OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS 

AUSTIN 

Eon. Talter C. Pierson 

Head, F'xeoutlre Dltialon 

Department of Ctatr 

offloe of Secretary o? Sat0 

Austin, Texas 

Dear sir: 

ntloned oonstitutfonsl prc- 

?a te Guard is not mentioned by 

ers be e:ltitled tc, tke exemytlofi, it, would 

in the general descriptloc quoted above 

Tte forces end reserve described ln the above mentioned 

provIsion are limited to those “of the Tjnltsd -tates.* Mllltery 

forces and organizations .&lch do not meet this requirement are 

not included. So the question turns on whether the Texas rtate 

Guard, as a military force, la an instrument of the United States 

Government or zerelp a @tate organization; in other words, whether 

lt8 members, BE such, are enraged in the service of the federal 

governpent or solely in the service cf the 3ste of Texts. 
56: 

Rc,. , alter C. Pleraon, pope 2 

The rt8tutr8 l rpr888ly protlda that the Taraa Ctato 

Our4 la I part or the milltory rororr or a state or ‘I’orsr 

-- 

8t3d th8 88tiv8 8dliti8 Of th8 Sht8 Of =X88. ~oOt8r?nO~ Or 

T8XO8 18 authorized to =giiSn zI= the %I88 Stat8 

Ouard during th8 98rIOd thrt the T8x88 m8tiOn81 OU8rd Or my 

98Tt th.NOf, i8 in l OtIV, tOdOra 8On10.. kTtB. 5765 aad 

589lr, Vbrnoa’8 AM. Cit. StrtUt88. 

Thr Coa8tltutioa of th8 URIt& State8 (COO. 8 oi Art.11 

proridos that Congo88 rhrll ham 9owrr 

*To provldr ror ialllng rorth tha Yilltla to 

l X8OUtr the kW8 Or th8 udOa, 8Ii99rO88 zIX8W88tiOM 8a6 

npal xBvrrIoM~ 

*To provldr r0r orgaaltdng l mlng, 8nd lIroigl1ain&the Militia, 8lid iOr @WI&6 ruch Part d thorn l s 

ma k y l m91Oyed in thr fhkrriO0 ai th. mft.6 8t8te8, r.- 

rerrlng tothc Ftat88 rerpeotlrrly, the Appointmat of 

the Offloerr, and thr Authority of tralnlng the b?llItia 

rocordlng to the dlrolpllnr pre8orlbL by congres8.* 

It further provider (Qo. 10 of Art. I) that8 

“NO 8tatO 8h811, Without the COll88Ilt Of COa@O88,. , . 

keep tiOO98, .,.., in time or Poso8, . . . ..a 

The Army of the United Otate8, 88 defined in 10 U.?.C.A., 

Peo. 2, Inoluder the 'WtlOnal Guard of the ilnltad %ata8*, and 

the *Netion Guard while in the aervloe of tha 'Jnlted %etea,* whlo 

are derlned in 32 iJ.‘.::.A., Sec. 4b, aa follows: 

"In this tit:e, mlese the ssntart or aubjeot matter 

otherwise rerulrcs-- 

"(a) 'National Guerd' or 'Nations: Guard of the 

several etctes, ‘?crrltzlee, an; the Dlstriot of 

Columbia' me%cs that portlcr of tht Crganlzrd Xllltia 

of the severs1 States, Terrltorlab, 6m.i the i)i8triot 

or Columbia, eotlre and lnaotlre, redorally reoognlzed 

as provldad in thlr Aot and organlzrd, srmd, and 

equipped in whole or in part at Podoral sxponae and 

officered erd triified under paregraph 16, section 6, 

ertiole I of the Ccnstitutlsn. 
Aon. altrr C. lier.ao;l, page 3 

“(b) ‘National Guard o” the United %rtrr’ mean8 

a reaervo oomponent of the Army of the Unltrd stater 

oompoaod of those isdorallg rooognized units and organlzatlone and parsone duly appointed and ooxnleslonad 

in tha aotlro and lnrotltr Netlonsl Guard OS the rareral 

Ftatoa, Terrltorler, and the Dlstrlot of Columbia, who 

have takon and aubsorlbad to the oath of offloo prerorlbed in motion 112 of this title, and who have bamn 

duly appointed by tho President in the National Guard 

of thr Waited Ttatar, aa provided in thla tltlr, and of 

those orfloerr end warrEnt ofilcere appointed a8 preeorlbod in reotlonr 81 and 113 or this title, and of 

thoma porrona duly or&listed in the Natloaal hard oi 

thr United Staten and of thr 8rroral Strtor, Terrltorlea, and tha Dlstriot (d Columbia rho hero taken and 

rubeorlbed to the oath of l nllstmont prrsoribed in 

84otion 123 or thin title. (JUO 3, 1916, O. 134 

a8 addad Juno 15, 1933, o. 87, # 9, 48 ?tat. 157jw 

B 71, 

The r0ii0mg provfslons of 32 Cl.“.C.!,., -eo, 194, euthorlze the establishment of Ptate guardr: 

“(a) No Etata . . . ahall maintain troop0 in time 

of paaor other than as authorized in accordanor wlth 

the organization prororlbrd under this title. . . . 

“(b) Under auoh regulations as the “eoratary of 

:‘Jar may presorlbe iOr the organization, standard8 of 

training, lnatruotlon, and dlsolpline, the orgenlzatlon by acd calctecence witkin ‘:w ‘tete. . . . of 

such nllltsry fcrces other than a ‘Iatlcxai GusrC BE 

mey be provided bg the Iax of each rtete. . . . is 

hereby authorized wi~lle any :,art of the N~tlonel Guerd 

of the Yste . . . . ccr:orrse? Is 12 active Federal 

service , . , -rcvideC ful-t,;?er, TLyt ?;ct iorce8 

skell not be cs_:leC, orZcred, DT 1:. zE.r:.!nn+r drafted, 

RS such. lntr, the r.llitbry services o,P t2e ‘.‘nited ^tstes; 

however, no perssn ~5611, by r’LE?% ci ~1s n,enbcrshlp 

in any euoh unit. be exemvted rro:; r,llltfiry service under 

any Fedora1 law.‘. . . .“’ 
. 562 

AOIl. ‘.alter C. Pleraon, page 4 

The Constitution of Taxor (coo. 46 or Art. Xvr 

prorldrat 

c 

Vho Laglal6tura shall provide by law ior or6aniain6 rnd dirOiplinin6 the militia of the %&a, 

in rush maanar as thay rball deem l xpadl6nt, not 

inooapatlblr with, tha Constitution and Lana of thr 

United Stataa .o 

It fiuthar prarldaa (in SOO. 7 oi Art IV) t 

*a (the Ootarnor) shall ba Commandor-in Chief 

of the mllltary forors oi the ?tato, exoapt when 

thay are oallod into l otual l artloe of tha Unitid 

Ptatra. He ah811 hare ponr to oall forth thr 

Yilltlr to areauta the lawa or th a statr, to l upprara 

lnaurrrotlo66, rap61 lat6alo66, and protoot tha 

frontlar from host116 lnouralona by fndla66 or other 

prabatory bands.” 

It la apparent from an examination of the Texas atatutos 

authorizing end governing the Texas -ata hard thet it waa intendad to be purely a State mllltla, organizrtlon, 6nd not a part 

or the mllltary foroaaxhs United Ftat.8. The r0110whg proilalona 8r* llluatr4tlra: 

“Art. 5765. Th6 ailltlr of this Ftate shall b6 

dlrldad into two (2) olessrs, the aotlre end raaervo 

mllltl6. The aotirr militia ahall oonslat oi organized 

rod unlrormad military ioroea d thlo Ptate whlah ahall 

be kn6wn aa the Texas Natlonal Guard or the Texas “tate 

Guard ae the ceae may be; the re6erve militia shall 

oonslst of 1~11 those llablo to eervloe In the Al.ltie, 

but not serving In the Texas Ketlonal Guard or the 

Texas ‘tata guard. As a!zended Aota 1943, 48th Leg., 

p. 464, oh. 311, 8 1. 

*h-t. 5891a. 

““40. l(8). Yhenever any part of the National 

Guard of thla rtate la in l otivo Fedora1 aenlaa,t.~a 

Governor la heroby authorized to organize and malntaln within this State during euoh period, under auoh 

ragulrtlona a8 the .Ceoretary or ‘Par of the United 

Ftetes may prescribe for their orqsnlz?tim, standards 
564 

Hon. U'alter c. Pierloll, page 5 

o? trrlai~, lnrtruotlon rnd A1801911n~, ruoh 

mllitmrf toroor (~a the Oorornor may doom aeooa88~~ 80 dO~OnA thl8 S88tO. Suoh foroor rhrll br 

0o mp 080A o f o ftloor l ppolntod 8 mid l oQmlrrloaod 

8nd @@rim86 by th8 @OV8TnOr Or UlLdo? hi8 8Uthorlty, t0 hold Off108 l nd 888i@l88Ilt dU?iJl 

th8 91888Ur8 Of th8 0018?nOr, 8ad 8uoh rblo- t OA18A 

m810 OitftOn8 Of th8 8t8tO 8ii4 ruoh rbh-bOdiOd 

r88ld8nt8 Oi tho st8tO who rhrll hrl. dOO18F.d 

tholr intOatiOa t0 b800Ili8 8iti88n8 Of tho unit8d 

st8t88, 88 8h8ll TOiUdBOr iOr 88mlOo tbOr8ln, 

8U9 18lWnt8d, if IUO8888?‘l, br B8n Of th8 TO8OrV8 

d&i8 WOllOd br & 8it m othOrWi80 l 8 9?0- 

Tided br 188. , . . 

“(b) 6u8h tOrO.8 8h811 be l 8rt Of .tho 8OtiV8 

tiliti8 8KId 8 OmOnOnt Of tihr fi P it8rl ?OrOO# Of 

hX8r 8Jld 8hBll b8 8ddltlOn8l t0 Wbd diBtiJl#t irol 

tho m8tiOn81 @U8rd ond 8hrll b0 kIkOWlI 88 the T8188 

%8t8 &8rd: bOVid8d, hOWrV8?, thrt m8mb8r8 O? 

the T’rX88 N8tiOMl [lUeTd who 8r8 llOt 8t thm tir8 

in ?OdO?81 88mlO8 nal b0 U8ed, Und8r thr ruthority 

ol th8 Adjutrnt tilhOr81, to 808llBIIId, in8trUOt, tr8in 

8lld 8ddIli8t8T 811 Or 8nr 8OIQOii8flt Of th8 Ikilit8rr 

fO?OO8 Of thlr %8tO, inOhldin6 8uoh 8t8t8 0U8l'd. 

;82rmOJid8d, AOt8 19k3, 48th Log., 9. 464, oh. 311, 

, . . . 

"COO. i?(8) Th8 ~VO?nO? 18 h8roby 8UthOrl88A 

to prsscrlbe rules end regulations not lnoonal8tent 

With th8 prOTi810~ Of tidl AOt gOT8rning the 8nli8tm8nt, Orgd%8tiOn, 8ddId8tretiOn, diOrn;8, 

rqUiplD8Llt, msinten8nor, OoINpand, tr8ining 8nd dieoiplln8 0r ruoh rorcoa; provided euoh rulaa 8nd 

regulatlon8, in 80 fur es he deems practloeblr End 

ds#ir8bl., shell OOnfOrm to 8Xlsting low gOVerIlir,g 

and pertaining to the National Ouerd and the rules 

and r8gUlatiOIl8 9rCawleatad th8rrUfid8?. . . . 

*!3oo. 7. lothing in thlr Aot 8ha11 be oonrtru8A 

88 8uthOrizln( ruoh fOrO88, Or Uy 98rt th8r8Of, t0 

b8 l 8118A, CUd8Xd, O? 15 aw lUEtUl8~ &8ftOd, 88 8UOh, 

into thr military 8emlOO Of the Unlt8d ?tatrs, but 

rio prrson ~h.511 by reazon Of ?ifl ecliStI?ent or OOIP- 

~issi::n in any 6uch foroee be exempted from ellitary 

eerrior under any law of the United "tator. . . . 
56 

Hon. *alton C. l.ltrsion, page 6 

Although u8 hare found no 088e8 OOn8trUing th8 Texes 

Bt8tUt8, th8 i8dOT81 OOWt8 h8Vt h8ld that OffiO8r8 Of oth8r 

St8te 0U8rd8 8F8 Dot bl8mbO?8 Ot 8DY Of tho WriOU8 aaIlDOD8Dt8 

oi th8 vnit8d .et8td8 milit8ry fOrOi8. vnitcd %8tR8 V-. H8rtlnq, 

4,8 ?. Cupp. 607 (Di8t. Ct., 1943); Oeston 1. bit84 %8te8, 34 

A. (26) 353, (Yun. Ct. of App. Da Ki943I f 1 a1 

(2d) 10 (Ct. App., D. c., 19441, 08rtiOr8ri i8:1:d;& !?!'ct': 

1286. . 

‘In OUI Opinion, thrroforo, meePber8 Of th8 T8x88 L?t8te 

Ward 82‘8 not rntltled to rote without p8)mRGIt ot 8 poll tnx, 

under thr prorltlons 0r 90. 28, Art. VI, or the Con8tItUtlOn 

or T8xB8. 

mU rOqU88t fWther ark8 for 84~100 88 80 "Wh8th8r 

uDd8r thr COn8titUtion and lrrs Of the Et8te O? Tsxss memb8r8 

Of th8 'P8X88 %8te OUtlrd 8tC t0 8nl 8It8Ilt 818EQt irg p8m8llt 

of th8 9011 88X’ sad, if 88, 'the 8StOnt 8nd t8lX8 Of 8uOh 

8s8mptlon.' 

Ye are enoloslng herewith ooplca of our Opinions Roe. 

O-5045 and O-5808, whloh hold thrt a8mbrr8 of the T8rss r?trtr 

Ouard, being memb8rs of the 8otiVs Eil1ltI8 of Texas, Ire entitled 

t0 8 pOrti '8X8mptlOn and t0 8 ml1lt8ry 9013 t8X r808ipt under 

Arts. 5840 and 5841, ReIlecd Civil 3t8tute8 Of B-8, upon oompli8aOO with the terms of 8ald 8rti8108, snd rhloh dl8ou88 rnd 

Interpret 8eid 8rtlOlOS. In rdditlon, we or11 ta your rttentlon 

Art8. 5843 end 5344, which read a8 fOllOw8: 

"Articl8 5843. 

“To entitle eriy general, field or 8thff ofiloer 

of the eotire mllltla of this State to ebld exemptions 

ae set fort: In thin ohtipter, such orrloer ehall 

betnetn the fir&t dnys of Tcinusrp ar.4 April of etloh 

year, flie ,hltt, tte 8ssfk3sor oi tuxes Tcr his. county 

hla oertlflcate to the effect that he is ec ofiloer 

of tte uotlre clllltle of thir Ptate la good standing, 

end that he hae ielthfully dieoh8rFed till the milltery 

dutlts required or Nm during the prroedin& year, and, 

on riiinc the OmifiO8tt a8 berein required, auoh 

orrloer ahall not be l 3sassea r0r ay ~011 t8x wh8tever other than the poll tar of om dollar pwtorlbed 

by the :TonPtitutioo far tht su>cOrt of pub110 SC!?OOlS 

for tht ctirr‘trst year; . . . . 
51 

HOll. “alter c. Pleraon, page 7 

"Article 5444. 

*TO antit any non-oct0mi00i0n0d 0t0rr orrioer, 

mambar of the l z~n(ia8.r or hoapital 80~8, or any 

other l nlla toman d or the l 0t11. mI11t1a 0r thlr 

8tate mt belonglag to tho ragular or~anIzatloa,to 

th0 WJUp tiOB~ l @ Mu rOrth in tb0 rOtUth prOOObi!~g 

artlole, auoh non-oommlaaiono6 orri00; or l olaier 

ahaii repera Ona ii10 l rridOrit0 ahilar to the 

l 0rtir P rrte proride I8 the prarrdln8 artI ror 

orriooro, with thr l moaaor, , . , . 0r hlr oountr; 

l uoh l iiIda+Ita ahall be illatl burl- tho aamo period 

0nll in tha 00~0 mannor a0 oat rorth atm0 ror orrioor8. Oa ruin 

t 

auoh l rridO+itO, aurh 80n-0on8i0~i08ed 

orrlau or roll or #hall be ontItle to tha l am oxl aqltlono la the l 8. UM a r 00 pro 1 ld.d for l uo h o trt0arhw 

Summarlslng tha @bow, wo ho14 that m-bar8 of the htia 

Etrta Ouar41 

(1) Ara not antlt~od to rota without paymmnt 0r 

a pan tax under t~protlalona 0r 500. 20, Art. n, 0r tho Oon0tituti0n 0r TIIOO~ 

(2) km, upon ooopllanor lath &tr. Y&l, 584) OT 5844, 

l r0qt trm pOpm 0r p0ii trxra , l xoopt tho one-dollar poll tax 

prraarlkd by thr Conatltotlon for the aupport of the pub118 

aohoola; an4 

(3) Are entitled to a poll tax reaolpt under Artlolea 

5841, 58l,3 or 5844, upon oomplisnoe tith the terms quoted and 

payment of the one-dollar Conatitutlonal tax. 

Tour0 very truly,