the provi6ion6 of Section1, above quoted,to nire the 6alariesof the conEtable in an additionalamount not to exceed twenty-fiveper cent of the a~imum 6u6 allowed 6uch officer6under the law for the fiscal year 1948. There 16 no provfelon, however,in Seaate Bill 92 which would prohibitth6 Colmnirllloners'Court to change the ralarierof the COnEtable 60 long a6 they are paid the minimum fixed in Eaid Act.
In AttorneyGeneralOpinionNo. 0-5061the questionbefore the Attorney Generalet that time wa6 whetherthe action of the Comml6- lioner6'Court In raisingthe salaryof the dirtrictclerk within the minimum end maximum limits providedby law after the 6alaX-y had once been set wa6 valid. It was held in thie opinionthat:
"We have likewise been unable to find any authorities forbiddingthe action taken by the commi66ioner6' court. It ir true that Section2 of Article 3912e,V.A.C.S.,re- quiresthe CO~i66iOIler6' court of every county in Texas at it6 first regularmeeting in Januaryof each year to a. M. B. Campte~, peep 3 (V-912)
determUm whether certainprecinctofficersshallbe placed on a salary or fee barie; thie sectionaleo provider that in countlenhaving a populatlonof lees than 20,000 lnhabi- tar&#,according to the laet precedingFedezulCenme that each comirrloners ' court shell at it8 first regularmeet- ing in Januaryof each year determinewhether its,county officen shouldbe placed on a salary or fee basis. Sec- tion 15 of Article 39126,V.A.C.S.,also providerthat the coimiaeionerr~ court In countleehaving a populationof lees than 20,000 inhabittmts,accordingto the laet pre- cedingFederalCensus,at the first regularmeeting In Jamary of each calendaryear, may pams 8n order provid- ing for compensationof all countyend precinctofficers on a ealarybasis. Bowever,Sectionn2 and 15 of Article 3912e, V.A.C.S.,do not apply to the county officersof Brazoria County,said county havinga populationin ex- ceee of 20,COO InhabItanteaccording to the last preced- ing Federal Cenmm. Section13 of Article39l2e,V.A.C.S., which governsthe ralarierof the couutyofficersof Bra- zoria County, contain8no epecificrequirementthat sala- ries be set at the first regularmeeting of the commir- lionem ' court In Januaryof each year."
It is noted that the rea.8oh for holdingthat the salaryof the districtclerk couldbe chaugedwas that them was no law requir- leg the comissioners~ court to set the ealariesof officialsgoverned by Section13-of Article3912e,Vernon'sCivil Statutea, to be eet et it8 first regularmeeting in January. Furthermore,it was pointedout that there we6 no provisionIn eald Article which would prohibitthe comissioners' court from changingthe salariesprevlourlyret. We bellcvethe reasoningin Attorney0encra.l OpinionNo. O-5061 la sound. We thereforeaffixm said opinion.
In the Instantcase, salariesof constableiare no longer governedby Section2 of Article 3912e,which requiredthe conmission- am' court in every couhty,at Its regularmeeting in January,to de- tarminewhetherprecinctofficera shall be compensatedon a wlary or fee basis. Section61 of ArticleXVI of the Constitutionof Texas aa amded In Ilovwdor, 1948, place& all conetablerin the State on a salarybamir be&naing Janumy 1, 1949.
In view of the foregoing,it is our opinionthat the coauls- rioaere'court of llacogdoches Countymy now set the salariesof con- stablesat any mum not lere than the total earned by them as compense- tion for the fiecalyear 1935 nor more than the mximum mm allowed such offlcereunder laws existingon August 24, 1948, togetherwith the twenty-fiveper cent increare allowedby Senate