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The Attorney General of Texas 

Dcccmbrr 14. 1984 

JIM MAlTOX 

wxlIoy GoIlwal 

A lexu, sune 702 

noue1m. Et. 7mo2-3111 

7lw22ssM2 

Bonorable Joe Uancit: Bell 

Trinity county Attorwy 

P. 0. mox an 

Groveton. fewa Y!i845 

C~inioo No. 311-253 

Be: Mbether . chief deputy uy be 

appointed tu l sstsoor-collector 

by l comieeionerr court of which 

her cousin ia 8 nember 

Deer Mr. Bell: 

You otaca that e recency bes been cruted In tbe office of tax 

l ueuo r -c o llec:by tor the dutb of the incwbcnt who bed l erved l inee 

Jenuery 1. 1961. 1Im chief deputy bes been continuously employed io 

the office in var%uo poaitiono for twenty-tuo ycarr and bar been 

chief deputy for :pGcera. She ia a first coud~~ of l c o unty combsioner vho bea served continuously in office l iucc Jenuery 1. 1961. 

You wk vhet’her the colpireioners court my l ppoint the chief 

deputy to fill the vecency without violetlag the nepotism l tetute. 

Article 5996e. V.T.C.S.. on nepotin. provideo: 

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No oi'ficer of thie State . . . nor my officer 

or .merbmr of eny State di&ict. county. city, 

school district or other upicipal boud . . . 

dull rppoint. or vota for, or confim the 

appointlent to any office, pomitioa, clerbhip. 

emp1OJY.t or duty, of eny parson dated within 

the MCOI$ degree .by ,affinity or within the third 

degree 'by conunyinity to the perwn w 

l ppointdma or l o voting, or to any ocher member of 

amy l xh board . . . vhen the ulery, fem. or 

compenu~tion of aufh eppointee IS to be paid for. 

directly or i.ndlrectly, out of or from public 

funds o:c feeo of office of l ny kind or cberecter 

utut*oever; provided, tlut nothIn herein 

coateinotl . . . rbell prevent the l ppolntmeat. 

voting for, or confirmation of my, pereoo who 

shell hmc been contiououely employed in l ny such 

office. PO61 tiOIL. clcrkehip, l nployment or duty 

for a period of two (2) years prior to the 

election or eppoincment of the officer or member 

eppoint Lug. VOCiIQ for, or confirming the 

eppointwnt. or to the election or l ppointment of 

D. 1128 
Honorable Joa Warner Bell - :?trge 2 *(m-253) 

the officer or ember related to such employee la 

rhe prohibited degree. 

First cousioa are related within rhe second degrea by conaenguinity. 

See Attorney General Opinions O-6221 (1944); O-4670 (1942). 

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The county ta x l aaesaor-collector holds an elective office. Tex. 

Conat. art. VIII. M14. 16. 16a; Tax Code r6.21. Thus. ordinarily the 

tax l aeaaoor-collector would be ~alactad by the people end not 

appointed by the comlmi,c~oers court. The court, hovaver. is 

statutorily auth&ited to fill a vacancy ia this office until the next 

general election. V.T.C.S. mrt. 2355. 

Article S996e. V.T.C.S.. bars the comisalonera court from 

appointing the firac cousin, of a comiaaionar to any office or 

l eploymaat . Attorney Gencrrd. Opinions O-5452 (1943); 04987 (1942); 

uee also Attorney General Opinion 04670 (1942). The acetu~a pravantm 

any member of the comissionera court from voting for 

any pereon ralettd wlthin the second degree by 

affinity . . . co t:ha person ao appointing or so 

voting. or to any other member of any such 

board. . . . (Fmp~asia added). 

V.T.C.S. art. S996a. Thus, nooe of the coamiaaionara may vote to 

appoint the first cousin of a coamlasloucr to the vacant office of tex 

aaaaaaor-collactor. See Attorney Ganeral Opioioa O-3016 (1941). 

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You raise the l xceptiou to article 5996a. V.T.C.S.. for a person 

employad by a governlog boa::d for two yaara contiauously prior to the 

alaction of hia ralaciva to that board and suggest it may apply in 

this eaea. It 18 irrelevmt to the problem before us. The tax 

aaeaaeor-collactor l ppoiata hfa deputlaa; the cowiaalooer6 court 

cannot control or ioflueoce his aclectloa of individuals for tbat 

post. V.T.C.S. art. 3902; Attorney General Opioiona S-993 (1977); 

H-697 (1975); O-6221 (194A:). The deputy ta x l asesaor wae oavar 

appointed by the commiuiontrr~ court. She therefore does ooc come 

within the two-year proviso elf article 5996a. V.T.C.S. 

SUMMARY 

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The cowisaioncra court m6y not appoint the 

firet cowin of u commissioner to the office of 

county tax eaaasacw-collector vacated by the death 

of the incumbent. 
Ilowrable Joe Uitmer Bell - Pq;c 3 (JM-253) 

. 

TOM CREW 

I:icst Aralstanc Accorney General 

DAVlD R. RICHARDS 

Executive Aaaiscanr Attorney Oc!ncral 

RICK CILPIN 

ChaIrman, Opinion Committee 

Preparad by Suean L. Garrison 

Assistant Attorney General 

APPROVKD: 

OPINTON COMMITTEE 

Hick Gilpin. Chairman 

Susan Garriaoo 

Tony Cuillory 

Jim Hoellinger 

Jenni~fcr Riggs 

Nancy Sutton