OFFICE OFTHEA~ORNEY GENERALOFTEXAS AUSTIN



### ffonorable

Tom Seay Couuty

Attorney 

### Pottercounty Amarillo,Texas
Dear 91x-r opinnion lo. O-4101 Ror (1) Is Artiole la?, Penal Code, rendered Invalid 

### and lnoparstive beaause of the failure of the Legitdatlre to define the m- $2g of the terms "ystermplumber," erpployins

glumber and &maeyman plumber In either the Clvll Statutes or the Penal Coda? (2) If not, bP vbat maan can the meuring of mmh term8 be detsradnsdt 

### Fhls ia to acknovledge rcroeipt

of your reoentinwIry **upon the**  aueatlonr **ar** stated **abovo. Ve**  **have given**  **oclreful eon**  aiderationto the aatter in aonneotlon vlth the brief suaitted w Y-. Article 122, 

### Penal C&e, read8 as 

### folllwar

'Any' person, 

### vhetherar asaferplumber, emplo#ng, or ~0urneJacpLn plumber, engaged In, voHcl.rq

at, or aonduotingthe business of plumbingwitbout liceme as provided br lav, shall **bo** fiasd pot less thaA tvent -fivqor 

### more than tvo hwu?reUaad fiftydo f am. **As** 

### originally

emoted in 1.897~‘

the abaveArtloleip rubntantlally

its present form, was Se&ion 6 of Senate Bill HO* 154, printed offiolall an Chapter 163 of the &moral Laws of the Twatp-fifth 1ngi8 L ture. we findother sectionsof the or%- legl&ation, sow of vhloh have been aarended, nov dadifiad b the Revis& Clvll Statutes as Artlales 1076 to lC& .'HonorableTom Seay, Page 3

lnaluelve. To lntelllgently oCB8pFehend

your plwblaeeve here quote euoh Articlea:

“Art. 1076. (986) Sevemge, etc. "Eve- alty in thie Strto, hovever omanlee& havbg untlerground eevers or ceeepoole,l ball pee8 ordlwweo reguhtag **the** tapping of **8aa** eevere and ooeepcole,reguJ.ating houee drainingemI PlWine* "Art. 1077. (990) Plumbing 

### lnepeotor
'In any euah city where thorn I8 no tit inspeotoror plumbing provided for by speaiJ charter, the governingbo4y shall eleot euch inepeator of plumbing,who shellhold offias 

### for such time au 

### fixed **by** ewh board. Such fnapettorof plumbingmey be the city **engineer,** if the board 8008 fit to elect bias. ***Art.** 1078. (987-a-9)Bowl of plu&iwe "Suoh elflee.

ehall ornate a board for the exanlnatlon**af** plumbere, to **be** known a8 the exaadn4s and eupervielng bosml of plumbere, to pravlde **for** aa inrpectlaaof plumbfag. Maebere of l

a id b o a rd

ehe ll

m a elve

a o a om pa a ea tlnn f or lervi a ee

on sa idBoa rd. The ea l d y tiy uon siet

of t he r0imlrrg five pereon er or thelocolboe~4 of health, lf there be euoha boerd OS herlth. and If not. then the oity phyeiaiea or the aity health offiaw, the city **engineer,** t&e aity 

### laepeotor

of plumbs, a meter plumberof not lees thus ten year8 aatlveand contizruoue **experhnae** 

### a8 a plueber,

en8 one Journeyem plumberof not lee8 than five yore of euch sctlveend aontlauow experlenae. The wyor aml the govemIng **bo&y** 

### ehallmgul8tO the term each **mdber** ehell eerve; they ehell fill all vacoacles

### for ths 

### unexpima tern of the ember vhoee **plaae** 

### 18 fillcrd. "Art.1079. (991) ReguZotlon of plumbem 

### "Theextamingtrd eupervielngboardoiplumberllHonorableTom Seay, PWe 3

shall emu&m end pa88 upon d **persona** nov engaged 'inthe buslwae of plumblgg,vhether as master, employing,or journeyaau plumber, Ln their reepeotlveoitiae, and all 

### persona vho mey hereaftervieh to e-6 in the buelneee of plumbingas 

### water, &playing, or journeyman

plumber,vlthln their reepeotlve jurisdictions,

and also a4 pereon vho mey 8pply for the office of plumbing lnepoctor. They shall leeue a llcenee to euch paraoae only a8 eball eucoeeefully pa88 a mquiteul Malul.Mt10n. They ehall regleter in a book to bs kept for that purpose, the mum and 2 place of buelneeeof eaah pereon to vhom a plwber'e llceaee la leewd. Such llaenee shall not be traueferable.
"Art. 1080. (9g2-y-6) Lloenae "The board ehall not leeue llceneee for e~ore then ens year, but the came ehall be reneved froe~

year to yaar upon **proper** appliaaflon. Bach eppllaant for arid axamlnatlon

### for plumber'8 liaense shall pay, to such pereon ae eald board may deel.gnate, three dollare for each water plqmber exaedned,end tvo dollare for eaah joumeyeam plumber examlnad,vhiah fee8 nay be 

### usedby l

ald b o ard

to defmy

spy ofit8 legltirte dxpaneee, the rw ddw , it any, to be paid to the-olty tmseumr. examlnatlonaudexamInatlon Pee ehall nofhsbe required of the eeme pamon mom than oaea. "Art. 1081. (997) Lioenee enled Y&coopt in citiee **of** la88 thaa flve thoueand inhabitante,

a lloenee ehall not bo leeued to any pereon to carry on or vork at the buolnere of plumbbg, or tq aht a8 au l.nepaator of pluemag, until he ha8 appeared before 8n axamining or eupervleing board for aamlnatl0n and regietratlon,

and ehall %ve euoaaeefully paeeed the required ex~inetton.

we are authorimxl to **coneidrr** the olvll statute8above quoted in applyingyour qusetions to amlyele of Artiale 122,HonorableTom Seay, Page 4

Penel Code, mpra, for 88 obeervatl In Love- ve. Rnglleh (Tax; Clv. App., writ of error retueed), 2% S. W. 478, emny Artlclea of the Penal code are lnaomplete ml.088 **reference** 18 mnde to the Civil StatutesIn aid thereof. AlthoughArticle 6 of the Penal code provide0 that an umi.ntelllliglble lev 18 not operative, It expreeelyauthorizesresort to other vrltten lava **of** the Stete in oonatruingthe varloue Articles of euoh ?eaal Code.

Ae noted by JOU, hovever,neither the Artlclee quoted from the Revlaed Civil Stetutee,nor may other etatutory enaotermt of the Texae Legislaturedofins the term “water plumber," "employing

plumber"and "journeymn pluaber,'and, slthoughve beve laboriouslytraced the legislative hietory **of** the orlgbal Act of 1897. ae vell as the aaendatoryeats to the Civil Stetutea (Art. 1976, R.C.S., originallyenacted In 1897, emended b A&o 1909, p; lb?; Art. 1081, Ibid, emended by Acte 1919, p. 2 8), ve I: have been unable to find a trace of etatutoryenllghtiemntnninlfasting a legislative ktent of the meenlng to be aeurlbed to tbe phmeea under lnveetlg8tlon.

Article 8 of the Penal Tootle made as follovet

**“ Art.**  8 lOWorde, hov underetood Irordevhloh have their we&g apedally defined ehall be underetood In that eenee, thou@ it be aontrary to their uewl meanhg; and ell vorda 

### ueed in thie Code, exoeptvhen a vord, tare8 or phrase 18 

### l

peolally d4fia4a, are to be 

### tskenend ocmh-uea in the eeneo 

### in vhich they am 

### understood

In aomoa lsnguqe, takfnglnto oonelderatlon

the context end eubjeo$ratter relative to vhloh they are wlm. Subdlvlslon1 of Artlola 10, Revleed divll Statutea, under the general cub-title 'Oonetruotlon af Love' contains the folloviag1

“Art. 10. (5502) (3268)Oenerel Wee "The follovingrule8 ehall govern in the conatructlon

of all aivll rtetutorymeotmente~ "1. me ordinary eignifiuation ebell be applied to vorde, except vorde of art or vordeRonorable qotn Seay, Page 5

oonneatedvlth a **particular** trade **or** subject matter, vhen they ~ll.have the eigulfioation attached to thera by expert8 ia euah art or trade, vith referenceto such eubjeotmstter."
In oonaectlon

with the laet quoted Articke, although it la embraced in the Revlred Cltil.Statutea, lt Ime been held "equallyaa appllc4ble, end of hladlag force in orimlnelproeecutlone." Wurzuy vs. State, 21 **Tax.** App. 620, 630, 2 8. Ii. 757, ;~,s57vAm. Rep. 6?31 Bredfield ve. 'State, 73 Tex. **Cr.** R. 353,

. . 734, An+Cae. 1917C, 696.
You are oorreot, la 80 far a8 our search reveale, in eaylng that there do not seem to be any caees vhere our courts have directly p4444d upon the questions involvedherein. the case of Brom vs. Indeed, cited by you, State, 74 Tax. Cr. R. 108, 167 S. W. 348,

seems to be the only caee of a convictionunder ArtLola 12:'

of the Penal Code n8ahlng our Court of Crlmlaal Appeals, slthough there heve been numerous deal4loa8of our Civil Appellete Courte.conetming the Clvll Artialoa adpted above. In addition to .Trevitt ve. City of Dallae, (Tex.'Clv. App.) 242 9. y. 1073, cited by you, mfereaae la made to Cwmn ve. Colemen, 103 20x. 467, 101 9. W. 199, Porrieh ve. Wright, (01~.ApprevsraIn& (Clv.App.j 96 8. w.

., **writ** refused) 293 9. U. 659~ 777; Dmrla v4. Roll.lend, (Clv.App.) 168 8. U. 11; City of Roueton ve. Rlcbter (Clv.App.) 157 3. U. 189; Robineon ve. 0s veetioa (Clv. App.) ll1.s. W. .1078; Bslrd VI. Peeler, (WV. App. 137 8. V. @a) 215. f

Tn.theBrovn aaee, eupre, the ecoueed wee aoavlctea of violating 

### the e4me statute nov 

### under aonalaeretlon, then ortlcle 131 of the Pen& Code of 1911. On appeal t@e judgmnt of conviction-was

reversedbeoeuee th& State failed to 8hov that the City of Della8 **haa** underground eever4 end oeeepoola, **or** a board of plumbing axeminer -- reQulredby pcovl8loneof the Revleed Csvil Statutes, (nowArte. 1076 and 1078, 1925 Revised ClvSl Statutes); vh$le the 

### l

t4tutory requirement8that the plumben* examlutngboard 8hould number 4mng its embership a "masterplumber" end a "journeymen plumber"vere dlscuseed la the opinion, the court of CrlmlnelAppeal4 ala not exprees its opinion

### aa ta the vslidlty of the etatute under which the proeecrution ves 

### brought.

That the point w&ie not rsieed or dlawseed seenis of some consequenceto ue, especiallya4 t&e cause vae reversed~onorableToas.ay, page 6

and mrmand0d in6kad or beg 0amd dlsmi6~d, 

### "a6 it shauld haaueg IT the 8aou66dstoodaanvloted

800 fh'blIt&

61.1 CO. VS. &'aM "p er en utterly VOld 130 T.x: 240, 242, 106 3. U. (?a) 136, 13:. Ta. Co61. App.)

III the C*Oe Or It31

paX% BeCkWOrth,RO. ?1,598 (not get *w-port&),a.l~hab.as oorpu6appenlto theflowtof criel

### l.mIAppesl6bsWIe4 on orlglnal 6ubml66lon

### on April 23, 191, it ameem that ROY Redcvorth -8 oonvioted ia the coppomtla hUX% Of inrtPl1iIkg D1urbN fixtUlW8 In a hauee iu your oltp-- Aawlllo-- Mthcut 

### hadng fLr6tobtained

### e perait 

### a6 requuired by a city 

### ordme, v~6 s66a66ed a rune 

### or rmp 

### d0ii~0, ud sought releaseby the vrlt. lvpaadsd sppellant. The aounty oourt, after a hearing,

Appellant!6 contentionthat the olty ordlnmce Or Amwlllo la void lwthat the Dmalty provided therein ror ming on the buslners **0r** DlunbiBg vlthout lioeuee 16 in aonfllat vl.th Article 122, P&al Co&o, aqwa, vas 8uatainea,and 6816 ordmoe held VOlqh it appearing the onllnanc 0 or not qess Drovlded a rlrre 86thsPem1co rrmrethantvohundroddollar6,whemEupl OS tventY-flveeolleLr6. 6 th6peAtlltybyPiaeBoeloainLInasnatcsr

aa if Article 122, euDr8, 1s vol. for any 74 re86on, the Dbint ana0 by rppalent **must 0r**  nBca66 y ra, tha Opiaion Of th13

aOUl't rei6.6 Ul -St OOl!dUS~V@ Dl'86U6@tiOil

t0 mr niad6 that Artlulo l-22 18 oomt1tut1oMl. T&e lee laaentti Judge Chrl6tlan of the CaPni66lopto aid the Court of 

### Crlalnal Appeals

vrote the oplnloa,

oxpr6881~

Idopted by **the** Court. & the opinion 16 **round** -rem to and quotation6froa the above quoted

### Aptlo or th6 Rsvisod Civil 

### Statutes,

IQ t he

va rl ow a & vi 1

l ul~s mentioned shove, ve find the conetitutiouallty of the pluabingAct as b vholo r88al3.06 on varloua

greuzulr,

lr pWi &lly

in 

### ?6rriah

Ya. Wright 8nd Tretritt VU. city or Dallar, and, vblle the particularpoirrt eavha8la8d w you doas aat seaa to have been 

### urged or passed upon, the Act has been generally 

### 6uakln.d. c&&II*, 293 s. u. at p. 662. 

### 300 the oplnlorf In the Parrlah

,. fa **view** or the authoritiescited snd~dlscus;~~a~~~ e6peciel~yln the light of the vail-knolmand funcbme

, SO 88 to give brfeat to, rather ehsn to PuulfY it9BonomsbleTo61 Mty, P4ge 7

ve 41% of the opinion th4t Article 122, P8n4Z Code is v4.lld 8nd operative,4ad ve tberefov64naver your rirat **qum6tlon** In the negative.

**m YOUZ?**  **8tlOond qU66tiOn~U**  **Wish t0**  **knOV q**  **V&t** a64na the tenna “mater plumber",maploy!ngplumber, 4nd "joumaqman plumber'm to be dotermined.

That th. hgiU~tUr0 XWa8d t0 t&CO ~SO~XEIUM Or the 88U66

I'd.0 8XULOUl&OOdbfth6

&OF&a COUPtin th# @4M Of Foltoff VE. tit T or At+a, t&Et amater p uatborr 4 Qa. App. 183, 6l 9. E. 27, vlx-- and "employing

plu6Ibsr6"

M one and the Em, 16 **8VfdOtlOed** by the f4Crt th4t in Artiole 1080, R.C.S., rupra, In rI.d.XIg

thr iltp60 r6N3

th6JIW 16 ILO afUtint3ti~

bOtVOm ?6RUtd 4Ild"cloying DhMbOz'6XIlO MIltlaD.

16 6UdO 46 tO'th0 fee to be charged "slqploylng" plwaberx,vhemae the fme for

“ aaxter” plumber6 ir ret at thr6k dollara 4nd th4t tar "journey6m' plumbers at tvo dollars. AP Article 1079 repuirsl the axaahation 8nQ llcexi6e to be gr4nted to all t&me (t&6606, the on&salon of tha term "employingjmmbera* In the liainae fee statute**vould** rpperw to wws8nt auah **conafruction.** Thmefore
**ve** EIW **of** the **ODiaiOIi** that nuoh Wndmuctian shouid be follovod, am& vo 6haJ.l **test** the tsmx %aater plumber" and "aopleyl.ng plumber"~460 6. The terrOB 42'0 SO used in the %‘OVltt O&se* xupr4, PO zw79r by the follovingUngwige In 242 8. W. rt

as dafl.nedpadu6odlatha ordkaoe apply to those who do owt4zIn klade of wrcbsni~alvrork

**Although** the Court, ln the 4boie quotottotr 466art6 : th8t the tenus "anploylmg (or 

### xmter) plmb+ 4nd "jomym6n plumber" each have "a well.-defined 6166nlng, the aourt dosx not elucidateto the extent of Lndiortingthe 66~66*

Frox~ your brief ve quote tha follovingrBonorobleTom &ay, Pm 8

"Xn 4 0460 tried in Our **County Court,**  l l l

r c & 60~t h@ud fhe tO 6 t h OYiy O r l XDtWt VitIl ~66 0 6 in t he Dlu a r bfILg **bUUiru66** &Id fII hi8 dWg0 t@the jUS7 defined **6UCh** tOF6i6 **46** fOl&Wll~

**“ ‘** **A** l4nbster

Plumber' ie c plumberhavlq **4 Xqd.&r**  **Dbee** Of **bUUIIld66,** VhO COntmOt6 for and **6UPOlmrf606** the prfOrPlanc0Or phtabing ‘vork and vho hiaself, or by journeyman plumbers and apprenticeain hla employ,perform auah Plwlbblgvorki
"'A nJournqman Plumbor" **is 4** **’ p6r6on**  vho ha6 lermrsd th6 plupbing **trade** xnd 

### vorka at it, not Oil

**hi6** 

### OVl%

**EO~OUJlt,** but fOl? **V4gO6, 48**  **4** servant **or** 4mploye6 of a Master or Xmployw Pluabor. (*

**w&ii8 VO**  **d0 IIOt**  **6aJ Unre40rV63tny**  **tht IMh**  **dOf%ftim 4C1)**  rbsolutely **OOl ’**  **P4Ot ES,4**  **lPtt6W Of**  **hV, t&WY**  **do 4w4P**  **t0 OOIP**  

### r0nrgs0smuy **to ~O~IPL~~OSL(I**  **4pp64ring in**  **dicti0ame6 urd**  **um-** ~6lon6 of oourts ln 

### other Stst6x.

'Plumbemor ertlmn vho **4vOrkerln** 144a~aarr,4a1

vorka lesd, XlnO, till, **6he6itmot4l,** Ot6.; l

**UPe, 4**  **b~WE6lS VhO**  **fUPBbh46,** fib, 8d **l%DEf F6**  **846, l&W,**  **esd 6Ofi**  **P1~6, 016t1WM,**  tanks, **bothrr,** v4tor **olo6ot6, 4nd**  **their rtttfX@U,**  **a OthOr**  **6Uttt4ry 48&d**  **rirO-DPOtOOtitSt 4~~4awu6**  **roti 4**  house o~othesbuildlry, i.nulutUqf the jUXM3tbIW**t0 tb**  **6ldR6 and**  **64V4F6. Th@**  **trcrdr Or**  **t&9 g&U**  fitter **h46 in**  **mp:~4$t6 bOOaU**  **64R** 8mt6ba rr0m that of ths pluaber. "Jtmrwynd' adwar

**‘ Jourmy6aw-Foi.mer~,**  **4 PIBII**  hired to V&c by the d4yr nOu,~oom~aly, 4 ea e h4ndiOr4rt or tl'lde; -- disfRonorabl. Toa Se*y,,Page 9

**%46td** 

### 44rh6-d: "~6t.F-4 **VOdC6l4!l** 60 **JWOfiCfOllt 46**  **t0** be 4ble to follow hta trade ~ependmntly 4nd t-ah 

### ~~P6IltiOU6hfp6; henoe, a Iyp follovln$ 64 tmde or nrcnutnotur. on hi6 own 8ooount. And %46ter t'orkmnr OaU ap~lail.ly sklllsd in any art, huullaraft,or trad+ or v&o **16.4n overxeer,**  **foreaw.t,** or eraployer. Alm, x'6fe??enca

is wide to the follmi~ CC~86: Attorney Oenerel VLI.

Union Plwnbing Co., (Jkaa.)16 f. E. (26) 89 go, 91; Behnalr & Co., VB. OPigsby, 61 

### Mf.60. 335, 113 11.

I. 8. 

## 548,, Orea$ Attitle Q Paelflo **Tea 00.**  **~8.** Roppenburger, 171 Xd. l& **A.** 434, 4391 **Co66~0~~s~th** VU, Mocarthy, 22 "9. E3j6?8g88; Todewo vu. City of Shreveport, ,

l * l And, BS.S 33 C. J', 91?1 38 C. J. with **nrerwae** to the ebove &barge of the court, **quoted** rm your briar, ve dLruat your **UpWlfiC** attention to Arti &i2, Cads 0r Crlaiml Pr0e6a~, reading ae follovtr

**YArt. 662.**  (739) (719) charge In mladewaaor

**%h. bOUI**  **’ t**  **I6 not**  **~U1F.d t0**  **w. the**  **\n7 ia**  **4 IdUderrrpurozr**  **0480,** .XWDt **Et th.**  **lVqU.Ut 0**  oaursel on either **6146. vhen**  **00 P.QWJUtad**  **h6 ahill**  **give or**  **reruae 4uoh**  **oh4~13e6, vlt$**  or **vfthout** 

### 6mri**ctItioIl, ,8Q**  **El ’** 

**. asked**  **in vritiog.**  Inoonnt~th%x at&bate. lt 

### ha6 **b.eaheLbbythe** 

### COlU't or Criadn4l

### Appe4l.6 t&m In pl'O68f3UtiOM for 4 d6tl8a.4nor (4X& th6 ~UlliUb6'6Ilt~~X'!6&~~~bd ia h-t. 122, P. c., -6 it 4Ud), emr6 in the &Ergo, unl8Ba -t&l, W6t IlOt O&y b. OX**C8pt.d to,**  **but 6~0142**  **&4l ’** **@6 oOl**  **’ P.Ot~**  **pl ’**  **.EUiting th.**  **mtte6 OOX&d4fWd**  **Or 6U6t**  **b%** 

### pP%BWtSd, **f&n& if**  **r6&~6%d~ %XWpt%d**  **t0 &IV%**  be bmught b&ore the Court or 

### Orlr6lnal Appeals by proPer bills es exo.ptioll.sfafpson ~6. state, 87 fex. Cr. Ft. 27, 220 8* U. 777; B.rdell va. State, 87 Tax. Cr. R. 310, 230 8. If. UOlg Bovers vu:state, 138 Tax. Cr. R. 98, 134 S. W. (pd) 675; and ==y otherswe thwu ~1esrl.y

youc ahnrge sufficientin wts 4bsmGe of exceptionand spealal ah&r e e 6ubmltfeU~

ubsth*r l.m

6Ut3h a ~3~4 it 6hOUid then b6 OhW?$Sd **WOU d**  d8wAd Wm the WeOi~ @@meBonomblo Tom Seay, Page 10

requeeted. without auob a charge before UB, obv~oualyYe catznot pass upon It@ merlta. i

h3njaminYoodall Aaaiatant