OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS 

AUSTIN 

bfaroh 16, 1930 

Bon. &. 8. Thornton, Jr. 

Chainnan, .$ppropriotions Committee 

House of Representatives 

Anmtl.tl* Texas 

WI0 wnmtruetfon OP 

Artlole 7 see of Texas 18 reeolvod. 

antSoP to am oplilartuont under Uate 

th: JMnaraUe.L..A. @~&a, 

Oh a wpy OP that opinion 

b of the Conatltutlon, among 

elature ahaZlpr~Id%bjiar 

matioa 0Q ~31 ofiiaere, wrand publio wntraatar m%t 

r sn this Oanst.itutfon.* 

n 9 of Article B rae adopted at an election 

held Wovaaber 2, 3BS6, and, slang other thlnge, prorides 

that out of aertain fuad+3 to be derived Prom taxation *St 

uhall be the duty of the State Board 09 Education t% set 

amide a euffSolent amouut out of the eaid tax to pr%vi.de 

free text-books for the use a? ahlldren attend&q the pub110 tree, schoole of this State; provided, hwever, that 

should the llmlt CP tslurfiOn herein XM&%~ be ITmuft~Ol~nf 

the detioit may be met by ap#Wopriation fPola the general 
Ron. IS. AL Thornton, Jr., March IS, 39930, PagQ 2 

fund of the State." 

At the time of the adoption of this amendment 

Seotlon 8 of Article 7 of the Constitution providedr 

"The Governor, Comptroller an& Seoretary of State r&all wnetltute a Board of 

Eduoation, who shall dlstrlbute,sald funde 

to the severnl counties and perfow such 

other duties wnoeming publio schools as 

may be prescribed by law." 

At en e&eotion held Nwmber es lDS& 3eotlon 3, 

Artl.ale 7 of the Gonstitutim rae amended 110 that it DOI 

m-t 

VheLei#f+lature mhallpmrlde~byla~ 

for a 8tste Boar+ of Bdwathxb whew mea- 

: hers mhaUbeappeiatedoreleotedin suah 

manner andby su0hauthOrit amI shrllserm 

for l aohtenum a9 theLegl J ature mhallprewadbe mat exoeodhg 8lx p8ra. The uid 

Bonrd ohall perPow 8uN.1 duties OP may be 

prewrlhed by 1-r 

State eoonetltutione are adopt&l as a whol% and a 

elauae waiah, stwdhg by itwlf, might em, of dodhtf'ul lmportamy yetberrrdsplsinby c4neparkwnrithother61auna 

or portioarr of the m-e inWrment~ therolb~ It is a pmper rule of wnstruct~on that the -1s is ta be axaminaL 

tit& avlew tc arrirlng at the true intent at eaohpart. 

sn wnatrubg Seotion a Artlole 7ef the Oonmtitufion, the uh0le tinetrmmnt must be aonmidersd, and partlOularly the provl&ms ot the 30nstltutl0n abets cpoteib Xt 

will be noted th8t in Seatian 3 Of &t&ale PI it the'f'rmda 

derivedSnna the murues o~taxationm~itioned in the mettan are deplete& theLeglalaturerillhe oalledupon fa 

supply the detXai%ncielr from the general revenuea. PaplW-~ 

of the Btete Board 0%' EdIXoPtiOn are either off+loerec, *enante 

oragenteoithe State, and Bwtlon44 of&tiOle3plaue61 

within the exalueire )urisdlotion of the Legislature the mafter of prwldAng for their wmpeneation. 8lnoe the adoptian 

of 8wtion 3 of Artiale 7, Section 8 of Artidle i has tieea 

a~~e~~deil+ and the Legidature, is direoted te pr0~ide for a 

state hoar(i of Edueatiorq whoeemembere shall be appointed 

or eleoted, and who shall perioxm suoh duties ae may be pre- 
lion. E. R. Thornton, Jr., March 16, 18~~~ Page 3 

scribed by lar. 

When all of these provisions are considered 

and given full ?oroe and effect, the conclusion must 

nooessarfly be reached that the Legislature has exclusive control over the compensation to be received 

by the officers, servants and agents of the State, ineluding the employees of the State Board of Education. 

Strength Is given to this wnstruotion when the provisions of Seotion 3 of Artiole 7 are considered, vhloh 

provide that any defioienoles which may be oreated in 

the funds must be met by.appropriation from the general 

funds of the Btate. 

We are thoretore of fhe opinion t&at 3ection 3 

o?Article?o? theConstitnt%ondaasnotlimif the 

powor given to the Leghl8ture by Seotion 44 of ArtSole 

S of the Constltutlon, and that the Legislature may pmride for the aosqmnfmtlox8 of apployees of the State Board 

ok? Biusattiq thereby fixing their salaries. 

Theopinionabovere?erred to ishersbyoverrnled 

APPBomDr 

G.--U-- 

. ATTOBNEX 8EKEWL OF TSKA8 

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