IionorahleR. J. %onan .DistriotAttorney. Honda * Texas OpinionNo. O-2229 Rer Registrationof automobile $jeeai: sir* in wunty other than resi- dence of registrant.
7% have for reply your letter of April IS. 1940, requestingthe opinionof this.departmentupon the followingquestion,which we quote from your requests .i~
"noesa personwho 8eouresan automobilelicense in ~8wunty other than the countyof his residence violatethe criminallaws of TexasS'
,~Article 6675a-2,Vernon'sAnnotatedCivil Statutes,providesfor the regi&raticn of motor vehioles end reads in part as follows:
"Rveryowner of a motor vehiole,traileror &mi- trailerused or to be used upon the publichighways of this State,and each chauffeur,shall apply each year to theState HighwayDepartmentthroughthe County Tax Collectorof the County in nNch he resides for the registrationof each such vehioleowned or aontrol- led by him, or for a chauffeur'slicense,for the en- suing orcurrent calendaryear or unexpiredportion thereof;.'. ." (Underscoring ours).
Article604 of Vernon'sAnnotatedPenal Code providesthat:
"Whoeveroperatesupon any publichighwaya motor vehiclewhich has.not been registereda8 requiredby law shall be fined not to exceedtwo hundreddollars."
Consequently,it may be seen that Article806 of Vernon's AnnotatedPenal Code,has made it unlawfulfor one to operatean automo- bile which has not been registeredas requiredbylaw and Artiole 667Sa-2 has imposeda requiranent;on applicantsfor registrationthat motor ve- hioles be registered~,inthe countyof,theirresidence.
With 'thisin mind, your questionis whother'ornot &Mole 6675a-2aof Vernon'sAnnotatedCivil Statutesqualifiesthe requirement of registrationin the oountyof applicant'sresidenceor obviatessuch Hon. R. J. Roonan,Rage 2 (0-2229)
requirementto the extent that registrationin a countyother than that of applicant'6resideno.is not a misdemeanorunder hrtiole 804, V.&P.& Article 6675a-2a,V.A.C.S., reads a6 follows:
*Nothingin this hot shall authorizeany prson to be subjectto penaltyof this law on aooountof his place of residenoeintN6 State,nor the oocupa- tion pursued."
Our Texas Court of CrdminalAwals had the verJlquestionyou propoundbeforeit in 1936.inthe 086s of Opp v. State, 130 Tex. Crb. Rep. 314, 94:S.7?.(2d)'180.;There appellantlived in Rexar County,lbnas,and " opened' his'thqlf in that county. Ewever, he registeredit in LaSalle County;~Telrirs~~&dI&& convictedin the loner court for operatingan unreg- isferedautonpbi~e.:Onappeal ,,,~.~the Court.~ of CriminalAppeals said: a, "The only'quebtioa'involved Ys'whetherowner6 of cars residingin this statemay operatethenunder nunber platesand lioenseobtainedas a resultof . ~registration of such oar6 in a &m&y other than the one ofth~.alsler's..reaidsrroe. te think the law requiresthe regiatratiw of the &r~inthe county of the residence. Lookingto ohapter23, Lots Fifth Called Seseion;.41st Legislature,193O(Vemon'sAnn. Civ. St. &t.':S67Sa-1etseq.); reob6erve that in section2 (Vernon's&nn. Civ. St. art. 6675a-2)there- of',itis~statadin so many words that WI ~applicant for the'registratiti of a carmust registerthe 6me ,inthe countywherehe resides.'Appellantcontends that section2a of said enactment(Vernon'sAnn. Civ. St. art.66754-2a)sas intended.tomean that a oiti- 6en in this state who seed fit to registerhis car in sme countyother than the one of his residencemay do sd and oannot bs prosecutedfor the operationof such car upon the ground'thaihe did net registerit in the aountyof his residenoe. Said seotion2a is as 'follOrr6:'Nothingin this 4&t shall authorizeany per- son to be subjectto penaltyof this law on account of his place of res'idence in this %ate, nor the oc- oupationpursued.' Pw are not particularly-interested h& said section2a got in said-act,but note that it was not comprehendedby the caption,which specifies definitelywhat the'titendedamendmentsto the auto- mobile registrationlaw 6houUbe. The said