THE AITORNEY GENERAL 

OF %-EXAS 

Honorable Jerry Sadler 

Commissioner, General Land 

Office 

General Land Office Bldg. 

Austin, Texas 78701 

Opinion No. M-235 

Re: Payment of expenses incurred in the delivery 

of Veterans' Land Bonds 

to out-of-state banks. 

Dear Mr. Sadler2 

Your request 'for an opinion reads as follows: 

"The constitutional amendment approved by 

the voters last November 11, 1967, authorized 

the extension of the Veterans' Land Program by 

permitting the sale of $200 million in Veterans' 

Land Bonds., The first $30 million of Veterans' 

Land Bonds was sold the latter part of December, 

1967, with delivery being made on January 25, 

1968 in New York City. 

"It has been necessary, and will be necessary, for representatives of the Comptroller, 

Attorney General and other State Departments to 

be present during the signing and physical delivery of the bonds in New York City. 

"During the first delivery of bonds, the 

expenses paid out of the Veterans* Land Fund 

was based on the current Appropriations Bill 

which authorized $17.00 per day, plus actual 

travel expenses to State employees other than 

State officials. The above restriction has 

caused several State employees personal monetary 

loss. In view of the language in the recent 

constitution which provides that all necessary 

-1146- 
Hon. Jerry Sadler, page 2 N-225) 

expense in the sale and delivery of bonds 

can be paid out of the proceeds from the 

sale of bonds, we would appreciate your office furnishing us with a formal opinion advising us whether under the above referred 

to constitutional amendment we are permitted 

to pay actual expenses to all employees and 

officials of the State of Texas necessary in 

the delivery of bonds to out of State banks. 

“We would also like to know if we would 

be permitted to pay all expenses, including 

cab fares, without the necessity of receiving 

receipts shouing the amount expended by the 

employees and officials." 

Section 9(A) of Article 5421m, Vernon's Civil Statutes, 

provides in part: 

*The Board is hereby authorized to use 

the moneys of the Veterans' Land Fund attributable to any bonds hereafter issued and sold 

for the purpose of paying legal fees and fees 

for financial advice necessary in the opinion 

of the Board to the sale of bonds hereafter 

issued and sold; the expense of publishing 

notice of sale of any installment of such bonds; 

the expense of printing such bonds; and the BXpenses of deliverins such bonds. includino but 

not limited to the costs df travel, lodsing. and 

meals of anv officers or emvlovees of the Board, 

3 th Sta e Corn tr 

the Attornev General necessarv in the ovinion 

of the Board to effectuate deliverv of such 

bonds, and the cost of manuallv sicnins such 

bonds . . . . " (Emphasis added.) 

The appropriation to the Veterans' Land Board contained in Senate Bill 15, Acts of the 60th Legislature, Regular 

Session, (General Appropriation Act) , makes the following appropriation: 

-1147- 
Ron. Jerry Sadler, page 3 (W-235) 

"For other than administrative purposes 

hereinabove appropriated, there is hereby appropriated to the General Land Office, including Veterans' Land Board, from the Veterans' 

Land Fund as created by Article III, Section 

49B of the Constitution, as amended, all 

amounts necessary to carry out the purposes 

of this Constitutional provision and Legislative Acts pursuant thereto." 

In view of the foregoing appropriation and the language 

of the pre-existing law supporting such appropriation (Section 

9(A) of Article 5421m. you are advised that the Veterans' Land 

Board, is authorized to pay actual expenses to any officer or 

employee of the Veterans' Land Board, State Comptroller, State 

Treasurer and the Attorney General necessary to effectuate delivery 

of such bonds to out-of-state banks. 

In answer to your second question, the Veterans' 

Land Board may require from the employee such information the 

Board deems appropriate to determine what constitutes the costs 

of travel, lodging and meals necessary to effectuate delivery 

of such bonds, and whether receipts for a particular expense 

should be required is left to the sound discretion of the 

Veterans& Land Board. 

SUMMARY 

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 9(A) 

of Article 5421m. Vernon's Civil Statutes, and 

the current General Appropriation to the Veterans' 

Land Board, the Board is authorized to pay the 

costs of travel, lodging and meals of any officer 

or employee of the Board, State Comptroller, State 

Treasurer and the Attorney General necessary in 

the opinion of the Board to effectuate delivery 

of bonds to out-of-state banks. 

V& truly yours, 

WFORU C. MARTIN 

General of Texas 

-1148- 
Hon. Jerry Sadler, page 4 W-235) 

Prepared by John Reeves 

Assistant Attorney General 

APPROVED: 

OPINION CCUMITTEl3 

Hawthorne Phillips, Chairman 

Kerns Taylor, Co-Chairman 

Thomas Mack 

John Fainter 

Ben Harrison 

Sam Kelley 

A. J. CARUBBI, JR. 

Executive Assistant 

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