HonorableChas. A. Tosoh Comty Auditor RecordsBuilding Dallas,Texas
Dear Mr. Tosch! opinionlie.o-6276 Rer Effectivedate of the conetitutional amendmeet rkmntly adoptea, and the necessityfor en enablingact,
We beg to aoknowledgereoeiptof your letterrequestingLLPopinion fran this departmentupon the above captionedsubjectmatters a8 follows:
"At the generalelectionBovember7th the amendment to Section p of &tide 8 of the Constitution,as proposed in House Joint ResolutionHo, 18,. passedby the 48th Legis- Isture,appearato have been adaptedby a majority of the votes cast tberem, and queetlonhae arisen (a) As to when saia amndmsnt will beocme effective,tib (b) Uhetberor not an EnablingAat of the Legislaturela necessaryto set up the maohinsryfor puttingthe emerdmnt in effect In the respectivecountiesasairingto avail t?xm3elvesof the privilegesof the miendnmnt.a
ArticleXVII, Section 1, of the Conatitntion,with respeotto the mode of amerraing the Constitution, providesthat! *. . . It ehallbe the aaty of the never81returning officersof ma election,to open a poll for, ma make returnsto the Secretaryof State, of the nmber of legal v0tee cast at said electionfor ana winat said amendment; and if more than one be proposed,then the number of votes cast for and age&et each of them; an& if it shall appear from said return,that a majorityof the vote8 cast have been aast in favor of eny amendment,the said emmQment 80 receivinga majorityof the votes cast ahr;ll~~~~~*~WXt of~thi.m'0a@$tuticm, amI proaleuaation shall be made by the Govenmr thatiof."
Artitde3034 of the Revi8edcivil Statutes ie (LBfollmmr ' -
HonorableChas. A. Tosoh, page 2 (O-&78)
"On thefiite~thbayaftartbeo~ati~, tkeQayof electionexcluded, aad not before,the Wont&&of Btate in the presenceof the Governorcmb Attarne~@emnl, or in case of vaoaney in either of said offiew,. wr of in- abilityor failureof eitherof eaid offleon te sot, then in the presenceof either one of thap, ehallogen -a count the retmma of the election.*
This Articleaa a eequeneeof Article3033,faanlehes the amwer to your firet queetim.
The effective&ate of the awndment if oarried6oee not bepend proolamation,Thie was aetezminedby Judge Will~s~n of upon the Govellaor'a the Court of CriminalAppeals,whereinhe said%
'our ocmdruotion Of this provieioll ie that it xe the ascertainedmajorityof the vote of the peoplei01 not the proola&sU of the Governor,which girti ioroo,raiL effect to the mendment, e . . We are of the,epirptort;therefore, aa the eleoticmreturnawem 0auraBw&, that 88 80011. an& it was aeoertalnedthat a urjorityof the vet4r cast were in favor of the amendment,itbeoeam a part of the Con@titn- ticm, and was In fullforce and effeotfrm &at date." -- Wilacm v. The Slate, 15 Tex. Ct. Appsr Rep, 150.
JuQeUllleon~e opinicmwae eitedwith appxwti ia~xas Water& Ga@ Co. v. City of Cleburne,21S.Y. 393.
Your seeon& questicminvolvesa cowtxuutimm 6flLJ.R. Ho. I.8pro- posing the amendment.
H.J.B.BO. 3.8fe 88 folkuer
'seetiom1. %at Seation9 of Article 8 of the Coaaatitutimof the State of Tsus, be EO e&end04that the wane wil2 hereafterread aa follow8
* 'Swtion 9. The State tax csproperty, excluafveof the tax neceeearyto w *a pabllo debt, end of the taxes providedfor the benefit of the public free aohoole,ehallnever ameed thfrty-five(35) cents on the we hum&we& dnllars whation; and no oownty,oitr or taun 8hblLlevy mom than.twenty-five(25) 0ents for oity or oountyparposes,end