OFFICE OF THE AlTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS 

AUSTIN 

Hozorabls Omer Burkett, Chairman 

Ccmmlttes on Federal r\clatlone 

House of Repreaentativra 

Austin, Tsras 

Dear Ylrt 

et4 

ths ridare on 

lslon 

0 vet0 pOw4r 0r th4 OOV~S~~OF is r0abd 

this 3tate. 

" Ii any ball prosonto to thea Govarnor &t&.&3 ~ovoral ftsrUS of 4ppr3pri4tiOn hs 

may ob jeat to on4 or mm4 or such item, and appxov6 the other portion of the bill. In suah 
373 

gooorable Ghwr Burkett, CheIrmaa, Pago 8 

Case he shall append to the bill, at the time of 

aigm%ng It, a statement 0r the Itwis to which he 

objects, and no itsm 60 objeoteA to shall take 

srr4ot. . . .- 

The Go~4rnorts power under the Constitution with 

reference to an appropriation bill is Aesaribed by l4r. ruetioe 

Dibrsll, apeaking; ior the Supreme Court al Teralr, In Fulmorr 

7. ~0, io4 mu. 499, 140 s, w. 408, a6 r0ibf8i 

qowhere In the Constitution 14) the authorIty given the Gowrnor to apprQWb fn part aad 

dieapprove In put a bill. The only additional 

authority to Qlrapproring the bill In whole Ia 

that glvoa to objeot to nn ita or iten whaze 

a bill aontalaa sovera Iteu oi appropr i atian. 

It follows eenolurivel~ that where the veto power 

is ettempted to be l xeroloed to obfeot to e paragra h or portion Qi' a bill other th8n UL Item 

or f tema, or to lmgwg4 qwirying ai 'jappropriatlon or direotlng the method of it8,uses, he uoeda the Oonatitutlonal authority recrted In him, 

~6~~:ebJ~~"~~~g~~*~~~~~;~~ &f:z:: 

tlca, or ciire0tIn(: the nothod of its we, beotxmr 

non4rteotire. . . . 

” If o bill pas8eA by the Legislature 

cumta&*rs;~.xal 1tomal 0r appr0priation, the 

Governor Is authorized to object to 084 or more 

or rush ltem6, atid rruch Item or Itcmu 80 obfeoted 

to shall not beooaa a part oi the law, unles6 

the Legislature bo in seadon end mOh Item or 

items objeoted to be reaonsldered and apprOY4d 

by two-thirds of the m&mzs 0f both HouOes, 

. . . r 

Ho partfoular Sow, or method, or verbiage, Ir 

:mquIreA to conrrtltute an item of appropriation. A prori- 

&#&.In e+ appropriation bill whloh dael not lI& poaitfsns 

or otitain speaffied Items 5ey none the 14~4s be sulrioiant 

BI an Item of appropriation. It mar oonetitute a suifioiont 

appropriation although It doe6 not n&me a oetiain sum or a 

naximllm sum. 8ational sisoult C~mgenp vs. State, 135 9. W. 

(al) 387. 
Honorable Oaar Burkett, Chairmen, L’age 5 

&a Item of appropriation Bhould not, .?f oour~m,, be 

aonfueed with provisions Iu an appropriation bill whioh quallry an appropriation or direct the ae%hod of Ite wage. 

Typloal ot the rI8er8 to vdiloh you refer In mu.? 

letter IO o&4 which reada aa iollowsr 

*In addltlon to t&e muma hereInabove appropriated out or reoelpta aocruing under Artlole 

603R, Revi44d Olvil Statute@, lQR5, anb any amwdmants thereto, thers Is hereby appropriated fram 

said receipts, for the eniorcrement or the Oil 

and Gas Conservation and Regulation laws, inoladin6 salaries, travel and other neeemrary expeamea, 

a mu8 not to 8XO4eb 0n0-ha12 ($1 or such fee8 

aoorulng each fisOa1 year over and abole the total ltomleed appoprlatI0a for the respeatlve 

year8 .* 

It Is our opinion that a rfder OS this time eon8tituter an Item of appropriation with&n the pumlew of 

$eetion 14 or utiole Iv or th8 Coolrtltutton of Teraa md 

ia rubjeat to the veto power or the Chler Sxerutive. 

Yours very trot