**OFFICE OF**  **THE**

Sonorabls Lo)1A. Keith, ChaIrnun RallrorC Coxmissl:n cf Torr, 

# lustIn,

ToxQr

” loll 80 

### to the eats 

### of uffloe 

### oxplre 1040, **teokr** our **opia** ellt twari or traure
am rtolted **in 7cur** 


### flee of 

### Rallroed Coamotion In lSS4 for the 'A.II. X. 

### .9plelltl, hari'ag bad **bben** appoint66rha 

### gesIlllean

Piorson 

### sdada03 on 

### Jaauor719, lQe6 ax

I wal 

# l r.oted to mvalibor eleotlon **e on**  **sanuar7** 19, 

### tona ln 

### thbPorbaber Juafr .G. 6. Lettlaore edainirtrred 

### fl& tinJ6nuar7 lb, 1Qb5.g Theis woa emote4 **b7 the**  Ls&rlaturo 

### in **1959 (Aotr**  1939, 46th bg., p. 13tO Ch, 486, 0. 1) tbo followinC. statutr whlob rpware FM dclr 2929a in Vernon*8 Annotated Cl+il Otatotsrl

# I,,-

Rononblo LonA. 6mlth, Pa&rt

*lrom and after tha 

### l ffrotlvo drtr hereof the trrma of offlor of all ~.OtiVa 8tato and DirtriOt ofiicorr a4 the Stat0 of Toxa~), rxoeptin(l QovWnOr9 Llbutrnant Governor, xmbara of the Senate, and Yabrra of thr Houarof ReprWsrntatlvrs, rhall brgin on 

### th8 lrt da7 of Januar Brxt followln(l thr Ooneral Eleotlon at whloh 

### ra1dreepeotlvr 8tata and Dlrtrlot ofiloorr 

### worerleotod,g



### ma offlos orR8llrona Comalodonrr lr an rlootlrr Statr 

### off100 rnd 18not 

### oneof thr 

### offlorr l xorpted

by thm bxprear prorldonr 

### ofthlr AOt. Thrrsuml@r your 8uoooaaor 18 authorlrrd to quallf7 **for** and aa8umathr dutlor of the offloe onthe **Irt** bay of JcLnuaq, lQU, at whioh tim), of
. oourao, 7our right 

### to hold the 

### offloe longor would ooa8e.

Seotion SOM ArtlOle Xl’Z

### of the 

## COAatitUtiOll Or Tars8 &laratlteOr a 81X-7-l tO= t0 Railroad c~88t.OnOr8. :;t&ppesrr that 7ou puallfled on thr 15th da7 of 

### JanUar7, ior 

### tha dx-yrar term to whloh 7ou were alooted at ~ar&al rl*otlon of 1934, thr d Thualr posed tha guestIon of shather thsra ia an7 legal obstaola ti the applIOatIOn **Of** Art1010 29e9a, aUpra, under whloh atatuto your auoce88or ms7 000~~7 tha offior on the 18t da7 of Janu6r7, 1041,

we rhall brlrrl7 

### revlaw the 

### hirtory of the 

## 0rri00 Orh3llrCMId

cOSId88iOnOr.
In 1890 there wa&

### l do?tod 8rOtlOn t of ArtlOle I 

### of thr Conrtltutlon, whloh raadr;

rRaIlroaUr heretofora OOn8truOtOdor rhloh meiy herBafter be ooaetruotra 

### in thla statr ara hereby drOlarad pub110 hIghUa78, and railroad ~oapet~Ie8, commonoarrlers. TheLb&irbtUrO ehal par8 Lswr to ragulato railroad, freight and parrangbr tarlffr, to oornot abu@@n

ana prevent un ust dI~orImInation and extortion in tha rater of fro ight and paraangbr tarItfr on tha diffarant railroad8 S f thi8 St&o and onforpI the 8ama **bf** adopttat ponalt 08) and to tha further 

### l OOOBlpliBhYi6nt ~Of thO8r objrotr and pUrpO808, IM vlda and eatabllth all requisite &aanaand agancI pl-O06 Invested with suoh prmerr 68 ma7 ba dseml adequate and adrIaabla,w

### 706

Honorabla LonA. Snith, Pee. 5

Furruant tharrto, the E&d Laglrlaturt in 1691 croatad the Railroad CoaIaaIon (Oantral Lawr. Vol. 10. 9. s.ct1on 1 of **thr** AOt 

### providing 88

## r0llowh
-B. it enact.4 by tb Ls&!i$latulv 

### of th. State **of** Texar: Thet 

### aRal&otd Cctudbtlon it barab7 oraatbd, to be oompottd of three parsons to 

### br l**fl**

### - pOl(I3t.d 

### byth. **OOVtrlWX, 08**  **iOiiW8t ff**  the Lag **I** latura be then in ttatlon the Wrarnor ahall, upon the taking tffaot 

### of thla act, or ea **8oon** thereafter aa praotlaabl., b7 and with th. adrlo. **of** thr Ssnat., 

### if th. Ltgirlaturt then be In arsalon appoint aald CoiaEi88IOn.raj but if th. L.glslaturt b. not in #.I)- olon, thr Covomor ahall m&r 8uoh

### l ppoIntm.nt8, and l aoh COmm!a&Io~~r10 appointad rhall hold hIr 

### orflce. until the **ttoond** Kofor?bay after tba Inauguration of th. naxt auccaedinC) **OovbMor end**  until hlo **tucott8or 18**  appolnt .6 andqu4lIr~ad. Xeoh **8UOOttding** **Oo*trnor** ahall on **the** troond YonCeyartar hit ineuPmmtlon, or ba .oon fhartaftar aa praotloabl., appoint ml& c0ml88Ionar8, rho ahsll 

### taoh hold 

### hla 

## orrice until the acoon ~onds7 artar th. Inauguration oi tha next **euooetdinp, oovtmor**  and uotll hlr auooe6sot Is appointed anil

## ~utairiee.~
Thefortgolne rtatutory rm?vIaIons revriaed Ia the ltatdasOrSexa5 iAnti1 1926, attrr W!ii.h ArtiO.1. 6447 read:

*TimRailroad Cca6leaI~ of Tbxaa shall br comgo864 

### of three 

### (S) mambtre,

### on6of who6 ahall ba aleot.4 bi-mnlall7 attaoh conare election for th. tbn 

## or 81x part.* In tb. 7.8r 1894, hmavar, tharr **X88 8dOpt.d**  **8.0.** tlon a0 

### of Article XYIof the Constitution of Tent which mad8 aa

## r0iim6:

**vtr duration**  or all 02fIcor not tlxml b7 thla Coartltutlon rhell n.vtr **txoeed** two years; prcvlded, that .whtna Ballroad Comfssicn la created by law 1t thall be ooepooed of thra. Comaairsloabre whoshell b. altotad by the people at a **Ccmtral** election fOC**State orfltxrb,**  and thblr tens 

### 0r

## 0rri0b shall beJx parri c

### 707

Ronorabla LenA. Wth, Page 4

provided Railroad CommIarlonera flrrt tloctod after da 856ndmant goes Into tffaot rhall hold 

### orriot $8 fOiiOW8: one rh.al1 *aCta two yaert , an4
one four **part, and**  one air yeare; thalr ttma to bt **4aol4td** by lot lmmsdlett~y 

### tit&T theyl hall hare quel~fl*d. Andona Railroad CosmireIoAer rhll be elected 

### everytwo gear8 tharaortbr; In **cost** of taorno In **aaid** 

### 0rri0t tha **Governor** 

### 0rtha stbte 811811 fill raid racanoy by appointment until tba next gtnoral l laotIoA. *

Furruant **to** t?Iia OonstitutioAal pmvitlon, John R. Reagan, L. L. Storty, undAllieoA ~ie~fleld wera altottd Rallroad Commlsrlonerb et the general alaotlon In 1890. It lr recorded 

### in **the** ofriolal tlaotion rtglrter that tJllson keyfield qualified for tbt orfioa on the 5th bay or Januer7, 1097, and that John8. lieegen end L. L. ttOT6p ?&alIfIed on the 17th da7 of January, 2837.

Th8hlrtory of rubaapuBAt qualifioationr for the offICe 

### rtrtalt that **there** haa been no day otrtala uponwhich the Coptaisdoatrr hart qurlifiad; the **dstt** har bean terlsblr arter

‘the lrt **da** about the I of Smuery, followl~g, the general tleotlca, usually

Gth, the letrst, agerontly, bel~g upon the 2lst t6y Or &~AUU~J.

At the tlaa the Iirnt thme elected Comalrrlcnrra 

### wtrt tloctad and pualifltd, the rtatutsr were alltat rtlatlot to the t~aot~rt offiob of Railroad Comrdr8ioAtr. There wa6 oal7 Snotlon SC **0r** Art1018 TVZof the Cunatltutlon.

Horeowr, Artltlr 1957, 19&B,end 17S9 of the Rtvlaad Statuttt or 1895 (proriding for l laotloa rbtupts, for tht ing end oouotIA~ or raturns by th8 sscrctary cf St&t, endopenror the **d~11vsr7** 

### 0r00rtirioatt6 br altotlon by the Govamior oAthe fortiath dsy after the general eltotioA) did Aot lnoluet tbe orrloe ol kall.rca& Cosmlarlaner in the enumeration of St%te officer to which the ttetUtt8 wsra l pplloablt. .*m P5th **&&shturo** in 1697 (rrubsequant to **the** taking or ofrloe **by** tha Efrat eltotte Rellroad 

### Cozuclselonert) amtn484 

### Art10181957**to** 

### in0iuet **tbo** 

### stat8 orriot of Railroad Co5anIeeIoner.Ronorablr Len A. smith, logo 3

m8r4rorr 

### rtth4 in04gtloa or tk4 4104tir4 **orri0r** of Rallrosd Conaalrr~mrr thora oxlrtrb only thr provirlon in 6eotlon 

### 500r Artlole xvx 

### or the conrtltution thtt th4 ?bt l lOOtOaR8iirOd cOd88iOn8r8 8hOUldh8~8 8tSe68r4d 

### t8l.Q8O?tUf0, ?GUr, Lti 81XyOPI8, SKldt&t 8Ub88qU8ntly 8hOtOa biirOSb cOIWIhriOZi4r88hOUiQh8V8t8m8 Of81X y8W8. Neither the COn8titUtiOll nOl- th8 4t8tUt48 8X~UO881y 64t4tain9d 8ither UhOIltbe Ori&intIl 8tA688rOd t8WE OO!lUii8lJO4d OrWhSnth8 8Ubs4$Uent 01X-y4Sr t8lTl8 W8r8t0 Cm8n.O..

Th8SdOptiOil Of,CtOtIGn30 C?;.rtIOl8 =I O?the COnstftUtiOll 8brQc8t86 th8 8p?OilltiV4 COllEfd48100 pZWid4a for by the LlgidetUr8 in lE91 pur-S-t to S8OtiOn 2 of Art1014 I O?th4 COn8titUtiOll. Thi8 n8C46Strily wa8 OG!Uul8umtedat th4 n4xt "g4neT4l 8hOti3n ?OrSt4te Q??IC8r8", 8W!%8 b41Y.@ th4 Eonnsral 814ctlcn In **Novrmber,** 1896.

Ill OOll84l-#8nO8

### the thre8 &?IIlrO8dCOloei881On4r4 olrotea rt **the** Eener81 ri4ctlon in 1896 oould hrvr thrr8upon qU4lifi4d tar 4lld 444UlWd th8 dUti84 Of 

### th8 O??iO88. Obrit?U~~ the tppOintiV8 COnr;'-881Cn4r8tier4 LCt4lltit.146 t0 lOm4r hold thbir Office8 buOaus8they Wre 4~p8rceded Undrr **S8OtiOll**

‘SO O? Arti XVI Of

### th8 CLnatitUtiOn by th8 el.CtOd OffiOOr8. To oonsfdsr otherdse would reach a result contrary to Section &~d this by force c? hn act c-ft?.e22:nyiLoCislature in

. Thr g4n4ral rule oler the UnItod Stat88, prouliarly **oppliccble** in thir iE8tanCe, 18 thtt rhtr8 110

### tilll8?Orthe 008c4nOoment O? 8 

### tars3O? OfflC8 i@ ?iXsd by th8 Co~8titUtfOn or 

### by rtatutt, lluoh term comisanO88 rrm th8 CSt80r 4n rleotioa or rrom the logal 4804rt8lnm4nt or thr rrsult8 0r the 414otion. 22 k* c. L., 6 251; **RO A.**  L. Il. 1290; 46 COr. JUT. 955, 6 104; Whitmy 1. **Patriok,** 64 iii80. 191, 120 1. I. SUpp. 560. In ruoh 0888 It slaynot be htld thet the term OWIfiOlIQ48at th4 t1w O?pU4lifiOetiOn for th8 O??ICC. ThI8 ?Or the obvious roSson tb8t ir it **uerb** so anorrforr would **bo** on8blod **tO.,bnhr$8** upcn the terIQOfhi8 pr8d8048SOr without reducing his own, in virtue a? 

### hi8 preCeco88or*8 holdI% otor, by the ex or, 8hOUlr dlent of dolsyi~ thr ti54 o? hi8 qutiifiCatiOii,

h8 b8 hi8 OM tUOO488or, 45ler&8 UpoIl hi8 iX48at term by pOctpOnillp th4 dAt8 Oi his C.U8ii?htiOU for hi8 8UOcsoding term. 508 Jowttt v. !;oC!cnnoll, 112 irk, 291, 165 6. G. 954.ROnOr8bl8LOQ A. bdttt:,

88OtiOIl 

### 19 Of adO8 

### 1 h&8 b

Art1018 XVI O? 

### the C4ll8titUtiOlh 

### 9r~-

*Aal Offi44T8 uithia thir 8tet.4 

### 8hal1 4oBtiau4 **to** perform tbo dutler oi tholr orri044 untli thrlr euooo88or3 #hall **b8 duly**  qulliflod." TGthe 48P4 OffOOt 18 Arti u Of th8 ROri84d Cl111 Btatuteb OS

### Terarr

"Z8Ohorricer,whtthor ti4ct8a 

### or t~pOint8d urldor th4 law8 O?thifi Stat8
. . . 8b311 kOk3hi8 Offi for tbo tern provided by 16~ and until hi8 0UoO488or 18 4140tea or tppointrd and qU8iifi4d.

. . .- Thr conoluslon 

### la reaCh44, thersfore, th8t 

### the.t6mr 0s 0rri04 0s th8 flr8t Willroad cOItiOi8tiOnOr8 rlrotsd 

### purruant t0 SOQtlOn

so OfArti xn Ofth4 cOB8titUtiOB’Of 

### POX88OOIEm8aood at thr tin8 o? thrlr dOOtiOB, 8nd thir rOg4rdl484 of 

### WhOn tb4y qUdi?iCib $0~an&888~tXOd tbo dUti48 Of th4 O??iCI48. 

### Th4ti4t three 4iOOtOaCOlU6i88iO~Or8W82'4@lSX'Wit486 vT48p40tit4 tOTI Or tW0 iOUr, 8ne 8iX y48r8 88 d46idtd by lot; eucc44dlng C~tdsslontr8 wore gusrante*d tit-yaar terci8.

It he8 beon 

### ee~t~r46 by the 

### Supraee Court **0s**fern8 

### that -th4 te&it~tIUO la 'without power to eboli8h OOn8titutional 

### OffiC48, Ort0 8kGrt8nt4A8 OfG??iCO,WhlOh 

### 8~4riX4d by th4 Con8tltutlon." Couell 1. Ayers, 1X 

### T8X.346. Thsro 

### 14, how4?8f, no 4On8titUtiOM1 objeOflOn tc a legl8latlr4 regulation 0s th4 oomamraa4mmt 

### 0s tOhb8 0s 0rri04 

### provided the result 1s not t0 8hOrtOlJ4 4Olr8titUt;Oll81, tom.



### 68boforr aantlimod, 

### the 2btb Legie&turo in 1099 amended mtlolr 1969 0s the Rerlsed **atatutm** OfU95 to **:tnoludr** th4 0rri04 0s 

### 1~0llroadcormol4sIoner, whorotor on tba fortieth dny after 

### thr goneral eleotlon tha Governor dellverrd orrtltleater 0s 414otlon to the nesly deotad Railroad COxnl88lon4r8, 

### 04~01188to otbrr ofSlcrr8. Tier the dootrlne 

### reoogalt4d in th4 0884$'0? TomT. ni,pper, 192 s. K. 72). (writ 0s error refU84d) , 

### stezpt f. Tittle, 169 S. 8. 996 (CiV. App.) and Hanilton v, stst.4, 61 E. x. 219 (GOWt Of CrihLMl. APpOtit), eubarquent 

### term80s 0rZi04 0s Railr~ab GOXVai48iO?lOr8, tna other ot

### fiOUr8, o0wn4ncedonth4 fortieth day rfter the general oleot$bni4ths tf58 wbm the el8Ot8d 

### titlorr could qdiry for the

.

### 710

Boaorablo LonA. smith, Pa20 7

It was bold by this Mprrtmsnt in en o~lnlon to Ld Cd881~0r J. 9. Xslko? **UndSr** bats **Or CSOSPlbOr** 1, lea4 (Lottsr Opinions, vol. 374, 0. 461) thet thr term o? ru0h off108 oomunord on the Sortleth dry sitor the ~ononl slsotion. Likorlso et to Dlstrlot Judges u&or 68te o? January @, 1937 (Lottsr oplnlons, Vol. 374, p. 99s). Esoh o? these oylnlons was rendered prior to tho eluotmuit of Art.1010 2929s. The 8ffnOt G?

### ruklng th0forty-day provl6lOn spplloablo to the off100 0r Asilrocd 

### Comdssloasr we8IkGt8 shortsnlrrg o? tho terms. Rother, it aff6rcod the incumbents tholr ?til tome en4 t tenure in nxcsss 0r tho term had

### they qusllfled whentheir torn8 oommsncod.

It maybo obserrod thRt 6 -t.zre. c? ofiloo” 1s the tlmo during wblob, b or appoint06 0rrioia 1 law, BIIoffice maybo held by an olootsd ; 8 *tonur* of 0fri08- is tne tlrdo during wtloh ID.0frioiai riotuelly ssrfos, Ths 

### tlmo 0r oath loa not oolnoldo
. For oraxplo , en offloor mapdolay his qurllf foatlon and thtrobg etortsa his tsnurs in tlrtuo G?tbc Srot tbat tie -tom had oG=snood et tho time rhon ho 00~16 bars ~uallfled. Or, an of?loor playqualify &en his term co~onoss end hold over beyond tho oxplratlGn of hlr term until his euccsssor do08 0: amy :uell?y, ln rhioh osaa MS tonurs sxossde his term.

alrslonorr Thetortia of tbo first three olootod 

### Rall.r~;~tt~;;-

oom~enos4 rt the tins c? tholr 0loctlGn. e lng rromthe noted nmsndsnont to hrtlols 19b7, Rsrlsod Statutes o? 1895, by the 25th Lcgiulbturs ln 1897, subsoquont tortisof the offlco oom6enOsd on the ?ortloth bay sitor the eonera l

lsotion. fa oonsoqusnos of Art1018 29298, ennoted by the 45th Lo&lslaturs ln 1937, tho tens o? subssquont Rsllread Commlsslcnors begin on the first day OSJsnwry foll6wlng tbo general olootlon.

Xnno ooze has tho oonotltutional tone baon **r%rten 06.**  Thofeot that bUCO0680XC lr t&ooiflco boeo 0Gaslstontly delayed their tlms o? qusllfloatlon does not gainsay tho oommenconent’of tholr tome prior thereto. custoai osnnot alter that whloh is, by law, otherwise.

you are thorofors, respsot?uZl the Gplnion o? this Doprrtment that Art10f adrlssd that it 1s 8 Z929e, suprs, nay be oonstltutlolurlly applied tc the otfloo o? Railroad Colsaisslonor end dstormlws when your wlecoBscr say quality for and

## 73.l

Bonorabl@

LOII A.aah, page8 i
**888~ th8**  **duti08** 0s **tb0** 0rri08. This is ontbr lrt 4 of 

### Januaw, 1941. 7

xi ana when

### such 18done, wbstbor 00 th 8 date or lstor, your rlgbt to hold the o??los longer tbors

### upon 08~888. Yours very truly ATTGRREY

GENERAL

OFTEXAS \

. ZCSsBBB



# . .,. APPROVECDEC