October 18; 1965..
Honorab~s:~~~.rWlnters,. Commissioner- Statet~p~ment:.of"Publlc Welfare Austin; T&as2 Cplnlon No,.. C+2& Re:.Is.theState.,Depart&entof Public Welfare'authorized. ,t0 se&up- a:Di%y.:Ckre Advlsory;C?immlttee~.-conaltitlhg of.r@presentative~~:of"'other~ State~.D&partiaents-~or:~Agerx9.es~ other" and'.reprieaent&tiires'-ofl profess~ona~'and'cl~lcgrm~~ fo~~.~the~putpose~:of'~comply~~. tith.the?federdlzequ~rem6nt~ and.agreement:~wh%hI& tiii? basfa-fdr~t~~.,~partment:'cr' recelvine;lfederal. th~~Ceire::Program'l~~t~e .State;;o~~~~si.and~re2ated.. questMns?-. Yi%w~-recent' 1ett~errequestBaanopMlon-.op%he;above~ 'and.-from':~icK we-quote..:ln::part:'
~~~~Advls~~~Carmnittee~~consls-~ng- of: re~esenti&lves.fi%m~~other+tate:~Agencl&3'- and:'re@esentatlves,-of?other~.prof~sslonal .- an&'-~f?lcgroups:-lntei?ested.'lnrDhe- development ~~:~~~~~-Semrices-for~.Chlld~e~l~ the~state * ! 6f.~the:-Day.C&re AdViaory-Committee;wer::dlscussed'wl;th the Comptrollerls: Cfflce.th&method. of~the-perdiem anal-the~travel-expenses'and wec.were,<.advised~'that.payment. coul&%ot'be -de;. !l!lie:~Departme~t spay: the&@mt%ttee~members~-pezyd,lem ,..~ a@:ts&vel expenses::.on the~same.-basis..asl-per.!.diem and t?aveLexpenses are.~ .employees-,under-Part1V,'~Section :13?.of: H~use~~13ill.Noi.12....All of.. -2495:- Hon. John Winters. Pa& 2 Cp$nion NO. C-!5~
used for this purpose are funds allocated & the United States Oovernment for the. puz$xes of carryingout the provisions of Title V, Part 3, Section 523(a) (1) (B) of the Security Act. "The Comptroller'sDepartmentstated that ~paymentwould not be made on.+e basis that: "1. The Department did &have any. spealfgc.statutory authority to appoint a Day Care Advisory Committeeor to pay the expenses of.memb&s of such Committee whPle attendingofficial meetings; Andy : "2. "That employeesof other State :-Agenciescould not serve on such ; Committeewithout possibly jeopard- .:-,.. 1,&zing their salaries with the _, ernploylngState Agency. %he..hpartment takes the view that It does .ha+e.the'statutory authority to appoint a .Bsy Care~.Advlsory Commlttee,andto pw %he pe=--dPem..and.travelexpenses of the members of suchGmm&ttee while attendlng.o$Y&lal. yeetlngs. .. . :. .-:,.~- . . II, a . .. II. i .:. .Sin&e:theappolntment..of~fhe Advisory Commlttee~:ls &'&ondltlon~:precedent %o the -Departmen~*s'obf;ainine,.approvall~f~~b~eState -P&ah fop ChI3d.Welfare.Services, -the Depart- ment' It.can, legally.ljay .and travel expensesa&ally incurred in the c&rse of the performanaeof their dutles~'as '-C~ttee.,m&&er~'s; :.. ::;'.::~'G_~ c+~.,~ .Ii .-. ~.::.:I 1, '. "' > "The .quesMon;has also,&~~~~Pa&& &&.the- the authorlty.ofrepresen*atiives',of~ other ~State'Departments .tosex?veae..members .of this Advisor-Gmanlttee. We.understsnd.:that.the basis.:.~o~.~~e%tloning their..author$.ty t6 serve ls,~fhat.'theg:-would be h6ldinP;two~:pos~tlons of ..&96; ~.:.,:. ."~ <"Y,i:I '. Hon. John Winters, Page 3, OQinion No.~C-528
honor and trust at the same time, and therefore.,would be unable to receive' their salary from the employing State Agency .. ~. . .
I,. . -.,The Federal Laws providing for the Advisory Committeesrequire that the Advisory Committee include among Its menibers'representatlves~of other State Agencies concerned with day care, or . services reIat.ed.thereto, as well as representativesof pfofessionalor civic groups.~ !J!oellmlnatepeople from other .agencleswould mean that we would be deprived of the experienceand knowledge of persons in close&y related fields suoh'as Education,Health, and Extension Service, which ls.badly needed in the development of good Day Care Programs In this State. .- %ly Qurpoae of~the Committee as S~ipiikted I in the Law and the.agreement with the United States Children% Bureau, ls.tto, interest as many different segments.of the pOQUtition as-QqSSihle with the view of :extendlngand strengtheningthe services : avall.able ln aommunltles. for the jpotectlon and.care of ~chlldrenwho,ere cared for away from their own homes. By working with AdVlsory Connnittees~ the DeQartqe+.ls better .ableto serve the needs of children being cared .forIn day care centers.' 11.. . .
vWe 'shallappreciateyour opinion on the following questions: "1. Is the State &partment of Public Welfare authorized to set up a Day Care ; Advisory Conimlttee consistingof repre- sentatlves of other State Departments'or Agencies and representativesof other - ~qrofessio@.