CommissionerJim C. Langdon

Chairman Railroad Commission of Texas Austin, Texas Opinion No. M-120
Re: Whether'employees of the Texas Railroad Commission may have.,their

registration fee paid.by the State for attendance at a transportation conference sponsored Dear Mr..Langdon: by Texas A & M University
You have re uested our opinion on whether the State can legally pay the 815.00 registrationfee ,foremployees of the' TransportationDivision of theRailroad Cammission that attended a transportationconference spOnsoredby Texas~ A & M University.
In your requestyou stated that the Commission directed that certain of its employees attend the 9th Annual Transportation Conference sponsoredby Texas A it M, and that the employees attending this seminarpaid the registration fee and that membership In the seminarwas bought in the name of the State of Texas. You further stated that that seminar could not have been attendedby the State employeeswithout p.aylngthe $15.00 registration fee. This office has uniformly held that if the expenses occur as a result of training and information that could be used to enable the State employee tomore efficiently carry out their duties, then the State may legally pay such expenses incurred,by the State employee. The basic question always to be answered as to what is "Statebusiness," is whether the training In questionbears a reasonable, substantialand direct relationship to such--goaatnrbelih81~:~- dutiesand: functions.
AS clearly stated in Attorney~General'sOptinlon No. C-722A (1966), the head of the agency concerned is the officialwho must make the determination as to the reasonablenessof the manner of performing duties assigned, When the agency head has made the determinationas so certified, the Comptroller is limited solely to the ministerial duty of paying a claim that is in proper form. The Comptroller does not have the specificduty and authority to investigate facts contained in claims for travel expenses,but has only the authority to approve such illaim filed in proper form ',

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pursuant to a specific appropriationand issue a warrant for-payment of the claim, Attorney General's Opinion No. ~11-1328 (1962), Attorney General's Opinion No. C-477 (1965).
It is the opinion of this office in keeping with many prior opinions thatwhere the training in questionbears a reasonable, substantialand direct relationship to the duties and functions of the employees, and this determinationhas been made and certified by the agency head involved, then it becomes the ministerial duty of the State Comptroller to issue a warrant in payment of the claim, Therefore, in response to your request, it is the opinion of this office that the Comptroller shouldpay the registration fee of the employeesof the TransportationDivision of theRailroad Commissionwho'-attended the transportationconference sponsored by Texas A & M Univeristg at the direction of the Commission.
SUMMARY The Comptrollermust pay the registration fee expense of State employeeswho were assigned to attend the tran$- portation conference at Texas A & M University since such expensewas incurred as a result of State business. truly yours,

&27* C. MARTIN rney General of Texas Preparedby Linward Shivers Assistant Attorney General LS:bp
APPROVED:
OPINION COMMITTEE
A. J. Carubbi, Jr., Chairman Staff Legal Assistant
W. 0. Shultz, Co-chairman John Reeves Paul Martin John Grace Ray McGregor

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