July 29, 19%

Hon. Robert S. Calvert Comptrollerof Fubllc Accounts Capitol Station Austin, Texas Opinion No. S-75 1
Re: Valldlty of a contract for prlntlng and stationery for the Legislaturewhich ya6 not let on competitivebida and approved by the Qouernor, Secretary of State., and Comptrollerof Public Accounts prior to performance Dear Wcr Calvert: under said contract.

You have requested an opinion on the following questions:

"l.~Doesthe Legitilature have $he authority to provide for s~tatlonery and prlntlng, binding, equipment,and secure repalrs for the use of the Legislaturewithout the '"'letting

of a contractupon competitivebids? "2,.IP contractsmust be let for,prlntlng and binding, do they require appro.val of the Covernor,Secretary of State, and. Comptroller? “3. If the above listed Items must be obtained or performedunder contract, doea Article 616 aleo apply?
"4. After a regular aontract has been let to the lowest responsiblebidder for all stationery,prlntlng and binding, and the repa,lrlng

and the furnishingthe halla~ and. .

Hon. Robert S. Calvert, page 2 (S-75)

rooms used for the meeting of the Leglslalx+ and Its committees,should the Leglsla- ., ture disregard the regtilar‘kontkatit and purchase any or all of the Items, listed above from a person other than the lowest bidder in the regular contract and at a price equal to or less than the price set out In the regular contract,would the Governor, .Secretary

of State, and Comptrollerbe authorized to approve this last purchase by the Legislatureand would such approval authorize the Issuance of warrants In payment of a claim for such purchases?" Section 21 of Article XVI of the Constitution of Texas,~provldeti:

"All stationeryand printing, except proelamatlons

and such printing as may be done at the Deaf,and Dumb Asylum, paper, and fuel used In t~he

Legislatureand other departments of the government,except the JudicialDepartment, ,shall be furnished,and the printing and binding of the laws, journals *y,anddepartmentreport,s, and all othe,r

prlntlng and bfndlng and the repairing and furnishing the halls and,roomsused for the meetings of the Legislatureand lts~commlttees,, shall be performedunder ,contrabt, to be' given to the lowest responslble,bidder, below such n+xlmum price, and under such regulations, as shall be preacrlbedby lay,. No member or offioer of any departmentof the gov.ernment shall be In any way InterestedIn such contract; and all such contracts shall be subject to the approval of the Governor,Secretary of State and Comptroller."
The provisionsabove quoted~aremandatory and the approval of the Governor,Secretary of State and Comptroller Is essential to the validity of any contract govkrned by Its provisions. Teer v. Mcknn, 65 S.W.2d 362 (Tex.Clv.App.

1933). In State v. Steck Co.., 236‘\ A-.

Hon. Robert S. CBlveet, page, 

### 3,(S-75)

,S.V.2d 

### 866 **(Tex.Clv,Apti.** 19511 errorrei.) the 00wf held Invalid a contract for the manufacture of clgarette:,tq atampe which had note.been let on. a mmpetit~ive .-bid bsrrla and me not approved,~.by’ thb:.Oo+rnW,, Secretary *of .Btat,e, and Comptroller. The Court s:tated:

11

. , . There the CQurt~ f~ur$d~tl%e

Etiw

, .were “I*anufaotured’.; if 80, then the oqnpact 3’or their nuihutW,Wre~ Creae ~reWlmd. .W be awerd,ed‘in the manner provided in ~+iPt.

‘
, 

### 7047e-1,

Set, 

### 3, mpra.. If sprinted, .then ~,.such contmat ,wa# required. $0 be 8wmdql fn the’ manner, ~movlded: IWthat Artiale aq! ,*$a~~,, Art, XVI.,,

.sec. 23 ,of ,me conati$ution,. mwrh

.: “A

. . .,,,. . .,. !, .I II

. . . . In ~m&ng the $$mtrao*, baiozku&,

..~ the ofricera, of ‘th&,Stat;e. .jmild exeralee only

‘: those pouem upnferred on thetu by the law .qi the Statue, and the power t,o ’ make;the son- . ,$rac,t., .aa it: war,,

mde,. .ia., not ~$ravided !+ that ‘Im, fo&q

~,whlqh”reaeon.

.a ~l@gal.~~~lg8~ ,tlon ‘against the Stafe~ was not : oLyBe$sd ‘%y the umiuthoalaed cont$met,., tilid,ap,pe&&W!,& $m:yaa not grovidod i?or by .,m?-exNting PO& North :CavaUr Club, a, ;SheM,:.;, 

### 125 GOX. 339, 83 S.N..?d~66Ol..Au&ln ,N&lenal Bank v. ’ Sheppard, 

### 123 'Tex,, ~272~~ 71, S42d ~ 2421 Nlcholr v. State, 11 TexXiv~iApp., 327, 32 &W.W.

‘45% Er&M’.i State v~. .Psrl+ln. ’ 

### Tqx.CIv.App~.

, 

### 79 S.W.2d143,

.Br.Dio. In ~vliw tir the foregciing qe, at&qW &ii Wu? tm0 (~0~

~r0iww.: .* l., The Legislature doer no+ have authoritY t;o provide for stationery and printing,. binding, QQIPipauti~~ and repairs Sclr the we ot the I@girl,atW?e Withput. ,%&O letting of a c.ontraot upon oom&iz,$abl,@. N+C@I&, hart, XVI, Seo.21; Teer. V, MC 1 co., &tiate v.~ S&a* aupra. 2. Such contrapts mua* b@ ~approyad ,by .&he Governor, Sewetary of estate and ComptrolJej?,. ?peSr Q ~. McOsnn, supra.

., ’ .. f

Bon. Robert S. Calver,t, page 4 

### (.S-75).

,~’ *:

._ -

s 3,*-Article 

### 616;Vernon’s ~~.tii’l Statutee; appl~les @ ,suoh

contrac~ts

for printing and atatlonery. However, the CoinptrQ43er can only ,approve

:suoh acoounts.

if the contract ‘Wet+“th.e requiremeats of Se&&n 21’ of :Article XVI of the Constitutionof Texas.
,- ‘. : ~4.’

Supplies,

atid se,rvices

enumerated.inSection 21 ‘ofArticle XVI bf: the Constitutiono’f .Texas ‘.oannot be purcha,sed,,

from~ anyone ,who

dde~s not hold a ootiract therefor which has been let on competitive bids and which has been approved by the Governor, Secretary of .State, and ComptrolY.f3,

even though’,the

price’ pa~id Wnot In excess of the ‘regular

do,ntract

price then lri

force ,for similar supplies.

and. zaez%Lces. If additional sup&ies or services not covered by th,e original contrac.t

are needed, 8,

new contractmust be entered into for such addltlonal suppl,les or services in.

compliance

with Section 21 of, Article XVI of the Cotisti.tut$o$‘~ ‘State, %?.~’ ~S$eck Co.. , ,suwa.

. .sup@f&qy ~:. .: ~‘~

.,, :’ Section 21.

of. Art+zle m, ‘of’

th&o&stltution ef Teixas

requires that statxiwqry.and’ prin,ting,

;bbitid,ing,

and the’

repa.ir*ng,

and.furnishing of ~thi?

~:hal,ls and rooms used,

for meCinga. of the’ Legi~slature

,be .‘furnished

by the l$&Wtig~

of con.traM%o;zi

oompetiti.ve

bids ~jind

that Che conWacta ‘be,

approved by.1th.e~

Governor,Secretary :: of Sta.te

arid Coinptroll.er. ~‘,

,‘.’ APPROVED: ~>>, .,.I

~.,.y,, B. Duncan Davis County Affairs Division

‘; Mary E. Wall Reviewer

‘~ Robert S.,

Trot&. , First Assistant
John Ben,

Shepperd Attorneys

Gjneral.
JR:am .: