TITLE attorney-general

Request for Opinions

RQ-0231-GA

Requestor:

Mr. Geoffrey S. Connor

Texas Secretary of State

Post Office Box 12697

Austin, Texas 78711-2697

Re: Applicability of the Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551, Government Code, to examinations conducted by voting machine examiners (Request No. 0231-GA)

Briefs requested by July 16, 2004

RQ-0232-GA

Requestor:

Mr. Thomas A. Davis Jr., Director

Texas Department of Public Safety

Post Office Box 4087

Austin, Texas 78773-0252

Re: Applicability of §1702.323(e) of the Occupations Code to paralegals and others who perform work under the direct supervision of an attorney (Request No. 0232-GA)

Briefs requested by July 17, 2004

RQ-0233-GA

Requestor:

The Honorable Joe Driver

Chair, Committee on Law Enforcement

Texas House of Representatives

Post Office Box 2910

Austin, Texas 78768-2910

The Honorable Robert Duncan

Chair, Committee on Jurisprudence

Texas State Senate

Post Office Box 12068

Austin, Texas 78711

Re: Licensing requirements under the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Act (Request No. 0233-GA)

Briefs requested by July 17, 2004

RQ-0234-GA

Requestor:

The Honorable Donna R. Bennett

173rd Judicial District Attorney

109 West Corsicana, Suite 103

Athens, Texas 75751

Re: Whether a district attorney may simultaneously hold a part-time teaching position at a community college (Request No. 0234-GA)

Briefs requested by July 21, 2004

RQ-0235-GA

Requestor:

Mr. Paul D. Cook

Acting Executive Director

Texas Board of Professional Engineers

1917 IH-35 South

Austin, Texas 78741

Re: Validity of documents prepared by a licensed engineer who is employed by a company that is not itself registered with the Board of Professional Engineers (Request No. 0235-GA)

Briefs requested by July 21, 2004

RQ-0236-GA

Requestor:

The Honorable Fred Hill

Chair, Committee on Local Government Ways and Means

Texas House of Representatives

Post Office Box 2910

Austin, Texas 78768-2910

Re: Whether the placement of a one-party foreclosable contractual lien on real property supersedes the homestead rights created by Article 16, §50 of the Texas Constitution (Request No. 0236-GA)

Briefs requested by July 22, 2004

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

TRD-200404167

Nancy S. Fuller

Assistant Attorney General

Office of the Attorney General

Filed: June 22, 2004


Opinions

Opinion No. GA-0204

Ms. Shirley Neeley, Ed.D.

Commissioner of Education

Texas Education Agency

1701 North Congress Avenue

Austin, Texas 78701

Re: Whether a public school teacher may be awarded compensation under the statutory Advanced Placement Incentive Program (RQ-0151-GA)

SUMMARY

An Advanced Placement Incentive Program payment to a public school teacher under §521.126 of the Education Code serves a public purpose. A public school teacher under an existing contract may not be awarded such a payment unless (1) the teacher provides additional consideration in return, or (2) the teacher's contract expressly provides for the possibility of such additional compensation. A teacher may receive such a payment as part of compensation in contracts executed after June 20, 2003, the effective date of the statute.

Opinion No. GA-0205

The Honorable Mike Stafford

Harris County Attorney

1019 Congress, 15th Floor

Houston, Texas 77002-1700

Re: Whether a juvenile board may designate a juvenile probation department as the office authorized to determine whether to defer prosecution of a child referred to juvenile court for certain nonviolent misdemeanor offenses (RQ-0152-GA)

SUMMARY

A juvenile board may, without contravening Article V, Section 21 or Article II, Section 1 of the Texas Constitution, designate a juvenile probation department as the office with the authority to defer prosecution of a child referred to juvenile court for certain nonviolent misdemeanor offenses.

Opinion No. GA-0206

The Honorable Bill R. Turner

Brazos County District Attorney

300 East 26th Street, Suite 310

Bryan, Texas 77803

Re: Whether the Bryan Business Council, Inc. is subject to the Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551 of the Government Code (RQ-0155-GA)

SUMMARY

The Bryan Business Council, Inc. is not a "governmental body" within the terms of the Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551 of the Government Code.

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

TRD-200404168

Nancy S. Fuller

Assistant Attorney General

Office of the Attorney General

Filed: June 22, 2004