OFFICE OFTHEA~ORNEY GENERALOFTEXAS 

AUSTIN 

ffonorable Tom Seay 

Couuty Attorney 

Potter county 

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 reoent inwIry 

upon the aueatlonr ar stated abovo. Ve have given oclreful eonaideration to the aatter in aonneotlon vlth the brief suaitted 

w Y-. 

Article 122, Penal C&e, read8 as folllwar 

'Any' person, vhether ar asafer plumber, 

emplo#ng, or ~0urneJacpLn plumber, engaged In, 

voHcl.rq at, or aonduotingthe business of 

plumbing witbout liceme as provided br lav, 

shall bo fiasd pot less thaA tvent -fivqor 

more than tvo hwu?reU aad fifty do f am. 

As originally emoted in 1.897~‘ the abave Artlole ip 

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 sections of the 

or%- legl&ation, sow of vhloh have been aarended, nov dadifiad b the Revis& Clvll Statutes as Artlales 1076 to lC& 

.' 
Honorable Tom Seay, Page 3 

lnaluelve. To lntelllgently oCB8pFehend your plwblaee ve 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 draining emI 

PlWine* 

"Art. 1077. (990) Plumbing lnepeotor 

'In any euah city where thorn I8 no tit 

inspeotor or plumbing provided for by speai J 

charter, the governing bo4y shall eleot euch 

inepeator of plumbing, who shell hold offias 

for such time au fixed by ewh board. Such 

fnapettor of plumbing mey 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 inrpectlaa of plumbfag. Maebere o f l a id b o a r d ehell ma elve a o a o mp a a ea tlnn 

for l er via ee o n sa id Bo a r d. The ea ld y tiy 

uo nsiet o f the r0imlrrg five p er eo ner 

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 plumber of not 

lees thus ten year8 aatlve and contizruoue experhnae 

a8 a plueber, en8 one Journeyem plumber of not lee8 

than five yore of euch sctlve end aontlauow experlenae. 

The wyor aml the govemIng bo&y ehall mgul8tO 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 

"The extamingtrd eupervielngboardoiplumberll 
Honorable Tom Seay, PWe 3 

shall emu&m end pa88 upon d persona nov 

engaged 'in the buslwae of plumblgg, vhether 

as master, employing, or journeyaau plumber, 

Ln their reepeotlve oitiae, and all persona 

vho mey hereafter vieh to e-6 in the buelneee of plumbing as 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 buelneee of 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 na y b e used b y l ald b o a r d to defmy sp y 

o f it8 legltirte dxp a neee, the r wddw, it 

any, to be paid to the-olty tmseumr. 

examlnatlonaudexamIna tlon 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 statute8 above 

quoted in applying your qusetions to amlyele of Artiale 122, 
Honorable Tom 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 Statutes In aid thereof. Although Article 6 of the 

Penal code provide0 that an umi.ntelllliglble lev 18 not operative, 

It expreeely authorizes resort to other vrltten lava of the Stete 

in oonatruing the 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 Legislature dofins the term “water plumber," 

"employing plumber" and "journeymn pluaber,' and, slthough ve 

beve laboriously traced the legislative hietory of the orlgbal 

Act of 1897. ae vell as the aaendatory eats to the Civil Stetutea 

(Art. 1976, R.C.S., originally enacted In 1897, emended b A&o 

1909, p; lb?; Art. 1081, Ibid, emended by Acte 1919, p. 2 I: 8), ve 

have been unable to find a trace of etatutory enllghtiemnt nninlfasting 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 

Irorde vhloh 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, exoept vhen a vord, 

tare8 or phrase 18 l peolally d4fia4a, are to be 

tsken end ocmh-uea in the eeneo in vhich they 

am understood In aomoa lsnguqe, takfng lnto 

oonelderatlon the context end eubjeo$ ratter 

relative to vhloh they are wlm. 

Subdlvlslon 1 of Artlola 10, Revleed divll Statutea, 

under the general cub-title 'Oonetruotlon af Love' contains the 

folloviag1 

“Art. 10. (5502) (3268) Oenerel Wee 

"The folloving rule8 ehall govern in the 

conatructlon of all aivll rtetutory meotmente~ 

"1. me ordinary eignifiuation ebell be 

applied to vorde, except vorde of art or vorde 
Ronorable qotn Seay, Page 5 

oonneated vlth a particular trade or subject 

matter, vhen they ~ll.have the eigulfioation 

attached to thera by expert8 ia euah art or 

trade, vith reference to such eubjeot mstter." 

In oonaectlon with the laet quoted Articke, although 

it la embraced in the Revlred Cltil.Statutea, lt Ime been held 

"equally aa appllc4ble, end of hladlag force in orimlnel proeecutlone." 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 involved herein. 

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 conviction under 

ArtLola 12:' of the Penal Code n8ahlng our Court of Crlmlaal Appeals, slthough there heve been numerous deal4loa8 of 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~. App 

revsraIn& (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.the Brovn 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 reversed beoeuee th& State failed to 8hov 

that the City of Della8 haa underground eever4 end oeeepoola, 

or a board of plumbing axeminer -- reQulred by pcovl8lone of 

the Revleed Csvil Statutes, (now Arte. 1076 and 1078, 1925 Revised ClvSl Statutes); vh$le the l t4tutory requirement8 that 

the plumben* examlutng board 8hould number 4mng its embership 

a "master plumber" end a "journeymen plumber" vere dlscuseed la 

the opinion, the court of Crlmlnel Appeal4 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 consequence to ue, especially a4 t&e cause vae reversed 
~onorableToas.ay, page 6 

and mrmand0d in6kad or beg 0amd dlsmi6~d, "a6 it shauld 

haaueg IT the 8aou66d stood aanvloted 

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 criell.mI Appesl6 bsWIe4 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 fLr6t obtained e perait a6 requuired 

by a city ordme, v~6 s66a66ed a rune or rmp d0ii~0, ud 

sought release by the vrlt. 

lvpaadsd sppellant. 

The aounty oourt, after a hearing, 

Appellant!6 contention that 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-flve eolleLr6. 

6 th6peAtlltybyPiaeBoeloainLInasnatcsr aa if Article 122, euDr8, 1s vol. for any 

re86on, the Dbint ana0 by rppalent must 0r nBca66 74 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 CaPni66lop to aid the Court of Crlalnal 

Appeals vrote the oplnloa, oxpr6881~ Idopted by the Court. & 

the opinion 16 round -rem to and quotation6 froa the above 

quoted Aptlo or th6 Rsvisod Civil Statutes, 

IQ the va r lo w a & vi1 l ul~s mentioned shove, ve find 

the conetitutiouallty of the pluabing Act as b vholo r88al3.06 

on va r lo uga r euzul lr p r , Wi& lly in ?6rriah Ya. Wright 8nd Tretritt 

VU. city or Dallar, and, vblle the particular poirrt 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 authorities cited snd~dlscus;~~a~~~ 

e6peciel~y ln the light of the vail-knolm and funcbme 

, SO 88 to give brfeat to, rather ehsn to PuulfY it9 
Bonomsble To61 Mty, P4ge 7 

ve 41% of the opinion th4t Article 122, P8n4Z Code is v4.lld 

8nd operative, 4ad ve tberefov6 4naver your rirat qum6tlon In 

the negative. 

m YOUZ? 8tlOond qU66tiOn~U Wish t0 knOV q V&t 

a64na the tenna “mater plumber", maploy!ng plumber, 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" Mone 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'6X IlO 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 "employing jmmbera* 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"~46 0 6. The terrOB 42'0 SO used in the %‘OVltt 

O&se* xupr4, 

PO zw79r 

by the folloving Ungwige 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 

elucidate to the extent of Lndiorting the 66~66* 

Frox~ your brief ve quote tha follovingr 
Bonoroble Tom &ay, Pm 8 

"Xn 4 0460 tried in Our County Court, 

l l l r c & 60~t h @ ud fhe tO6th OYiy Or l XDtWt VitIl~6606 in the Dlua r b fILg bUUiru66 &Id 

fII hi8 dWg0 t@the jUS7 defined 6UCh tOF6i6 

46 fOl&Wll~ 

“‘A l4nbster Plumber' ie c plumber havlq 

4 Xqd.&r Dbee Of bUUIIld66, VhO COntmOt6 for 

and 6UPOlmrf606 the prfOrPlanc0 Or phtabing 

‘vork and vho hiaself, or by journeyman plumbers 

and apprenticea in hla employ, perform auah 

Plwlbblg vorki 

"'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 

r0nr gs0smuy 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 64R8mt6ba 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; -- disf 
Ronorabl. 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 6mrictItioIl, ,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. OXC8pt.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 sufficient in wts 4bsmGe 

of exception and 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~ @@me 
Bonomblo Tom Seay, Page 10 

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

h3njaminYoodall 

Aaaiatant