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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 maybe paid travel expense In connection with attending dedlcatlon ceremonies sponsored by the Texas State Hlatorical SurDear Mr. Langdon: vey Committee Youhave requested our opinion onwhether the State can legally’pay the expenses of a State employee who attended the dedication ceremoniee sponsored by the Texas State Historical Survey Committee. Youstated, 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 andrepresent the Commission, TheLegislature 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 wasdeclared to be a State agency by Section 1 of Senate Bill 

### 426,Acta 55th Leglslature, 1957, Reular Seaelon, fied aa Article f Chapter 500, page 1460, nowcodi145, Vernon’: Cb-JiLStatutes. Section 9of Article 6145 provides that the Committee shall give direction and co-ordination to the State historical marker program, andshall continue to aaalst andadvise the State Building Commission with regard to proper memorials and monuments to be erected, repaired, and removed to newlocations, and selections of sites therefor, and the locating andmarking of graves. Section 10 of Article 

### 6145provides that the Committee shall workwith the State HighwayDepartment, Texas State Parks Board, and all other State agenclea andInstitutions with interests or responsibilities fn this field, In the development of mutual objectives.

- 551-Hon. JimC. 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. Thedeclared Intent of the Lirgl&laIJureas sct:oUt ;above In Section 10of 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 anemployee, to attend a dedicated ceremong’as requested by the Survey Committee andtipontheir Invitation, the Railroad Commission was only complying with the mandatory Intent of the Legislature In co-operating with the Hlstorlcal Survey Committee. Thesole 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 andIS entitled to receive his expenses in accordance with existing statutes.


### SUMMARY Adesignated State employee whoattends a dedlcation ceremony sponsored by the.Texas Historical Survey Committee Is engaged In State business andis therefore entitled to receive his expenses in accordanceGwith existing statutes. truly yours,

,Prepared by Llnward Shivers Y Assistant Attorney General Ls:km

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

APPROVED: OPINIONCOMMITTEE A.J. Carubbi, Jr., Chairman Staff Legal 

### AsSi8tant w.0. Shultz , Co-Chairman JohnReeves Paul Martin John Qrace RayMcCtregor

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