TITLE attorney-general

Opinions

Opinion No. JC-0318

The Honorable Eugene D. Taylor, Williamson County Attorney, County Courthouse Annex, Second Floor, 405 Martin Luther King, Box 3, Georgetown, Texas 78626

Re: Whether article XI, section 11 of the Texas Constitution requires a municipality to fill by special election a vacancy in its governing body arising from an automatic resignation (RQ-0286-JC)

S U M M A R Y

Article XI, section 11 of the Texas Constitution requires a city that has extended the terms of its city council members from two to three years to fill a vacancy resulting from a council member's automatic resignation by holding a special election within 120 days. Such a vacancy may not be filled by appointment. A city council member who automatically resigns holds over in office. A city that fails to hold a special election within 120 days after the date of the automatic resignation as required by article XI, section 11 may not avoid holding a special election until the holdover's term expires.

Opinion No. JC-0319

The Honorable Michael P. Fleming, Harris County Attorney, 1019 Congress, 15th Floor, Houston, Texas 77002-1700

Re: Whether a county commissioners court may condition acceptance of bids for county public works project on attendance at a mandatory prebid conference (RQ-266)

S U M M A R Y

A county commissioners court may not condition acceptance of bids for a county public works project solicited pursuant to the County Purchasing Act, Tex. Loc. Gov't Code Ann. ch. 262, subch. C (Vernon 1999 & Supp. 2000), on attendance at a mandatory prebid conference.

Opinion No. JC-0320

The Honorable Tim Curry, Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney, Tarrant County Justice Center, 401 West Belknap, Fort Worth, Texas 76196-0201

Re: Whether a person who is sentenced to pay a fine and to deferred adjudication probation after pleading guilty to a class C misdemeanor in county court is entitled to an expunction of his arrest record (RQ-0258-JC)

S U M M A R Y

A person who is sentenced to pay a fine and to deferred adjudication probation in a county criminal court is not entitled to an expunction of his arrest record under article 55.01 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

For further information, please call (512) 463-2110

TRD-200009043

Susan D. Gusky

Assistant Attorney General

Office of the Attorney General

Filed: December 27, 2000


Request for Opinion

RQ-0323-JC

Mr. Jim Nelson, Commissioner of Education, Texas Education Agency, 1701 North Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701-1494

Re: Appearance of a state agency board before a legislative committee for purposes of the Open Meetings Act: Clarification of Attorney General Opinion JC-0308 (Request No. 0323-JC)

Briefs requested by February 2, 2001

For further information, please call (512) 463-2110

TRD-200100045

Susan D. Gusky

Assistant Attorney General

Office of the Attorney General

Filed: January 3, 2001


Request for Opinions

RQ-0324-JC

The Honorable James Warren Smith, Jr., Frio County Attorney, 500 East San Antonio, Box 1, Pearsall, Texas 78061-3100

Re: Payment of accrued vacation time to deputy sheriffs (Request No. 0324-JC)

Briefs requested by January 20, 2001

RQ-0325-JC

The Honorable Clyde Alexander, Chair, Committee on Transportation, Texas House of Representatives, P.O. Box 2910, Austin, Texas 78768-2910

Re: Constitutionality of article 6298, V.T.C.S., which makes it unlawful for a railroad to use corporate funds to purchase its own stock (Request No. 0325-JC)

Briefs requested by January 20, 2001

RQ-0326-JC

The Honorable Thomas M. Goff, Tom Green County Attorney, 112 West Beauregard, San Angelo, Texas 76903

Re: Whether a district attorney subject to the Professional Prosecutors Act may be paid as an Air Force Reserve Officer (Request No. 0326-JC)

Briefs requested by January 19, 2001

RQ-0327-JC

The Honorable Judith Zaffirini, Chair, Human Services Committee, Texas State Senate, P.O. Box 12068, Austin, Texas 78711

Re: Whether a contractual requirement that a superintendent of schools attend executive sessions of a board of trustees violates the Open Meetings Act (Request No. 0327-JC)

Briefs requested by January 20, 2001

RQ-0328-JC

Mr. Jere M. Lawrence, Chair, Board of Regents, Texas State Technical College System, 3801 Campus Drive, Waco, Texas 76705

Re: Authority of the state auditor to audit an educational foundation created for the benefit of the Texas State Technical College (Request No. 0328-JC)

Briefs requested by January 22, 2001

For further information, please call (512) 463-2110.

TRD-200009042

Susan D. Gusky

Assistant Attorney General

Office of the Attorney General

Filed: December 27, 2000