THE ATJXBRNEY GENERA& 

OF TEXAS 

Cal., Thomas C. Green, P.E. 

Member Secretary 

Texas State Board of Regfstratlon 

for Professional Engineers 

Austin, Texas 

Dear Colonel Green: 

Opinion No. M-270 

Re: Whether an individual employed on a temporary and 

seasonal basis to assist 

with the handling of examination papers may be 

paid his salary from 

Line Item 6 of the departmental approprlatlon to the Texas State 

Board of Registration 

for Professional Engineers 

in Senate Bill 15, Acts 

60th Legislature, 1967, 

Regular Session. 

You have requested the opinion of this office upon 

the question of whether the Texas State Board of Registration 

for Professional Engineers may hire an individual on a temporary and seasonal basis to assist with the handling of examination papers and pay such individual's salary from Line 

Item 6 of the departmental appropriation to the Texas State 

Board of Registration for Professional En ineersas 

Senate Bill 15, Acts 60th Legislature, 2 

found in 

19 7, Regular Session, 

the General Appropriations Bill. 

Line Item 5 of that departmental appropriation 

contains an appropriation for seasonal help, and Line Item 6 

contains an appropriation for examination expense and pro- ., 

fessional fees and services. 

Article 3271a, Vernon's Civil Statutes, the Texas 

Engineering Practice Act, places upon the Texas State Board of 

Registration for Professional Engineers the responsibility of 

conducting certain examinations of those individuals desirous 

of becoming licensed to practice engineering in the State of 

Texas. Such responsibility to conduct examinations carries 

with it the authority to take such action as the Texas State 

Board of Registration for Professional Engineers feels is 

necessary to comply with its responsibility of giving examinations, and this would include the hiring of personnel 

necessary to conduct such examinations. 

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Cal. Thomas C. Green, page 2 (M-270) 

Since the hiring of an individual to assist with the 

handling of examination papers would seem to be a valid and 

necessary examination expense, we are of the opinion that an 

individual employed by the Texas State Board of Registration 

for Professional Engineers on a temporary and seasonal basis 

to assist with the handling of examination papers may be paid 

his or her salary from either Line Item 5 or Line Item 6 of'~ 

the departmental appropriation to the Texas State Board of 

Registration for Professional mglneers as found in Senate'Bill 

15, Acts 60th Legislature, 1967, Regular Session, the,General 

Appropriations Bill 

SUMMARY 

The Texas State Board of Registration for 

Professional Engineers may pay an individual 

employed on a temporary and seasonal basis to 

assist with the handling of examination papers 

from either Line Item 6 or Line Item 5 of the 

departmental appropriation to the Texas State 

Board of Registration for Professional hgineers; 

as found in Senate Bill 15, Acts 60th Legislature, 

1967, Regular Session, the General Appropriations 

Bill. 

truly yours, 

C. MARTIN 

General of Texas 

Prepared by Pat Bailey 

Assistant Attorney General 

APPROVED: 

OPINION COMMITTEE 

Hawthorne Phillips, Chairman 

Kerns Taylor, Co-Chairman 

Joe Clayton 

Robert Owen 

Jack Goodman 

Bill Craig 

A. J. CARUBBI, JR. 

Executive Assistant 

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