TITLE attorney-general

Request for Opinions

RQ-0063-GA

Requestor:

The Honorable Ben W. "Bud" Childers

Fort Bend County Attorney

301 Jackson Street, Suite 728

Richmond, Texas 77469-3108

Re: Authority to appoint a master or associate judge, and limitations on such appointment (Request No. 0063-GA)

Briefs requested by July 18, 2003

RQ-0064-GA

Requestor:

The Honorable Rodney Ellis

Chair, Committee on Government Organization

Texas State Senate

P.O. Box 12068

Austin, Texas 78711

Re: Whether the use of parking facilities at the Texas Medical Center for events held outside the Medical Center would forfeit the Center's property tax exemption under section 11.23(j) of the Tax Code (Request No. 0064-GA)

Briefs requested by July 23, 2003

RQ-0065-GA

Requestor:

The Honorable David Swinford

Chair, Committee on Government Reform

Texas House of Representatives

P.O. Box 2910

Austin, Texas 78768-2910

Re: Whether municipal hotel/motel taxes may be used to fund certain programs of a senior center (Request No. 0065-GA)

Briefs requested by July 23, 2003

RQ-0067-GA

Requestor:

The Honorable Fred Hill

Chair, Local Government Ways and Means Committee

Texas House of Representatives

P.O. Box 2910

Austin, Texas 78768-2910

Re: Whether a city council may delegate to a city board the authority to grant variances under section 109.33(e) of the Alcoholic Beverage Code (Request No. 0067-GA)

Briefs requested by July 25, 2003

RQ-0068-GA

Requestor:

The Honorable Kenneth Armbrister

Chair, Natural Resources Committee

Texas State Senate

P.O. Box 12068

Austin, Texas 78711

Re: Responsibility for maintenance of a public road (Request No. 0068-GA)

Briefs requested by July 26, 2003

RQ-0069-GA

Requestor:

The Honorable Norman Arnett

Stonewall County Attorney

P.O. Box 367

Aspermont, Texas 79502

Re: Whether the nepotism statute, chapter 573, Government Code, precludes the continued employment of an employee of the sheriff's office after her marriage to the sheriff (Request No. 0069-GA)

Briefs requested by July 25, 2003

RQ-0070-GA

Requestor:

The Honorable Oliver S. Kitzman

Criminal District Attorney, Waller County

836 Austin Street, Suite 103

Hempstead, Texas 77445

Re: Whether a commissioners court is required to provide notice and a hearing before approving the placement of a stop sign on a county road (Request No. 0070-GA)

Briefs requested by July 31, 2003

For further information, please access the website at www.oag.state.tx.us. or call the Opinion Committee at 512/463-2110.

TRD-200304063

Nancy S. Fuller

Assistant Attorney General

Office of the Attorney General

Filed: July 2, 2003