OFFICE OF THE A’ ITORNEY GENERAL OF TAUSTIN

~enorsbleJ. P. Muchlson

Dear sir: opinion wo. Ret , (1) Ma of ?ubl ano* gr %lEzl or al4 whores to bona rl&ts aoaitlor the Wate Departnent -

.o ~'elfrra

mko ~sslstnits to thorn entltleb .feslther old sge asb, ai@ to the nea4y blinb, 'or4epen4*nt'ohll4ren, 114 in4irl4ualis entitled Fits in his OT her own ItAdeltlo eten4s In the ,~__._~-L of wresponmlble relative*, aa designated ln Houro Bill Ro. 6U, Aots 17th Legislature,Ragular ~@eslon? (2) Mey the Ztase Wpartrcant of Publio Wel.fsre

make grants gt publlo mbelsta~Oe to a person otherwiseellglble'+ who .ls"6 war4 of the fItate*but not sn "inmite OS a publlo lnstltutlon"?

b3fJ62

Your rearnt reqwst for en opinion from this Dopertment hka been reoeivedand-oonsidered. MO quote fMIX your * requtst

t i..; 1, ;:: ~%ouse 11111 **No. 612,**  **Forty-ewe&h** L~glslsture, 'ohar@cco

the De?Wtxent OS Fublio MMaare

I with the duty end reaponslblllt~ of adrainirrterling Old-eFeAsalatance,Ai to the #eedy Blind en4 Aid to DependentChildren. : With reterenoeto Ald to DependentChildren. ~?euaa Dill Xo. 611, sootion 17 "ubaectlon5, Eesl&nateathe responsiblerelativiwho nay reoeiie this aid for the use and benorlt of dependentand negleotadohlldren."In many lnetanoesthese dependent ohlldtin

~I11 be living with a 14esignate4 relntlre'who la aleo a reolplentor Old-ageAaslstanoeor .si4 io'theNeedy Blind.

"In other lnstsnoeawe find thet persons who ara otherwiseeligible and In need of pub110 aaslstenoeunder one of the three olaasitloatlone above anumeratedare *wur48OS the State',that Is, parolees from %8te penal InstItutIone;'parolae~ .Sron

State Siospltels,

baring prerlowly. been adjudgedN. C. )d.'rt or parolee8 f'ram

the State Juvenile Training cohool, or edfudged de-' pendent and negleoted ohlldren and oonmltted to the State &me for Dependent and HegloatedChildren or paroled to,the oustody OS an ln4lri4ual but et111under mqmrvi8lon of the aourtl ~180, per- 'son8 adjudge4 to be or unsoun4 ain4 an4 permitted to remaln ’ln the h-08 of relative8 or friend8 prior to~oomltta4nt to the Stat0 Hospital.

Tn view of the provision o? 8eotlon 39 of Home Bill Ho. 611, whloh state8 in part es follm:
w'lUo +vl~Ion or thIo Aat I's lntend.ed

to release the oouatleaan4 munioIpelItfe~ in this Gtste from the speoIflo re~pon~lblllty whloh la ourrentlyborne by thoee eountles and munlolpalItlee in support of pub110 weltare, ohild welfare, and **‘ relief**  semloes.' Way the State DepaAmnt Or Pub110 Weltare make arsslstanoe

grant8 at uore than on0 oategory or olassilioation

to an individual

where~ eaid ln4lvIdual Is entitledto beneilta in hill ow right end aleo stands in the poaitlonof (raspoasible reletive'as designatedIn Rouse Bill No. 611.1 Way the State Deprrtxentof Publlo %l#ara ineke -ante of $ubllo aaelstanoeto a person otherwise allclblewho Is *a war4 or the 9tate' but not an qinmateof a pub110 institution*?

” ”

. . . .



# EDonorableJ, 5. Mirohl8on,Rge )

Paotlon 51b of Artlole III df our Constitution provldes,

with referenceto old age a8mlstanoer
*The Leglsletu~ shall huve the power by ;~&a1 laws to prorlde, under ouoh llmltatlona and restrictions

and regulatlnnsas nay be deemed by the Leglsio-ursexpedient,for old-apeaeaiet anoe and for the qa,yment of same not to exoeed FlitmenCollar8 (~15) per month eeoh to aotwl bona fide oltlsensof Texas who are over the age of ulxty-rive (651 warn; provided that no habltual orlmlnal,add no habitual **drunkard** tills suoh habitualdrunksrd, end no inmate of any !%ate supported lnatltutlon, uhlle suoh inmate, ohs11 be ellglble tOr suoh old-ageaselstanoe; protided rurther that the requirement8 for length of time of aotual rssldenoe ln **Texas** ehall never be less than tire (5) yemrm during the nine (9) years lmmedlstely preoe4Ingthe applIoetlontar old-age asslstanoeand ocoitlnuou8ly ror one (1) year lmwdietaly preoeding such splloatlon
"The LegI8latureshall hero **the** 8uthorIty to aooept tra the Governmantof the United Lltatea suoh flnanolalald **for** olb-age as8Istanoe an that GorerMlant

may offer not lnoon8l8tent'wlth the re8trlotlons

hereinbefore

prov14e4.n
.Sw@.lon

510 of hrtiole TX1 of the Tares Oontitltutlon, with rererenos to e14 to the needy blind,provldest

"The Imglelatureshall have the power by General Laws to proflde,under suoh llmltatlons and regulationaand restrlotlon8.aa may by the Leglalaturo

be deemed expedient, for 88sI8tanoe to the needy blind over the ege of twenty-one (211 year8, end-ror the payment or BaBe not to erocvedI”iftsen Dollar8 ($15) per month per person; euoh aselatenoeor aid to be granted only to actual bone fide oltlzensof~Tera8;provided that no habitual orimlnaland no habltwl drunkard end no inmate of any Qate supportedlnstltutlon, while much lnmte, shell be eligibleSor such s8818tsnoe to the needy blind over the age of twentyone (21) yeare; provided,further, thst the rsqulrements

for tk length of time of 6OtUSl

# 1 Honorable3. F. ldurchison, "age I,

111 Texas shell never be less then 

### rive **during** the nine (9) ymars lmmedlstely the a~~pllcotlon



### r0r essiatencq,

tq the needy blind over the ewe of twenty-one (21) years8 and ocmtinuously

for one year lmedlstcly ?reosding suoil

spplicetlon.
"The Legislatureshall have the authorityto aooept ,xror.

the r3overnment



### or the United %stem suoh fi~nanolal

eld ror assistanoeto the needy blip4 as that GovernnSnt may offer not lnoonslotent with the restrlotlons hsreind~e provided.- Seotion 51d oi Axtlole III al the Texse Constitution, provldlng

### r0r 131~3 

### ror destituteor dependentohlldren, provides:

Vubjeot to the llm.ltatlons end restriotloxm herein oontsined,and suoh other llnltations,restrlotlons,

and regulationsas nay be provided by law. the Legislatureshall have the power to provide ror sssistsnoeto destitutechildrenuntier the age of rourteen (14) years; suoh 

## assistanco shall not eroeed Eight Dollars (#a) per month ror one ohlld nor more than Twelve Dollars ($12) per month ror such ohildren or eny one ramlly$ provided that the enmnt to be expended for in&oh essiatanoeout of state funds shell never exoeed the SUF.

of One Ylllion, Five Hundred ThousendDollam ($l,500,000)

per yesr. The Legislature may ' lm9ose residentialrestrlotions anA such other restrlotlone, ll!3ltatlO~iS, 

### t3na regulation8as to 

### It msy seem ,expeUient.
"The Legisletureshall have the authority~to aooept from the Gpvernmentoi the United Ttatos such finanoielesslstenoeto abstltute children es that Owerfment may offer not inconsistent with the restriotions herein above provided."
The 47th Legislature, Regular Pesslon,enacted the "Publio3elfara kot of 191*1" in IIouse

Bill 611, end whloh appears to be a ooqlete sot governing the administration Or ssslstenceto the needy blind, t!!a needy eged and to destitute or ZIependent

ohildren.Sonora **bl6 3.**  T. Surohison,Fags 5

Subsection4 or Tootion 20 or enid welfare sot, N9rs, provides that one of tho rsqulrementsto reoel:e 016 sgs aasistenoeis thst the applioent is not 8 person
. . . who-lsnot St the tine Or T606iviAgassistanoean inmate Or s publio institution.* (UAdsrSOOriAg

ours). Subsection4 of ceotloo 12 of the ss*~e oat, pertsiningto nld to Lhe blind, provides that in order to b+ entitledto esid aid ths aitplioent must be a person-who ".

. . 1s not at the **the of**  reoeirlng such aid an inmate of any publio institution." (UndersoorlAg ours). .m be notioed tbt no suoh requirementeppears in tit1010 III, Zeotlon 5ld, suprs,of She Texas Constitution, nor 40ss any euoh n~uinmnt, witin reterenoeto the requirements ror aid to II

dependl At ohild, round in Seotlon 17 or the Publio %ltars **Aot** or ~~41~i0h emotion of said sot deal8 with aid to .depondsnt

Fror: these' preliminaryobseroations WC proceed to di~oueeGour rirst question.

The usi of the words *responsible relatives* In your flret quo&ion, evidentlyr:eane those reletives **r&erred** to in Subsection 5 or Section 17, which reeds:

who is living with his rather,mother, giandk& grarrdmother brothor riet@r eteprather, ste&kother, etepkhar, Lpaiet&, unolo or aunt, In 8 plaoe of reeidenoemrintainedby one or more of euoh relativesas his or their CMI hOme: n

. . . We do not rind any reetrlationin either the epplloableoonetitutlonrl prwialo~s nor the Publio weltare Aot 

### or 1$&l,prohibitingany wreepoAsible reletiveW,as lndioated 8Ad n-d l bwe, iron reoelving aid ror and OA,behtBir 0r a dependent ohild, as oontskplatcain the Constitution end the **Publio** WolfareAot or 1941, bemuse auoh *responsible reletlveWheppas to be rooelving,in his OWA right, either old age eeeiet**anoe, or**  **aid to**  the blind. Your rlrst nuestlon Is thsrcrore, sooordingly,

answered In ths **alilrmatlV8.**

In order to properly Onswer your second qUsstiOA, we must tlrst determinewhat is meant by the Word "inmate" Or s pub110 institUtiOA,**ns** used iA **Article 1x1,**  %OtiOA 5lb of the **Texas** Constitution, au well es in Peotion 51d thereof, end es that word is used ln.the Texas Publlo Wlfere Aot of 1941.388

..? RsAOrHbleJ. Li.

Murohlson,Page 6

yn Bowler*8 Law Dlotlonary, Rewle's Third RditioA, this doflAltlonof the word %unateW Is given: ,'

*One who dwells In e ptirt of EnOther'shouee, the latter d%islllzg at the 6s~ time in the said house."

**IA** %bster*e Rew lAternatIonal UiotioAary,%oond Edition, thi word WIAmkte"is zrlven the followingn,senlngt "(1) One who lives In the same house or apartmoAtwith another; .iormerly, t3ppeciri08zy, one hiring lodging IA another'shouae; e 1Odger; ?4enoe, an alien or stranger. (2) one or a rsmiijr or Oa5UIIifyOOOUpyiAge Sing10 dwelling or hOMl es, the ictatee of B ~ivatc,houSe; aA innsta of
a oonvent;how, epeoially,One oonrlned or kept in an inetitutionsuah es 1111 sSylWI, priion, or poor house. (.3) AA indweller;inhabitant.*
t?9OA e OSrafIll

OOnsidaratiOA

Of the **OOAStitUtbAS3.** .provlalono,

heretoforerarerred to in thla opiaian,as ml1 as the provisions of the Pub110 Xeltare Aot or 19W. ft $8 olear that the aeeietsAoetherein provided for eAd.mSdo evelleble ia designed to oovor Instenoeewhere eld should properly be granted to either eA aged person, e **blind** persdh **or ’** **s do**  peAdent ehlld, who is not otherwISereoeiving sdSpuete and euiiioisntincorns, oars and treatmentoonpetlblewith heslth end daocnoy so long es suoh aid is in oomplia~oewith the Conetltutibn

end said ?:elfare

Aot. Fe think It Is olear that the Legislature,by reason or the enactment or Seotlon 39 or the Publlo Yelfera Aot or 1941, as well es the general pur9088 ol.euse ex~resecd in 5eotioA35 of said Aot, Intended that neither an aged person nor 8 needy blind person should reoelve aesls~;nnoe under said :%ltareAot it said eged person **or** needy blind parson was eotuslly en inmate in a publio iAEtitUtiOA, being eotually.oonrlned thereill,

or at least re- ' oelvlng support, oare end mai.ntsnaAoe, Z'rom either the %dte. of Texas or e county or a olty InstItutioAsupportedby pub110 f\ulds.Rowover,we are or tha opinion that ii setId aged person or a needy blind person is in faut a ward of the gtsite, that Is,.for oxerrple, parolee6 Iroiz

8 Ytctte

9eAal lnstltutlon; parolees from state hospitals,heving previouslybeSn edjudged non oomposnentis; or persons sdjudged to be of UAsound mind and permIttadto rez?Sin 1~ the homes of reletives or r&lands prior to oor$mltment o the State Hospital, e&i **do** not aatually reoeive asslstanos, oar0 and m8lntoAsAoerr0mEonorab14 J. T. Xurchleon, Page 7

the Ctnte euch perSOn em not, for thSt reason, Slone,preeluded from being ellglble to rsoelre either old age esslatence or aid for the needy blind provided they me eble to meet-the)rsqulrementa under th8 Abllo **!!elrere Act**  **of** 194l. We have already dlScu88ed th8 fact that neither the oonstl**tutlOIi8l. prOVi8iOIl,**  pertainingto sld ior d8pend8nt children,
nor thet,part or the Public ?:elrere Act or 1941 pertaining t0 d8peEtdent children, preolude **8** dependent child, who meet8 the requlrem8nts or th8 Tax88 Public r;'olrcrra iiotor 1941 e0m being pOt8ntielly eliglble.to rOO4lY8 **aid** under 88id cot, 8ven If 8uOh dependentohlld~were, III fact, en imete **of 8**  **%eite iUditUtiO%**  However, we **are** or the oplnnion, that,the Leglslsture In the enaotment or the Publio ~Jeltare **Aot Of**  **1.901,. .pUrsUSZlt**  **to** the **OOll8titUtiOIl8l** suthoriretlon, did not Intend for e dependent ohlld to aotuslly reoelre dare, malntenanoe 0114 support by 81~3 through snd from 4 **Stsk ln8tltutlon**  **end at**  **the** 88m8 time reoeIr8 **8id 88**  **a dependent**  ohlld under the protlsiona of said Welfare **Aot.** 5 are al80 

### 0r the opinion that the Pub110 Welfare Aot 0ri9u WA8 no* fntended to requlr8 the grnntlng Or aid **to 8**  dependent ohlld who 18 being oared for adequetely by a county or oity lmtitutson 8uppOrted by publio iUnd8 Of which Institution Seid ahild **i8** a ward and OIXUltt86. In other **~0x48,** the Publlo Kelfare Act or 194l make8 available old r0r ohlldron who 8re aotually dapqndent and are not be:ng aotually oarad for and uhleh should be oared Sor **by** the State inaooordsnoe with the rules sad regulatlone of the Texas Pub110 veltare **Aot** of 19w.

W8 tIW8t th8t In this mannsr we hste filly answond your lnqulriea.