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Ron. John E. Taylor Chief Supervisor RailroadCcnmnission of Texar; Austin,Texas
Dear S&r: Opinion No. O-1943_ Re: Power of Railroadkission to delegateto anotherthe authority to sign one of its orders.
We hrrrrefor aoknowladgment your letterof February9, 1940, withdrawingthe requestfor an opinionaddressedto this office by your letter of February6, 1940, and substitutingin lieu thereofthe followingrequest:
"Cnthe 20th day of Deoember,1939,the Railmad Com- mission of Texas duly signedand enteredits ESPECIALORDER FIXIMGTRElLUllllBLE PRODUCTIONOF.CRUDEOIILlI8THE VARIOUS FIFiLDS AND DISTRICTSIR TKM,' which *came effeotivp_-Jan- uary 1, 1940, md in generalallocatedthe oil productionin the State of Texas for the various fields and Districtsin Texas as hereinaboveset ,out. (h the 24th day of January, 1940, the RailroadConmissionduly signedand enteredits -'SPECIALORDER FIXING THE AlL0XMI.EPRODUCTIONOF CRUDE OIL XM l'R&VARIOUS FIELIxiARD DISTRIS.'%Ilil%XAS,'whioh became bffeativeFebruary1,,194Z,akd~in generalallocatedthe oil produoti? in the 3tate,ofTexas for the variousfields and Distriotsin Texas as hereinaboveset out.
"The last mentionedOrder has been in effeot since the first day of February,1940, and is still ti foroe and effect.
"First.In the.eventthe Railroadkmmission of Texas de- sirestoesoind its order o,fJanuary24, 1940, fixingthe allolable,produotionin the variousfields of Texas for the month of February,1940, oan 8mne be legallydome by an order of the Commissionsignedby swe person,authorised bymembers of the Commissionto affix their signaturesthereto. Han, John E. Taylor,Page 2 (o-1943)
"Second. Shouldit b&h@@ -&'yolylkpaetint that the cmty of the Commissioncan be legallydelegated by the tidiwidualmembersof the Commissionto 8ome other personto sign the order hereinabovereferredto, thbn pleaseadvisewhetheror not as a basis for the delegation of such power it will be neoesaaryfor the Commissionto hold a formal tikaringand vote suoh authorityby a majori- ty thereof.
"Third. Should it be held by your Departmentthat the Comnissionhas the power to delegatetha authorityherein- above referredto, then pleaseadvisewhetheror not suoh authoritymay be conferredby the Ccnnmissionby a majority vote of the Conmrissionat a calledmeetingif such action 'is taken by the Collmission beyondthe territoriallimitsof the State of Texas+
"Fourth. Should it be held by your Departmentthat as generalpropositionthe RailroadCommissioncan delegatethe authorityhere,inabove'teferred to, then pleabeadvisewhether or not the Commissioncould so act Pf;'sittiti i6-a place other that the City .~of Austin within the fkate of Pexasr*
The Tiailroad Qmmisaion isva public board or oommissioaauthor- ired by the ODnatlt;ut&on ( 1010 16, SsotionSCI),and createdby stat- uti (Arts.6444~644'7,'R&%25). Ita member.9 am oloarly State offiaarr to whan are confidednot only authorityof m~ewou~ive n&xm, but also authorityof a quasi-judicial, quasi-lbgislature oharaotoi,involving the exerciseof judgmentand disaretion,whiohauthorityis to bo exer- oised and performedfor and on behalf of the State of Texas-
The rule is quit. gensFallyreoognizsdthat publiooffioers may not, in the absenceof express authority,delegateto anotherthe performanceof an sot involvingthe exerciseof judment and discretion; but may delegate,in the absence of expressprohibition,the psrfonnanoe of aots which are purelymechanicalor ministerialin character. 46 C. J. 1033. The adoptionand raoissionof prorationrules and orders by the RailroadConanissioninvolve,in the high*& degree,the exeroissof judgmentand ditloretion,for auoh orders,when lawfkllyadoptedand pranulgatedby the Cummission,have the force and effect of law, pre- scribingrules of conductwhich oonoern,not only the personsdirectly affectedby the rule or order, but the wlfare of the State at kg*. The power, therefore,to determina~whether a prorat%onu.,ordsr shall ba reaoindedcannotbe delegated,but