TITLE attorney-general

Request for Opinions

RQ-0483-JC

Mr. Randall S. James, Ms. Leslie L. Pettijohn, Mr. James L. Pledger, The Finance Commission of Texas, 2601 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin, Texas 78705-4294

Re: Whether all transactions listed in section 341.502, Finance Code are subject to the 'plain language' rule (Request No. 0483-JC)

Briefs requested by February 8, 2002

RQ-0484-JC

The Honorable Hector M. Lozano, Frio County Attorney, 500 East San Antonio Street, Box 1, Pearsall, Texas 78061-3100

Re: Whether a constable who fails to provide evidence of licensure under section 86.0021(b), Local Government Code, automatically forfeits his office, and related questions (Request No. 0484-JC)

Briefs requested by February 9, 2002

RQ-0485-JC

The Honorable Robert B. Scheske, Gonzales County Attorney, P.O. Box 3, Gonzales, Texas 78629-0003

Re: Whether a fine imposed in a class C misdemeanor case in justice court may be collected by a private attorney or a private collection service (Request No. 0485-JC)

Briefs requested by February 10 , 2002

RQ-0486-JC

The Honorable Russell W. Malm, Midland County Attorney, 200 West Wall Street, Suite 104, Midland, Texas 79701

Re: Whether a county may enter into a multi-year lease of real property under particular circumstances, and related questions (Request No. 0486-JC)

Briefs requested by February 11, 2002

For further information, please contact the Opinion Committee at (512) 463-2110 or access the website at www.oag.state.texas.us .

TRD-200200199

Susan D. Gusky

Assistant Attorney General

Office of the Attorney General

Filed: January 16, 2002


Opinions

Opinion No. JC-0450

The Honorable Eddie Lucio, Jr., Chair, Committee on Border Affairs, Texas State Senate, P.O. Box 12068, Austin, Texas 78711

Re: Whether section 2001.556 of the Occupations Code prohibits a revenue-share leasing agreement between a manufacturer of bingo equipment and a distributor of bingo equipment (RQ-0417-JC)

S U M M A R Y

A revenue-share leasing agreement violates section 2001.556 of the Occupations Code, which precludes a bingo-equipment manufacturer, distributor, or supplier from agreeing to fix the price of bingo equipment, if under the agreement the manufacturer controls the price that the distributor charges to bingo-game conductors for leasing equipment.

Opinion No. JC-0451

The Honorable Phil Garrett, Palo Pinto County Attorney, P. O. Box 190, Palo Pinto, Texas 76484

Re: Whether a driver who falls asleep and drives off the road has committed an offense under section 545.060(a) of the Transportation Code (RQ-0421-JC)

S U M M A R Y

Although this office cannot determine in any particular instance in an attorney general opinion whether a person has violated section 545.060(a) of the Transportation Code, the offense of failure to drive in a single marked lane, the fact that a driver was asleep when he or she moved from the single lane does not as a matter of law remove that person's conduct from the scope of the statute.

Opinion No. JC-0452

The Honorable Joe Warner Bell, Trinity County Attorney, P.O. Box 979, Groveton, Texas 75845

Re: Whether constitutional county law judges who try misdemeanor criminal matters are entitled to participate in the management of community supervision and corrections departments under section 76.002 of the Government Code (RQ-0433-JC)

S U M M A R Y

A judge of a county court established under article V, section 15 of the Texas Constitution is not a judge of a statutory county court for purposes of title 2 of the Government Code and therefore is not included in the group of judges entitled to participate in the management of a community supervision and corrections department under section 76.002(b) of the Government Code.

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

TRD-200200200

Susan D. Gusky

Assistant Attorney General

Office of the Attorney General

Filed: January 16, 2002