 Tex. 451, 49 S.W. 578

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(1899);Attorney General's Opinions O-445 (1939), V-1253 (1951),V-1254 (1951), 2959 (1935).V-1196 (1951). A rider attached to the general appropriation bill cannot repeal, modify or amend an existing general law. S;ate-v. Steele, 57 Tex. 203 (1882); Lindenv. Finley,m; Moore v. Sheppard,supra; Attorney General's Opinions 1745 (1917), 2787 (1929), 2965 (1935). 2970 (1935), O-445 (1939), O-1837 (1940).O-2573 (1940),O-5329 (1943),V-412 (1947), V-894 (1949), V-1196 (1951), V-1254 (1951),M-1141 (1972). You do not challenge the propriety of the first sentence of the passage presented for our consideration,andwe believe it does comply with the principles set out above. You contend that the second sentenceof thepassage

is an attempt to enact general lawby establishing evidentiary criteria to limit the authority of this department to require proof of residency beyond the two affidavits standard recited in the [rider]. ; * * However, you have not cited nor have we found any authority beyond the first sentenceof the rider itself regarding theDepartment of Health's responsibilityto determine citizenshipor residency. See Attorney GeneralOpinionsH-556 (1975);H-156 (1973). It appears that the second sentence is merely an explanation or definition of what constitutes citizenship or residency for the purpose of the first sentence. Therefore, itmeets the test of being necessarily connected with and incidental to the appropriationand use of funds and neither conflicts with nor amounts to general legislation. Attorney General OpinionsV-1253,V-1254 (1951). 4

SUMMARY A rider in the current General Appropriations Act concerning citizenship or residency does not violate article III, section 35. of the Texas Constitution.

JIM MATTOX Attorney General of Texas

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Dr. Robert Bernstein - Page 3 (JM-64)

TOM GREEN FirstAssistantAttorney General DAVID R. RICHARDS ExecutiveAssistantAttorney General Preparedby Colin Carl AssistantAttorney General APPROVED: OPINION COMMITTEE Rick Gilpin,Acting Chairman Jon Bible David Brooks Colin Carl Jim Moellinger

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