HE *a ORNF,Y GENERAL
OF%'EXAS
April 25, 1958
Hon. GeorgeR. Killam OPINIONNO. WW-420 CountyAttorney scurry county Re: Whether oil, gas and Snyder,Texas mineralpropertiesheld in trust for Texas BaptistChildren'sHome for stateapurposesare exempt from countyad Dear Mr. Killam: valoremtaxes.
In your requestfor an opinionof this officeon the above captionedmatter,you have advisedus of the followingfacts. Dora E. Cunninghamdevisedall of her right,title and interestIn and to the oil, gas and other mineralsin and under all of Section613 of Block 97 of the East part of Section653 In said Block 97, H. & T.C. Ry. Co. Survey in Scurry County,Texas, in trust for a statedperiod (whichperiodhas not expired)for the benefitof the Texas BaptistChildren'sHome, locatedat Round Rook, Texas.
We quote the followingexcerptfrom the will:
"11. The incomeand principalof the Trust estate shallbe administeredand distributedas follows:
"a) During the existenceof the Trust, there &all be paid to or for the benefit of the TEXAS BAPTIST Cm's HOME, locatedat Round Rook, Texas, 80 much of the principalor income of the Trust as the Trustees in the exeroiaeof their sole discretionshall determine. I hereby state that the primarypurposesfor which this Trust Is establishedare
"1) To providefunds for the erectionand maintenanceof necessarybuildingsand the purchaseand maintenanceof necessaryequipmentfor the operationof said Texas BaptistChlldren'aHome;
"Ii) To providefunds for the care and maintenanceof the groundsof said Texas Baptist Children"8Home;
"iii) To providefunds for the purchaseof additionalgroundsneeded In the operationof said Texas BaptistChildren'sHorns, -.. _
Hon. GeorgeR. Killam,page 2, (WW-420)
and I direct that the exerciseof their discretionin this respect shallbe in conformitywith the foregoing purposes.
"b) Any funds which the Trusteesin their sole discretionshall determineare not necessaryfor the purposesexpressedin subparagraph(a) of this paragraph 11 of this ARTICLE II may be paid by the Trusteesin their sole discretionto any one or mom of the Southern Baptistreligious,charitable,sciantiffo,literaryor educationalorganizatfons locatedin the State of Texas.
"0) In limitationof all provisionscontainedin this my Last Will and Testamentwith respectto the Tmat herein created,I expresslydirect that:
"1) All funds, propertfssand assets of the Trust shall be used for religious,oharita'ble,solenti- fio, literaryor educationalpurposesor for the pre- ventionof crueltyto childrenand for no other purposes, provided,however,that all funds,propertiesand assets shall be used wfthin the Stats of Texas exoP~sivslyfor such purposes.s ." . . D
* The Trust heroin createdshall tem!.nateon she "I.2 date which is the tweniy-fLrstanniversaq of ,$hedeath c~f the last survivorof MAURINEMYRTIS AWFAS,MATTE ROSS CONSLEY and DANIELM. GIBSON,and all prir,cipa: and undistributedin- come then remainLugin Trust shallbe imnsdiatelydistributed to the Board of Trusteesof the Texas Baptrst ChiL3refi's Home of Round Rook, Texas, for tie 'useby said Boar6 Yor the bane- fit of said Texas BaptistChildren'sHome in conformitywftii the purposeshereinaboveexpressedin s¶graph {aj of paragraph11 of this ARTICLE II.. If, on the date of such termination,the said Texas BaptistChiLLron'sHome fs no longer in sxistsnce,all principaland undistribntedincome than remainingin Trust shall be immediatelydistrsibuted to the RAEIST FOUNDATIONOF TEXAS, Dallas,Texas,to be used for such religious,oharftable,scientific,literaryor educationalpurposeswithin the State of Texas as the govern- ing body of such BaptistFoundationof Texas shall determine."
The trust propertyis presentlyproduof~?of1 and gas, and you ask whetherthe mineral Interestheld by the Trustees,isexemptfrom