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Commissioner Jim C. Langdon Opinion No. M- 121 

Chairman 

Railroad Commission of Texas Re: Whether employees of 

Austin, Texas the Texas Railroad 

Commission may be paid 

travel expense In connection with attending 

dedlcatlon ceremonies 

sponsored by the Texas 

State Hlatorical SurDear Mr. Langdon: vey Committee 

You have requested our opinion on whether the State can 

legally’pay the expenses of a State employee who attended the 

dedication ceremoniee sponsored by the Texas State Historical 

Survey Committee. You stated, In your request that a representative of the Railroad Commission was requested to be present 

at the dedication ceremonies commemorating the ea~rlg oil industry 

and that the Commlsslon designated one of Its employees to 

attend the dedication ceremony and represent the Commission, 

The Legislature created the Texas State Historical Survey 

Committee for the purpose of providing leadership and co-ordlnation services In the field of historical preservation. The 

Texas State Historical Survey Committee was declared to be 

a State agency by Section 1 of Senate Bill 426, Acta 55th Leglslature, 1957, Re ular Seaelon, 

fied aa Article f 

Chapter 500, page 1460, now codi145, Vernon’: Cb-JiLStatutes. 

Section 9 of Article 6145 provides that the Committee shall 

give direction and co-ordination to the State historical marker 

program, and shall continue to aaalst and advise the State 

Building Commission with regard to proper memorials and monuments to be erected, repaired, and removed to new locations, 

and selections of sites therefor, and the locating and marking 

of graves. 

Section 10 of Article 6145 provides that the Committee shall 

work with the State Highway Department, Texas State Parks Board, 

and all other State agenclea and Institutions with interests or 

responsibilities fn this field, In the development of mutual 

objectives. 

- 551 - 
Hon. Jim C. Langdon, page 2 (M- 121) 

‘phe, Hlstor$cal Survey Commlttee was’approptilated $159,904.00 

by the 59th Legislature to caFry out It& autics which Included 

expenses for travel in connection with dedication of historical 

markers. 

The declared Intent of the Lirgl&laIJure as sct:oUt ;above In 

Section 10 of Article 6145 $a that all State agencies shall cooperate and assist the Historical Survey Cominlttee In carrying 

out the duties imposed upon It by the Legislature. In sending 

a representative from the Railroad Commlsslon, either a‘Commlssloner or an employee, to attend a dedicated ceremong’as requested 

by the Survey Committee and tipon their Invitation, the Railroad 

Commission was only complying with the mandatory Intent of the 

Legislature In co-operating with the Hlstorlcal Survey Committee. 

The sole reason for attending the dedication ceremonies 

was to represent the Railroad Commission at ,thc ceremonies as 

requested by the Survey Committee and,to, co-operate with the 

Survey Committee as required by Article 6145. 

Therefore, it Is the opinion ,of this office that a deslgnated State employee who.represents his agency in attending 

a dedication ceremony sponsbrcd by the Historical Survey 

Committee Is engaged in State business and IS entitled to receive his expenses in accordance with existing statutes. 

SUMMARY 

A designated State employee who attends a dedlcation ceremony sponsored by the. Texas Historical 

Survey Committee Is engaged In State business and is 

therefore entitled to receive his expenses in accordanceG with existing statutes. 

truly yours, 

,Prepared by Llnward Shivers Y 

Assistant Attorney General 

Ls:km 

- 552 - 
Hon. Jim C. Langdon, page 3 (M- 121) 

APPROVED: 

OPINION COMMITTEE 

A.J. Carubbi, Jr., Chairman 

Staff Legal AsSi8tant 

w.0. Shultz , Co-Chairman 

John Reeves 

Paul Martin 

John Qrace 

Ray McCtregor 

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