ATTORNEY GENERAL
Under provisions set out in the Texas Constitution, the Texas Government Code, 
Title 4,  402.042 and numerous statutes, the attorney general is authorized to 
write advisory opinions for state and local officials. These advisory opinions 
are requested by agencies or officials when they are confronted with unique or 
unusually difficult legal questions. The attorney general also determines, under 
authority of the Texas Open Records Act, whether information requested for 
release from governmental agencies may be held from public disclosure. Requests 
for opinions, opinions, and open record decisions are summarized for publication 
in the Texas Register. The Attorney General responds to many requests for 
opinions and open records decisions with letter opinions. A letter opinion has 
the same force and effect as a formal Attorney General Opinion, and represents 
the opinion of the Attorney General unless and until it is modified or overruled 
by a subsequent letter opinion, a formal Attorney General Opinion, or a decision 
of a court of record. To request copies of opinions, phone (512) 462-0011. To 
inquire about pending requests for opinions, phone (512) 463-2110.

Request for Opinions

ID# 39375 Request from the Honorable James
 M. Kuboviak, Brazos County, Attorney, 300 East 26th Street, Suite 325, Bryan,
 Texas 77803, regarding whether a bail bondsman may change a business name
 without applying for a new license, and related questions.


ID# 39410 Request from the Honorable John
 W. Smith, District Attorney, Ector County, Room 305, North Grant Street,
 Odessa, Texas 79761, regarding whether a county may reinstate in midyear
 two former positions which were omitted from the current budget.


ID# 39380 Request from the Honorable Al Edwards
 Chair, Committee on Rules and Regulations, Texas House of Representatives,
 P.O. Box 2910, Austin, Texas 78768-2910, regarding validity of a rider of
 the 1995-97 General Appropriations Act that permits the expenditure of certain
 funds only by contract with the Texas Association of Developing Colleges.

ID# 39382 Request from the Honorable Jose
 Rodriguez, El Paso County, Attorney, County Courthouse, 500 East San Antonio,
 Room 203, El Paso, Texas 79901, regarding Authority of a school district
 to expend funds in the defense of a district employee in a criminal proceeding.

ID# 39387 Request from the Honorable Ken
 Armbrister, Chair, Committee on State Affairs, Texas Senate,
 P.O. Box 12068, Austin, Texas 78711, regarding reconsideration of Letter
 Opinion 96-122 (1996).


ID# 39388 Request from the Honorable Mark
 Stiles, Texas House of Representatives, P.O. Box 2910, Austin, Texas 78768,
 regrading authority of a commissioners court to modify the budget of a juvenile
 probation department.


TRD-9702043