OFFICE OF THE AlTORNEY QENERAL, OF TEXAS 

AUSTIN 

Barorabk 0. Q. 6r.u 

stat. HLghmu Baglaeu 

TuarHi&h~DwUtau~t 

. . 

Mutla, .Toxar 

Dew 8ir; 

the rortpolgbth 

8 tba t the Xiahakiufoaw~ court 

l coatnot nttia6 forth 

lw wmtmat%oa, ~rroo~6truooopnty toal i8 ooamlbuatfoa 

a4 niriag say aa ru 

rtlrlpatloa by the 
art ia tbr adr8 or thr ~fgmy COSIA~SSIOA t0 

l ttM tM tr tb ititMtiOA6 Of th# b6idCtWO a # 

ox 

P 

nut6 la t&o bl11 at the rulort pnotloabk 

da 01 hbwrru, a aoabu 

k uuwered barorr tha co 

it l*.oo thaw quutluar that we roll 

&V&6 YoUr O&diOAr 

%I8 thllctu 8fli i8Q. Ja8, i.Ot8 of thr RaQilat 

sO#+fOD, Forty-alkhFh la&rlature, coastltutlonal? 

h. The OfSlolal a0tlbacS the Xfghway Comalul~ 

$8 by offiolaA aimtea appr+d br raid Cosimlraloa 

and &eoorbtb in. the. ofllolal rsobrda of the Depart- 

-AS. Xould the rouowlng worafa6 in a Cimalrsl6a 

ala&W ooq4 alth tbr rrqulreaeats or 8watr Bill 

So. 34% to &vr~ full d’rrot to the prwirioa that 

the outrtarrdlne bbad8, wcrrentn, or ~othsr 0ria4ih0~0~ 

oi fndibtdaoaa egnln8t ruoh road would not boooao 

l LIgibl* for 8tatr portLolprtlonT 

* In Blank County a t8ra-to-a&cot r0tdh 

.henby'&rl~at& iCOiI.pOiAt 'A' to point 'b' 

a totll am-00 OS B.8 ailre, and t&a State 

xighway baA@U lu dlr*otsd to Uluw Sal& 

r o a d for rtato malntoaanoo l riwtlro Juno 1, 

LQCJ, uad to oark said nmd Ier the pmpu 

guldraoo of .&ho travdlag ;ublio aa Stat* 

Iii6h X0wq . 64 8., th lr l otloa et tlw sleh*ay 

couPirrl0a bdn~ :n ~oOoram0 with the pr0- 

vialoar of Senate Bill XSo. 348, emoted by tks 

Yortp*lghth B.@Iler Se6sloa or the TUM 

Leglrlcturo, l aa La ~ooorbanor with tha 

ooatrert~ont~r~d’ into bjtwun Blank Count-r 

and tbr Tgar Highway Cofkwfrrlo~ relm,tiro to 

tbr O~tstPoding lndebtedaeu agslnrt such road.* 

-3, Nay the hglrln.tutr inv8lldatr 4ootraotr 

enterad ibe0 bbfean~ the dtiite aa aouaty uaaar tha 

prorirloar of Saute Bill XO. 348 by tb* *neetlaeUt 

or aaboequaat le lelatlon and thU8 ad* l Uiblt 

for State partic f patibn in the paY&OUt Of boll40, 

warrwta or other cv1de110~ of indebt@-u oor*r*d 

by a OGdtT;lOt entered into unaar Senate 81Al No. 8481 

7'80 
‘4. loold rontnotr enbred into betbnon thr 

StmtoanQaoouat andar S0aatoBlllk.W bo bindlag 

0-a r0tvn Coairr i OM~* Ooarto l f th8 00mfl 

aThue 18 l ttaah.4 horot l ropl~oi l ooatraot 

l a for the p wp o w l i 

i%iiute Bill Do . 84 8. 

ioolu~ &a thlr ,oontraot sa 

W to oonfon to tho 

rempon80 tc the l boro 

it tory muoh It attor 

would 8ako l uoh ohangor ln the l ttaohd l &ruwnt a 8 

rlll be aeoouary to ovaform to your 0p1nlon.~ 

Son&o Bill SUB, bollrg l #aptor 044, Aato of the 

48th k&irluturo road, in gut: 

“An Act aPthorltiag tha State 8Qhmy Comiuioa 

t0 dO8lQutO w OOoOt~ rod 00 0 f-0 

to-&ark& road ior l on8tru0tlon, roeosrtruotloa, crab malntonaaoe oalri l Mwr- 

$84 OOwtkO Oi th r 8b tO t0 l tW intO 

OOa tta Otwith B th8 8tate %ifi(;br8 

i 

CO489 

,8%08 dth r~ounO0 t0 #id ma 01 pro- 

. 

vldla# t&t the ladobtodaoor lnoorrd in 

l oaotruotiag such road8 rhall dot pwtlOlpato b th0 00aMJ ~4 Boaa Dlrtrt6t 

Hlghwi~ Yu841 dooluln~the rtate polloy 

with rofuonor to Htch rod,, and doolarl8g un l swr~ono~. 

w-0. -1. Th, &tat@ r(i#W8? C0B1Ui88108 18 - 

wtbrlro& to 4oolgmik W rouaty rod la the 

8tAt@ aa 8 farmdourk~t rod tor tbr purpose8 

or l oamtru6tlcm, roronatrut1on and malnteJlano0 

0~4, provldrd that th8 Coululonrro Court of 

th. ooaa8 la nhlch an# rueh oounty road 1~ 

16rratrd 8Ll par l nd:oot0r la lto 8lnutrr 0a 

Or&u W@ithg w righta 8wh OWtl, m8Y haTO 

for wthip8tiOn bl~ the l tita ti UV iEhObt.d0110 lnrurrod br the Ocv.nt~,la th0 l OnrtIwOtloD 

of ruch ooanty roadi and protldrd farther that the 

st8te HighWay c01WIiDdOn and tM Ce!8duimO?m cOUa% 

of the uounty la rhieh w woh -84 iI kOO8ta 
mnorablo D. C . Groor Faga 4. 

may eater into 8 ooattaat that oh&). rot iorth 

the 4utlor oi the l tato in the l onotrootlon, 

rooonrtruotlon, aad rlntononoo of the oountf 

rood ln ooa8l~oratlon ot the 00unty and/or 

mad di@trlot roil8qulrh~ •~ oad oil rlolma 

iOr 8t4tO &m?tiOl#atlOn in w COIUtf, rO8a 

dirtriot, or 40rb0d r00a artriot b0ob8, 

wOrrOnt8, or older’ l rldonooo or ln4obto6norr 

OutstOmling again& ruoh road iOr tho oonrtruotfoa~ 

or lmprorownt oi the road boforo bolng dorl@atod . 

by th dt8tO 8ighrw COOd8OiOh 

“‘8.0. 8. It 18 benby dOOlarod CO be th0 

POliOy of the 8t8tO that the atirumptlon by the at&to 

of thO Obll6atiOn to oon8truot and raiotaln wah 

ZOad8 dO8i#lUtOd by. the 3t8to Highway Comaiorioa 

a8 farm-to-market rode under the prov;alonr of 

.thi8 Aot ooartltutoo full and oom leto coqenratlolr for iay an4 all iaadr that afght bar. been 

or mid rod prior to it8 dorlgaatloa bg tha stat. 

Bl6hr.y CoI@d8tiOn 8O 8 hr8-to-market :tOd. 

,, .( 

m800.~. m. k.t r&11 b. OUOUl8tiVO Oi d.k 

other lawa on thl8' 8ubJoot. but in the Weat of 

a ooarlht between thO rovlrloar 0r thir Aot 

an8 MJ Ot&r AOt On t hi 8 4UbjO.t th. &U'OV&10&8 

Or thlr i&et 8haL1 prevail." 

sootlon 4 of the BlU o o nta lntr he l morgonoy 

O&U80. 

fa hue ouofully conslttorod the bill 8ad find no 

oon#titotloml ObjOOt~i0Q8 thereto. We think itr eontent Ond 

the gWm8OO .ow$ht to b. obtained are olouly within the 

protin or the 

an.wr.6 la the 

YOUR f-8.8 QUoOtiOn 18 thuOfOr0 

Uolthor m&ate Bill We aor .a~ Other 8tatUk 

&WoMribor the form to be .&rod by tlu afghxw Comairtioo for 

.88 0rri0i.d but0. On the oontrarr the Coaalrrlua 18 ulvon 

broad power to make ruler SOT thR 00nau0t of the bUrim88 
783 

with uhloh it 18 eBot(od. ArtLo Mb., v. A. C. 8. mo 

b8llovo that the pro 

I 18 ln l mpMAnoo w r 

nd alauto 0ontelno4 lo your quortloa 

th the toras of the rot under ooa8ldont1.n. 

tbo U0T.r t0 pOOr th l?d qlAO8tiOE l 8 80 t& rlsht 

oi l ubroqwnt kglrlaturo8 to l 88u.m tho bond06 lndobto6nou 

Of wourtlo8 which have l 8torointo d ooatraot8 with tho State 

ltl@m8~ ~porttwnt parrornt to the term8 of h&to Bill 3Lb 

dopend8, we bollova, opm 8 dotor8lnrtlon of whether or not 

the l osamptlon thrreoi would violate Seotlon 81 4rtlol.r 8 or 

the COA8titUtfOn prohlbltlng l &rotoltOW don&a Of. gubllo 

MMf. 

tit th0 boildiiy Or pUbU0 ~98d8 18 A iWOtlOn Of 

go+irnmoat be& 

tabll8hod by 408 Y 

ia& prlaml4 to tha stat. 18 thomlghly .Idon8 rnd 18 rooo&u6 in the Coa8tltatloo. 

Art1010 U, Sootloa 8 of tho~Con.tltutloa, grotld.8~: 

%I. oon8truatloo of 4.118, owrtbou808 and 

brld 08 and the .rtablioha.nt 0r ~wuaty Door hOUS. 

und f am8 awl the leyln(l out, ooastruotloa and ropdrln 0r oounty roda 8ball ~,protldod for br 

g0n.n f tiW8.* 

In the Oa80 or Robbin 1. LiMrtOno COUZkt~, g60 8. 

W. at pa&o 918, oqr Suproao Court, rprekltu throwh ~uatloo 

~i.?SOn~ 844; 

"TM l 8t~bll8hrunt of pub110 highray bolq! 

prlsarlly u funotlon ot dormant beloon& to 

the State; th0 rl 8 to ~Ortablirh them re8ldO8 

w-1 Y 

in tb te (Iirlaturo and in th8 8b0.n.0 

Oi OOll8t tUtiOn ZO8tldOtiW tbr h@S&tuto Sat 

l xorol88 the right or dolo(geto lt to l politloal 

8ubdlvi.lon or the stat. ' ' *;* 

b the I... OUO it 18 held that poblio P.48 Within 

the bordorr of 8 county klong not to the oountt but t4 the 

8t8tO. 
784 

fdrror~blo D. 0. Uroor, pa60 6 

In Boxu County t. Liodon, 680 8. 1. 88 vh80 Tea, 

the 8u~M hurt, 8~O.ki~ tht’W&h Phill&pl, c. 8.. 8ddt 

vh@ 8idng ~WY Of pUbii0 IDIIOI, 188 l plll dlon 80 other tbm 8trlOtly (mOMROltt8l plu90888, 18 What th. 

81) #AU48 l #Uk St. 

prOY181Oa (Arti. 8, h.tion 

*They (oO~tlO8) aM rado u80 of b tha 8tate 

for the ooU0otlon oi trro8, for the 6 i ffuoion 0s 

OdUOQ8iORb for tb oOn8tmICtiOa .d MwOnMOO Of 

gublilo hl6lmiy8, l nd,ror the ooro .0r tb poor* Au 

0r tbso thlngm 8ro matters of Bteto, as dlrtln- 

(rri8h.d frormunlol aI oonoorn. Thor lntlmate 

a rroo t ill the poop P l * TM ootmtlo8 an avail0 Y ot 

.a otfloIont,and 0onrmiont.aoano~ror thq diuhrga 

;~o;~.~tat. 8 duty in t,hoir ra6ad ta 811 th. 

wo qu0t0 rro8. ow opini0n u0. 04081 

l * l l tb State 18 Iahlbltod by o uc h 8OOtiO8~(~cC.5~,Art.3) 

couaty, vs* Allrod, 18s tu. 77, da 8. r: (8d) ldd. 

~.lrbPr8oJ..nt ray be mado’by tbo aat. to 188 polltlool 8ubdIvI8I0n8~ thoroforo, qaroaoya l rponded By 

SuOh polItloal 8UbdiTi8iOIi8 for dtrte, i8 dl8tlnyi8hod 

fro8 purely local or mal~lpal, par30808~ Liaoh rolaburromont, 0s oour80, yluot bo OIL l ooo uo t 0r obllmtloao lnoarro4 by the pOlItIoa1 8UbditI8ioa for th. 

bonoflt of the Stat. l 8 8 whole. ~Tho UJkdertakinlC 

ror whlih the money8 wore l x~oadod by raoh politlMl 

rubdh.tirioa rue8 W one which the State 1888~ right 

~awfally ha?. ondortaken for the kaotit of it8 plop10 

l o a whole, 0180 the nImbur8oaont would b8 the uir1~ of a’ (;ratoitt md 8tad oondoamed by the COa8tltutlon. 
“N8 are lIk8wI8. of th ophioa that tho 

rolaburuunt bf tlrr stllte or tlw rountb 8 and rod 

dirtrletr ior aoaoy8 rlre8Q 4xp0ma by than on 

pub110 road8 doer aot oowtltute 8 ilolatioa OS tb 

provlaioar of &otloa 61, Utlok 8, ot the Coa8tltatloa, 

~ov1d.b that the oomt1.r an6 rod dl,trlotr l ro rnqulrrd to ~8. tlu mnrfr thur mtura.4 to ther ior tb 

ooa~truetlon and. raiatrarmeo oi pub118 road0 or for t&a 

rotlromeat or outrtaadln( lndrbtodnor lneurrod la t& 

oonrtruotlon or ndatenanae Oi publlo r08d8. That portion 

ot Eouro Bill Ilo. 688, 8Ub8WdlOn Ilo. 4 of rawI 8ootiO4 9, t@wQ oa gage8 l@,aad 20 Oi the lOta rhlob dlr8Ot8 

thr erltiu of e88h pay-at8 to OOOf.Itl.8 t0 rUlmbUr88 thW 

iOr road tu ~MJ8~U8Od-tO di,Oha?g, OblIg8tlOn8 8lla.ibt8 

for partloipdoa wler ~tbo orl~ltml Aot 18 o,t doubtful 

ooa8tltutlondlt~ boowm tbo PI8 ot tb p0yaoatr thw 

med. 18 sot natrlotrb by tbo hot. Tbu8, ~thowh tho 

r~hbkW84aeSlt.~i8 fBtMd@d t0 b8 lad. iOr l Ofi8y8 02. 

It 18 0Ur OQiniolp that 8UbreqUrnt &~I8latUNSOoUl~ 

bf l ~?OQ?ia8Ot t. ,mtide that tb stat@ 8hOUl6 UlpoI th@ 

bond.6 inAebt,&neu of OOWti.8 a&aht #ah rOti i8 are tnkw 

over aa4.r tbo protlrloar of SIlrrtr Bill 848. 

%‘h ket Ooatomplatr8 and aUthOriS & OOBtraOf 

to b e l atero4 fat0 by tha bounty, through it8 eo!d8aioaer8’ 

oourt, and the lU~hm*,y CoPrrPI8rloa. Coatraotr ado by l 80~1 

al8r10B8r8@ ooart aezmot be rrpadI8t8~ l orrly Worurr tho par8OlllW1 of thr OOkUt ha8 8Ub8OqUWit~ aban@. hllf Bltullthlo 

co. 1. lu8oer COuBf~, (Can. rpp.) ll 8. 8. (24 208. Ia anmor 

to flur fourth QUr8tion foU ar. 8dV18.6 that l OOlltf8Ot Md. rtllarr tha protldon~ or the Aat 8nder 1n~uIry will k bl.nUz@ apoa 

iUtU?e oOlniS81OlrOr8’ UOUI’t8 Of tb8 OOBtr~Otin(r OOUilt~; 
' lW10rabl8 D. C. Oreo?, gta@ 0 

100 rttarbr6 a oopf of tha popo8rd watraot fen 

to be @8rd by pa h OOaUUtf4 Wath th8 n8WOtitO WWtiu 

rhfoh 18 too lea&thy to how 88t Out. *O beklrro it to bo 

rufflal8at to oarry out the provlrloar of the rat. 

FIRST ASSISTANT 

:TTCl?NE-i @NERAR Lloyd ,AraBtroa(l 

A88L8taat