OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS 

AUSTlN 

Honorable Thoraaa L, Blanton, fr. 

llouaty Attorney 

shaokoliord oounty 

Albany, ~T4ms 

D4ar Slrt 

ml r, repusst zo the queetlons 

y. this departmalt .and vhoue 

In eloohol in 

onoerned, but 

118 the @ale+ ct bCar that, doea not oontala aloohol in exa6ss oi MIr prr Csnt is OOnCerned. 
Honorable Thomae L. Blanton, Jr., peg6 2 

*A looal option election was hsld ou 

Seturday, October 29, in 6aOh Of th6s6 py6- 

cincte whiah govarn ths present status. 

“Justloe Pr6ciuat RO. 2 Of Shackeliord 

County comprise6 a very small portion of the 

County in the xwrth6rn part with only ma4 

fifty Or SiXty VOt66. Th6+0 i4 n0 h6td.04 

of Peaos provided for in this just104 pr4- 

Cinot, and 80 far ae I know th6r6 has not 

bs~sn in the last thirty or rorty yeara; Re06atlp the Commisaionsrs Court of Shaokelford Cotmty ha8 ahauged Commlsalon4rs Pr4- 

ciaot No. 2, which until said oh4ugo oomprum;dN~h42i3(UD6 t4rritOrP as 8UatiOe Pr4- 

. . 

eIu order to~kmw how tD advise the Corn-. 

mlssioaers Court, I would appraoiate it if 

you would give m4 your opiuion upon ths follow- questlone, to-wit: 

e(1) In th4~4vmt of a re-distriatlng 

of Justloe~Preoino$s Noa. 1 and .2. by th6 Commissioners Coart, ao that Justi44~.Prsclnot 

NO; 1 6hall~inO1Uds all Of JtWt~04 h6OiIlOt 

No. 2, would's local option 4164tiOn held in 

-6 LLBW J~6tio6 Preolnot NO. 1 arter October, 

29, 1939, gorera the looal option statuss..or 

what has heretofore- been Justlae Preciuat No. 

2; or 

“(2) would itbe nbceasary to hold a 

86parat6 election tn the territory how aompriel 

6stabl T 6h the statub or that partloular malJUstios Prroinot NO. 2 lu Order t0 

its- 

"I submit this request ror an opinion 

becauss or the rsasoning or ths supreme Uourt 

in the 0884 Or~Houahlns v8. Plaluos, 110 SW 

(Ed] 549, in ivhl4h aase th6 Court says, on 

EM86 555: 'Of oouys6~, any 6U0h ar6a has the 

right to become w4t by SO votiug at an eleatlon 16gall~'ordsred and' h4ld for that purpass under piesant .looal optionsstatutes. Iu 
Honorable Thomas L. Blanton, Jr., p6gs 3 

~tihitt 

such 

oOM6OtiOn, how6v4r, w4 again aOt6 that 

that 

olaotlon must be held in thr sama araa 

originally voted dry.* 

“9&e Sedation, of omrse, Is differ4at 

h th4 pr6e6nt 04s6, as Pr4olnot EJo~. 2 is.aoz 

,kt..and I am not alear whather th4 rul4 lad 

dowt'wlth r4r6rtutcM.to Houston H41ghts rmld 

awly ii Justios Pxctoiaat No.. 2 wers~placad 

fn ~UEtb4 ~Iwfnot No. 1 aad tha new Sustica 

PrQOinat NO. 1 should vote dry. 

“(3) sir it it.5 00~ opinion that a lood 

optfoa 414ation In the n4w Just104 Prsclaot~ 

po0. 1, oomprislag what Is aow Justios Preofaot 

No. 1 and No. 2 should.bs h4ld, whqt would b4 

the b6tre8 to b6 sUbmitted to th4 voters. pad4rtmJ oonetxuotloa or 8aotion i,o or Artial4 

666 of'ths Pea41 Cbde lSsu46i d, 4 and i ehould 

be used lt,the elbation for what .is now JUStiO4 Prsoinot Noo. 2 would have to be held 

within the oonrlnee or ths old prso,$.nOt. Uad6rth4 d4olsioa of Houohlns vs. Plalaos, and 

if th4 fbotion should hs h6ld in +t now 

oomprisas Preainot.Bo. 1 lasues aUmber% 'g and 

h ahoUldb4 used. ~~1 r44llz4 that ths snaw6r 

to queetioa No. 3.will depend to,& great extent upon your answer to on4 and two, but I 

would appreolats your advi6iag as 9~11~ a0 

possible on the questloas involved." 

In 1935, tit1016 16, Section 20 of the TaXa. 

c0~titution.m0 a8td.n em3ntbd to aUthOti.26 the sale or 

all liquora withln the Skrta of Texas in such counties 

or 4r66s"ae should by loaal option. legalize th6 SEU64. 

Pursuant to this amandm4nt, ths l&h L4giSlRtUr4 R6864d 

what 1s oo~alV~kuowa asths vTerai Liquor~0ontro,l Aot;" 

&tfol4 1 of thfs Aot, Vsrnon'e Aaaotatad P6=1%od6, 

&tiole 666-1, et seq., proyidbe.~rOr thr64 methods Of 

legalization or the ybrlous types of liquors, aad lih4- 

w&s4 thr44 degrees of prohibition. Ths first iS th4 

leg&j.mtiOn of the salt of vinoue and~malt liquor6 that 

do not..oontaln any aloohol~in sxoasa Or four Per Oent. by 

v%ight; th4 84001~3, ror th4 l4gallzatloa'or tha ssl4 or 

ybous and'malt liquors that do-tit oontain alaohol fn 

4xc4~~ a]c +,$.per oeat;.by volume;' aad third, for th4 legalization Or the Salk Of,‘al l&qUOrSC Th6 6x6ot ooav4rs6 

or thee4 thr44 m&hods or lagalization Of the,sele of th4 
Honorebls Thorns t. Blantan, Jr.. p4g54 4 

rarioea types 0r liquor.6 fir4 the thr44 degrsra or prohibition. 

Th4 %x48 Liquor Control Aot is in two actIn 

diYiai.olla. Th4 flret division has b66a brat ht down 

ia lT4r?&on’4 Aanotet6d P4Ml C4d4 es &t%416 t66 -1, 4t 

g$Ii, tzzi 

TJI~ seoond dS~%al4n is known as Art1014 

or th4 P4Ml Cad4. Thea4 two divisiona 

are known and*&rrred to aa Article 1 and Artlola 2 or 

the T4raa Liquor Garrtrol Aet. Artiolr 1 sxprara~y r4- 

r4ra to ~lntoxi44tlug llqmra,* aad Artiola 2, to welt 

llqgoraw or abmr.m 

Artiols 666-3e, Vernoa’a Penal Coda, d4fiasa 

th4 word4 Ql4oholio bav4r4g4" as tollowat 

*~,hl4oholio B4ver4ge' 'shall I44n alcohol aad my b4varsgs csmuiafniag ~0x4 than 

one-halr or on4 psr or& or aloohol b~.roloro 

rbioh ia.eapabl4 of as4 for b4y4rag4 pprpoa4a, 

either elom or when diluted. 

r* * * 

*%iqUar* aball mean any al40314lio beywag4 4ontdaing alochol, In 4x948s or tour 

(4) p4r 46tttdtE by WC&~&~, wtl686 Otharufs4 

indfoatad.* * * 

wqWin6 and rinous liquor1 aball aeho 

the prodpot obtaln4d from tha alooholio 

f4rn4ntetion o? &I44 Or 606nd rip4 gr4p4ar 

frtiits, end berries. 

*Any daflnition oontaimd herainA~~all 

apply to th4 aema umd in any form. 

1935, i&h L6&, 2nd C. S., p. 1795, oh. 

467, Art. 1, par. f-a; Aota 1937, 45th Lug., 

p. 1053, ah. 448, par. 2.” 

~tiol~ 666-40 ~84ta out la detell the 84Y4mil 

bu&,a by *ioh lw+ti option clleotiona WV ba bald Mmr4 

yariotta types et ligu~r may b4 voted O$ a4 first thm* 

ballots to lealfsi ind th4 864011d t&44 to PmhLbgt tha 

aalo of liqao~, as rollar*t 
Bonorablq Thomas L. Bleaton. fr.,.page 5 

'The &N&38iOnOr’B’ Court tlpm it8 

Om 8iOtioU may, or upon petiti&mi 8s herein 

provfded 8w1, ar pmvidod in 8eotlon 32, 

Arti 1, order 10081 Opthl 818otioIk3 iOr 

the purpose CC d8tarmining whether alooholle 

be~eragea Of the nrioue types and elehholic 

aontent8 hsrdn provl4sd 8ha11 be lw,ellzed 

OT pmhiblteb. 

"In areas where 6ny t;lP8 or OlLl88ifiQaltlon of aloohollo brreragss is prohibited en4 

the i88u8 or i84tm8 sabaitt8d pertain ta legalization or ths sale of One or 9ore suoh prohibited tm68 Or Ola88ipitltltiQll8, One Or spOr8 

at th8 fOl1OUi~ iqtSU88 Sh8ll be submitted: 

*(a). Vor legalizing the sale of 

bo8r that doe8 not acatain alcohol in exbe88 Of fOIW (4$) &ml? OentUm by Weight’ 

arid ‘iigaiIi8t l4gtif8%Ug tha 8al8 Of beer 

that dabs not co?ltain aleohol in exaes8 of 

four (49 peroentwn by weight.' 

WI l 'ror 18@1litiag th8 eals of malt 

8ti vtltOU8 bsorrrag48 that 40 llot OOXhRin alaowl in 5x0888 or rourtcsn (3.4%) peroenttm 

by ~0lUm8 ’ M4 ‘8g8ill8t lq@hiqg the Be18 Of 

~arjllt:.an&v~o~i, b4~SEigCS’ that 40 I-lot oantain 

alaohol~in axorsr.~of r0uma-h C.l4%) pcrcentum 

by ~1~8.' 

"(Cl. 'For 1@g81iXing the 8dle Of d.1 

alcoholio bewsragtm* an4 *@alnat l*wvdl~lng 

ths ealc of all a&ooboiolib bevarnge8.’ 

"In areas uhars the sale ot all alcohollo 

bev6rSg83 has been legaliard one Or mOr5 Of 

the follO%ting i88Ue8 shall be 8Ubiuitt84 tn 

any prohibitory election: 

"(41. *Par prohibiting t&s sale O? 

all beverages that aontaln aloohol In 6xaea8 cf Sous ( &$) peraentm by Might + * 

and *Against prohibiting the sale of all 

beverage8 that'aontafn siOOh0l In 8XQB88 

or four (4%) pstoantua by weight. ' 
321 

Ecm@rable !EJum48 L. Blentan, Jr.. page 6 

“(al. *For prohibiting tha sale of all 

alooholle bererages that contain alcohol In 

exaeas of fourtcian (Us) permntum by volume' 

an4 *&almt pmhlbltlng the sale OS all alcrohollo bcoerag48 that fmntaln aleOh in 

4XO488~.0f fcnn?teM 114%) pgsroenfium by volume. 

"(f). *Rx prohibiting the aals of all 

alcohol18 betsmge8* an4 vAgainat prohibltlng 

the 8alr of all aloOhbl~o ~bovsraga8. * 

“&s areas where the sale of beraragea 

oontaining dlOOhO1 not in eXCe88 Of fourtesn 

(I&) pereentum by volume ha8 beon lsgallzs4, 

and tb386 Of high8F 8lOoholio oonteat are 

prohibited, one or aon of tha iollorring 

iaeus8 Bball be 8ubmltta4 in cay prohibitory 

election: 

"(4x). ‘For prohibitlag the aale of alooholla beverage8 that 8ontain aleohol in 

exoasa of four (4%) parmuhtxm by might’ an4 

*Agaln& prohlbitlng the ealo ai alaohollo 

barer8g48 that oant8ln aleehol in 810888 of 

fonr (4%) psramttum by weight.* 

“(h). *For prohlbltl~ the sale Of all 

alaoholla bewrage8* an4 'Again8t prohibiting 

the sale of all aloohollo bwamgss.* 

*In arms where th8 sala ot bear containing aloohol not ucedlng four (f,#) paraentum 

by wight'has been l~aliead an4 SLl. other alooholio b87erage8 ari‘prohlblts4, the followl&g iasu~ ab~1.l bs euWtted.in any prohibitory 

alootion: 

"(1). 'Bar pr&lbiti.ng the aals of beer 

containing alaohol not sxcee4lxig f-r (4545) 

peraentun by weight* an4 *Against prohibiting 

the eale 0r bear containing aloohol not 7.: 

sxcaadiog four (4%) pereentum by welght.v 

Whare mora than one i88u8 Is submitted 

aii a sin&lo ballot no ballot 8-1 be OOiante4 

UZtl488 th8 toter Shall tOta UpOli saoh Of the 
322 

~Imr4bl8~%%OBI44 L. Blauton, Jr., ~8 7 

%88uas appearing on my woh ballot; 6~14 aaah 

8uoh ballot ehall have printed thereon t3.m 

WOr48 *This ballot will not be counted unleee 

the vdter ehall vote upon e8Ch of the Issue8 

appearing hare&n.* AOt8 1935, 44th La%., 

an4 c. s., p. 1795, oh. 467, Art. 1, par. 40; 

Act5 1937, 45th Leg., p. 1053, ah. 4&d, par. 

30a; ACt8 1937, &5th Leg., let C. 8. , s. B. 

#20, par. 8. 

Suction &O of the Liquor Control Aot pre8Orib48 one lox¶n Of ballot to be USa4 in a 80-callad 

dry trrritory wbsre an dleCtiOn 18 osllad for the pnr33080 Of l~aliZiT@ the 8al5 Or 811 8l~OhOliO bavSr8g88, 

and another form to b8 ~8a4 In a w8t t8rritoxy where 

M SlaOtiOn 18 Cdl44 iOr the pW~84 Of sinking the 

88l8 Of all alcoholio bevarag88 legal. ?8flur8 to 1~38 

th8 iO= Of ballot ~escribad br th8 8tatUt48 fOT 8&l 

818atl0n In a wet territory conatl&u6a8 a rlolatlon 

Of tha EUIU4atoSy prOVi8ion8 Of the 8tfAtUtS eU4 Tsnd6T8 

th8 l laotion mid, when seasonably attaoked 1n.a proper 

alaotloa contest. (Saa the ca8a of Moyer, at al v. 

b.l18~, at al, 93 SW (24) 502, arrow di8ml88ed.) Wldlr 

t&8,19)5 amaU4mant omitte4 amml88fona.r praolnot8 a8 

8T588 la ahioh 10081 OptiOI’i daUtiOn8 ini@& 15gally 

be hald an4 preberved a8 4ry ama only the countlao, 

ja8tlee pr4clnot8, oitias or tow88 whlob ha4 thereSoiOT8 been dry area8, a oommissioner8' preoinot whiah 

had i4antioally the aam area au4 the 8ame vot8rs a8 

the justlao preainct, au4 which votsd'dry In 1918. wa8 

ha14 Co r8main dry after tha adoption of the 1935 

8mm4ment 80 a8 to nuder valid the u8e of the b8llot 

pre80ribe4 by saotion 40 of the Liquor control f&t, 

(Parnon's Penal Code, Artlola 666-40,) to be 1x884 In 

alaetloma and dry areas. (645 .tha ?a86 of Tallay v. 

Ban8On. 96 S.W. (24) ~-9A.) 

If jaetlce praolnotrs No8. 1 and 2 have b8an 

combine4 or ooasolidatad by aot8 OS the ooatml88loner8* 

axrt,thati 8Uoh new @tiCa preoinot 18 knOwn a8 hstioe Preolnot No. 1. Before ooa&ir.&ng 8U0,h juatiaa 

pr4ainot8, Justice Preoiuot No. 1 wa8 w4t in 40 rar a8 

the sala of beer that 4ld not contain alaohol In 4ECea8 

0r iour par cent an4 malt an4 ~IxioUs bsteragsa that 40 

not OOXttdn 8lCohol in (a;0488 Of fOUrteM per BlOt, but 

wa8 dry ia 80 Sar as hard liquor8 w4r4 comerned. Juat- 
~onarablr Thaarae 2. Blat&on. Jr., pago 8 

iae Fraolnet Ho. 2 wan *at In so rar a8 all lntoxleatbg 1iqUQrS are conearned. 

On F,,bxuarp 4, 1936, In an oplnlon written 

by Boo. Laoa 0. LbOae& AssIstant Attorney Qanaral, this 

d~paxtaont &Id that v&en on6 or the thrae atmrs mentload pmrialum harr bwn submIttat% and voted on farorebly.by tha votsro, the aam rculd romein legal 

until and unlar~ ths sprolflo,qua~ttlon Ia again submitted to the.ootors and la repealed by thorn. 

In the cam of Homhlne v. Plslnoe, et al, 

110 sw (26) 519, the Suprema Court or Texas, among othar 

thlngr, held, that wdertfhe 1935 aaandmant of SeatIon 

20, Artlole 16 of the stetp Constitution, t&e araa or 

6ny oeunty, $wtiee prealnots, cities or a town that 

wa8 dry ahen the tiendment rent into arrsot, remaIm drjr 

with the right to bsoome wat by so toting ,at an alactloa under prsaent looal option rtetutes h&IQ In the 

#em8 area that orlglnally vutbd dry, and %&em8 a o%ty 

hw oeawd to eliat an a munlolpnl oorpolatl4?zi, it otill 

uiat8 for the purpoea or holdiag loal option aleotiow 

to Mkr the area theraor rat, slthsr as r6pwssnts all 

intoslaating liquors, or only tan rarrpeot8 nine or beer. 

rrom the abov6 mentioned oaaa a8 

was oertslalj tha 14~ at the 

0r ~0d0a mght8 t0td to die801~0 Its corporate axtstanacl end autnex it8 

territory to the wet aity ot Houston that 

w&n an area voted dry it ramelwd dry UPtll it waa voted nt at a subbaaquent eleotion held in and ror the same ldaatioal area 

vihloh had thsretorora voted dri, and the 

change, or even abolition, of the politloal 

or oorpomtc entity whioh oormpriaad auoh eraa 

dfd not alter mii, raat or m1.o 0r law.+ * *n 

Looal option laws did aat permit loaal option 

onaa voted into dr00t to be rotdl out by merely voting 

on a oollatrz6&l mttar. A reading or such etratates 

olaarly~nf4gatlv~s soah~ a oonoltaeion. In this raspoot, 

lt is 8ettlrd aa the law or this Stata thatnheru a 

power ,la orpre,+r: glrqn bt tha Constitution, and tbb 

7 .~ 
Eoxmrable Thomae L. Blan+zm, Jr.. page 9 

muame by whioh, or the munner In which It la to be etamlead, is praecribed, euah meane or manner lr exoluelt~ of all others. (See authorities olted In above 

meatloned oaxe. 1 

Tou are reepeetiully advleed that it Is the 

opinion 0r this departis& that it the new Juetloe Preoinot Ho. 1 dselrae to vote dry, it rwld be neoreeary 

to hold a erparate eleotlon in Jtmtlae Prsalnot 80. 1 

and Juetioe Preclnat Hoc 2 as they existed prior to 

thuir ooneolldetlon, end the'form or the ballot to be 

ueed in the l leotloa held la the old Juatloe Praoinct 

810. 1 should be as follows: 

*For prohibiting the sale or all elaohollo boveregeer, and *Agalnet prohibiting 

the sale of all alaohollo beverages.* 

Tha ballot to bs used In old Juetioe Preoinot Ho, 2 should 

ti in th4 r0ii0wing r0=g 

-or prohlhltIu6 the sale of all alooholla 

baveragoer aad aAgelnet prehlbltl~ the sale 

o? all aloohollo baveragee.* 

You are further a&lead, that the statue or Justleo 

Preuiaot IKo. 1 and JuatIQe Preoluat @Jo. 2, ir c~mbInsd, remA.ne the eeme In eaoh juetlaa praolnot as It axleted prior 

to the ooneolldation, and will reamin in this statue until 

ahanged by an eleotlon held in eaoh Of the reepeotlro rorm~r 

pr4alnote. 

Trnetlng that the roregoing answers your'lnquiry, 

'14 are, 

Yours very truly 

ATTO~ QE!RtJ?AI~'OF TEXAS 

&&4.up& 

BY 

Ardell %'illiu~~ 

Aeelet4at