OFFICE OF -l-HE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS-: I'- ':.z 

AUSTIN '.> i 1 

-_y 

yit18 Vera V. Fogg 

County Attorney 

Hardernan County 

QuaMh, Texas 

war Xi88 Foggr 

n1n other viorile, doaa the Righrcay Dspartment 

have authority under Pow36 Bill mo. .97%, to require registration of motor vehicles and display _,.~. 

or 194% tabs, and authortty to enforce this rsquirement? 

APPRCWED 11” 
405 

a88 vsn v. FOgg, Pegm 2 

“QmsTIoN no. 2: Doe8 HOU~Q Bill NO. 278, 

requliing ratantlon of 1942 lloansa platoa, rapeal the prorlrdonr of sec. 7, Art. 807b, Penal 

Code, rhloh prohibit8 dlrplay of llaenao plate8 

rap: any preodlng year7 

uguItSTIOm 10. S: Exactly rhat 'In8 the orr00tIr0 aata or Hour* Bill no. 27s7* 

"(Art. 6675a-1s. Numbor P&tom) 

"Th9 Dapartmont 8hall I88uo or oau80 to be 

18mue4, one lloonro numbor plmte ior l eoh motorof010 road-treotor, trailer or 8mml-trailer, and 

two l~oexur numbor plater ior any other vohlolr 

regfrterod un&or thlr Aot. Z’n oe88 one nurbor 

Plato 18 ardyled to a rohlola, It 8hall ba attaohad thereto at the rear thornor; and In oano 

two l r8 a88lgnad, one 8hall bm attaohad at tha 

front ana one at thr xwir. Bald plater 8hall be 

koph olrarly vlrlblr and raouroly attaohod dudry 

the par ror lhloh thry are lrausd. Lioanra numbar plata8 lrrued foe tehlolea required to be 

nglrtrmd under the prmldam of thlr Aot rhell 

not be atteohad thereto barora the beginning or 

tha oalandar year for uhloh they am lrrued; end 

provldod that 8aI6 lIaon8a manbor platoa 8hall bo 

mmnufaoturetl end produtmd at the State Fwnltontlary 

at RuntsrIllo, Toxae. Provldod further, that the 

State Penltentlary ohall bo authorized to manuraoture all 8taal or metal road 81gn8, and provided 

rurthrr, that, at thm dlrontlon of the state 

Elghway Ca&mIs8ion, the Stetr PonIt@ntlary may 

maka or manureotura road algnr nedr of woodon 

material. (Aot8 1929, 4let Lag., 2nd C1 S., p. 

172, oh. 88, 8 1%. a8 amended Aots 193s. 4Srd. 

Lee., p. 547, oh. 178, $ 1.)" 

“(Art. 6875a-1%&. P8nltintIary to iurnI8h 

lioanse plater and road rlgn8) 

*On proper requl8itlon from tha Stat0 Righwap 

Dapagtmant, tha Stata Board or Control rhall order 

the drrlgnetd quantity ot lloanra plates end road 

signs from the Stata Panltantlary. The State Board 
406 

)ribr# VOre VI FOgit, Page 8 

0r aontrol 8hall datarmlna and mat the price 

t0 ba Qb8rg.d fC@ l aoh itan. 

L.6. * p. (117, oh. 178 0 a)." 

(AOtS lQ%S, 4Srd 

Tba abwe Artlola authorlra an4 dlnot the stata 

Ei&hM~ D@POFtiMBt to 188Ua W OaRa. t0 ba iS#Uurd 11OarJSO 

platoa for Mgimterad rahiolar and prwlda ior the nwbar 

of plakr to ba attaohad to l a o h ragl8tarad rahlola and tb 

pbO0 an4 mumor whan SuOh plate8 ahall ba l tta o h o and d how 

tha mama 8hall ba kept atteobd. $a14 ~rtlola alro provider 

thmt ada p&to8 shell be manufaoturad at thq State Ponltantiary at B\mtS*illO TOXaS, ani that tb8 Stat0 Bomrd af OOBt-1 011 p-par raqUi#itiOB frOIR th8 Stata Highwa 

Shill 0l'd.T the da#l#iatad quantity ot 1fOanSa I 

Department 

tha Stata Panitantiary. 

p ata from 

"Art. 8078. Oporatlon 0r Motor vahiolam 

without lloanma numbar plat.8. 

u&r%‘h*a ocmarolal rahlola or truokAny parson who 0p~r8t.8 a pammtnotor upon the publio highways of this Stata 

any tlmo during any month ab a motor rehlole 

ragl8tratlon yaar without barlw displayed 

tharaon, and attaohad thmrato, two (2) lioan8o 

numbar platar, on. plata at tha frOBt and OBa 

et tha roar, whloh ham bean duly and lawfully 

a8d 

trat Y 

ad ror Said rohlola sor the ourrmt raglmon yaar, shall be gul1lty 0r l mimdamoanor~ 

. . . . 

"Se0. 8. An 

manor ror riolat i 

pornon aontlotad ab a ml&doon or Seotlon 6, saotlon 6 or 

Saotioa 7 or this Aot shall ba tinad in an 

not axooadlng Two NRWIMA Dollan ($2OO,OC 3 

#aa 

. 

(AOt8 1954, 4srd La&, f&id C. S., p. S, oh, Z4.)" 

HOUS. Bill HO. 273 PaadS a8 tO110~8, to-Wit: 

*Saotlon 1. Tht Oheptar 88, Rousa ~111 no. 

~6, saotlon 13, ~atm or tha rorty-rlrrt Lagl8labun, 

Saoond Called SaSSiOn, a8 tmanded by AOtS 6?f tha 

Party-third Legislature, Ra@lar Saarlon, Ohapter 
407 

MiO8 Vu8 V. Pogg, Ua:crga 4 

178, saotlon 1, ROuma Bill No. 459, be auendad 

to haraaitar read 88 rOlhW8: 

-'Sootloa w. Tha State 3i@hway Departsoat 

18 harabp authorized to lmaua r0r the 1943, 1944 

nnd 1945 motor raMala rag.lrtratlon pars a l 4a 

ptita or pht68 of mtal w othu rtarial, ryabola, 

tabs, or other Amrloa8 whloh rhan l ttaohoA to a 

Mtm rahlola berlnq bean duly Mgi#tm&d tar tlw 

maoadlaw SW&iStrStiO0 yaar aball Yor the parQom 

of thi8 .A0t bo doanad to be the Irgal raglmt?atIon 

lnmiguia ror the ra~lmtntlon year ror *hioh 188~@4.~ 

*8*0. t. U&Wi4 myR8Bt 0? th8 jW&#Oribad r&&StrOtion fee by l 

tiOB, the State 

for motor rahl0la regi#tmWpartnnt is l uthorlrad t0 

iSSU& through tb6 l%UBtJ, WS A88& 88O~8~O~& OtOF 8 l 

l lnala plata OI plOta or metal OT other satarial, 

8yBbolr, tabs fm other darloaa, to ba attaoha6 ta 

a motor rahleia ha+loe duly l u#o r l88lloanra d p&t&, 

plater or otbrf llul~al8 Sor the paoadin~ roglrtratlon par. Motor vahlela8 not pr0tloumlf ra&*tara6 

ur ba l8auad a ragulm mat01 liaanaa plOta or plataa 

iS muoh be l rallabla of BII be lame6 l yabol8 tabs, 

(u other darioam WIioh -11 be da8mad to be iha 

legal ragl8tratlw Inrl@a ror the ro&8trotion 

f&u lo whloh the tahlola is ragl8tarad. 

T3ao. S. The owaar af aaoh motor rahlola 

r&re&i#t&rad ror tha 1942 rO~I8tratlon year is 

hereby dlra0ta6 anA required to rotain la plwa 

l n4'in Use an ruah rahlala the plmta or plater is8uSd tar the Zw~irtMtion yaar 1942 in adAitIon to 

tb8 Mt61 tab8 186Ud iOr thO 1963 - i#tMtiOB 

In the 1944 anA 1948 rsglrtrat f 0n yura 

izt:i tcgletratlou in8Ignle lmeua6 by th 2tat.O 

tha 

?Ii&hway I?&pa~Mh through t& CouBty 'far A$#&#- 

8Or8-cOlleOt~8 #h&l be attaohad t0 the t&hiOh 

in plaoa or plmOa8 pra80rlbad by tha Stat@ Righway 

Dapnrtaeut in woh 8iam1ar am to be OlOarly rl8lbla. 
rirr Vera V, Fogll, P&e* S 

That Chapter lT8 Uoura alll Ha. 

469, i%io~*2, hots a? the Fo&-third ~a(rimtt-6, R*pUlar Sa88loB, be rnandad to hrraattar 

MIId a8 rOiiW8: 

"'*otIOa A. Thm Mate nl&lwny m$8rtuaBt 

rball prapmrm the Aarlgn8 and 8paoltlaatlan8 tar 

the mingle plate or plataa of rrtal or ethar antor OtXkOr 46tlOOe rrlaotd 

t0 be ?A806 60 tb 

nqtlimltion an6 

puMha#O of the SUY 8ball be Albdtt8d to tb 

skta Board al Control fir lppwml.* 

*SW. 5. 

elawa or p&au clp tbir AOt I8 fOl'8 

Ii aEr 86Ot~OD 8""""OB~aO~~t~~, 

u0&~8titutiOM~, the U@OoBStit0ti06a x ty tM,rrOf 

#ball aot aftnot tha validit d the mini 

tion oi thl* bat. The l.*~datan banby dfgz’ 

that lb rculd bat& pa888d tM AOt anb woh 86Otim, 

8ubraotiorr, sentan0a olauma, anA uhra8a tharwt, 

lrra8peotlra CS the hot that one far Pore H the 

I&OtiOB#, #Ub8~0tiOM, 8~t~l%O&8, OkU8.# Or 

phrara8 bo da0lezwd unoonrtit0ti0nd. 

*sao. A. All laws or prtm 0r law9 in waillet 

F0z&y we hanby rapaala4 ta th a l 8ant of au& 

. 

*s*o. 7. Tha rhw8q6 Of rtael a8USaA by tha 

raqulruaatr tor Ok Uatlobwl Dafaau rai tha rbeanoa d a auihbla an4 aooa4miaal rubrtitota for 

Staa1 iB tb MBUfDOttlrc, Of MtAU +&i#l& 11-8. 

plates oraeOn an emarganoy and ID im ratl.va vblio 

w668d8y th*s DbS otbB#~ihUbiOBd R a!@ 0 r&QRi s4 B& 

that btllr be read on tBr66 Hpar*ta A48 ip roh 

ROUH be and tiba sue is heroby 8ulptia&, wd them 

Aot 8hall tska l t~aot uad ba In toroe rr0r and 

l rtar it8 pa885g6, arid it lr a0 l naotad. 

~mmmod the Rwaa, Fabnury 19, 19431 Ye&r 

119, any8 0; p8naA the 86n846, #*rob 4, 1942h 

Yeas 26, Bays 0. 

-up rwod Maroh b 194& 

-&etira XW-oh &, Mrs.- 
ti6s Vera v. Foee, Page 6 

SeO. 5 of Art. 807b, P. 0. makes it a timdemeanor 

orrense for any person to operate a motor vehicle upon tb 

wblfo highways of thio State without having dimplayed thereon, 

aM attaohed thereto lioenae number platea and 8eo. 8 of arid 

AI%~O~J 897u, rhea the penalty for maid 0rr8n88. 

It is the oplnian or thla department that ~ouae 

fill lto. 879 la oumuletlre of the other statute8 relating to 

the reglatratlon of motor rehiolea an6 that the aam doom not 

repeal 8ea. 5 and Sea. 8 or Art. 807b, P. 0. Theraiore, tha 

answer to your rir8t queatlon la in tha arrirmatfve. 

,The languaga of Rouse 8111 No. 875 la not vague, 

a8blguooa, Uoertaln or lndaflnita and the intent 0r tha La(gfalature la Vera plain in the word8 of the AOt. However, aaaumMg that the language or anid House ~111 r?o, g75 ia vague, a& 

biguoua unoertain and lndetlnite, we at111 lay that tha 8ama 

18 oumuiatire or the other atatutaa relatl 

3 

to the reglatration of motor rehioler and in support or th a oonolualoa we 

quote iron 59 0. J. pp 958,959,960 and 961, to-wit: 

while the Intent @ the Legislature la to 

be found pilmarily in the language of the atatute 

wheze auoh language la vague, ambiguous or unoertaln the Court may look, not only to the language 

but to the aubjeot matter of the Aot, the objeot 

to be aooonpllahed, or the purpore to be l ubaerved; 

it may alao look in this oonn@otion to the expedienoy of the Aot, or its oooaafon and neoearity, 

the remedy provided, the oonditlon or the oountry 

to k efteoted by the Act, the oonaequenoer iollOrin6 upon itr rnaotment, are rarloua ertrlnaio mattera whioh throw8 aome light on the Leglalatura~a 

Intent. LO&C and round eoonomio prlnolplea may 

serve ag a guide to the Legialsture*s intent. 

*In oonetruing a statute to give OrrO0t to 

the Intent or purpose or the Legialature,i the objeot of the statute mu& be kept in mind,. and suoh ~,’ 

oonatruction plaomd upon It a8 will, ii possible, 

arreot its purpoea au3 rendor It talld,. evan though 

it be aomewhnt indetinite.s 
uiar Vera V. Fogg, Fege 7 

It 18 the oplnlon or thiB b6partment that Hausa 

81s !iio. 1!!72# l uapnda See. 7, art. 807b, v. A. P. u., for 

the prwent regirtratton year en& l o lon& a6 the Hi&way 

~@aion may re,quire rotration of rcgie;tretion inalgala 

gf 8 prartou8 year under t’he tema of add nouae Bill. 

M th ~r ~~n0~ to the l tieatira date, Hoare 9111 

se. t75 l ppaarr to have parse4 tb.e Eouae February 19, 194S 

w a ,tofe of 119 year to no nagrg and tc hare paaaa4 the 

wma9* YwOh 4 1943 by a rote & 86 yeas to no uaya~ and 

to hate been &ml bl the Covernor en6 approved B?amh 6, 

1945. It is *heretore tha oplnlon or thla department thet 

tha l ifsetirr date oi l ald Eiill wmbl B:a,roh 6, 1945.