ATTORNEY GENERAL
Under provisions set out in the Texas Constitution, the Texas Government Code, 
Title 4, sec.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.

Requests for Opinions
(RQ-856). Requested by Don Gilbert, Commissioner, Texas Department of Mental 
Health and Mental Retardation, P.O. Box 12668, Austin, Texas 78711-3761, 
concerning Applicability of Senate Bill 646, Act of May 27, 1995, 74th 
Legislative, Regular Session, Chapter 854, 1995 Texas Session Law Service 4287, 
which relates to veterans' employment preference.
(RQ-857). Requested by Honorable Warren Chisum, Chair, Committee on 
Environmental Regulation, Texas House of Representatives, P.O. Box 2910, Austin, 
Texas 78768-2910, concerning whether an independent school district may be 
required by a municipality within which the district is partially located to use 
a vendor selected by the city for exclusive collection of the district's 
garbage, and related questions.
(RQ-858). Requested by Honorable Don Henderson, Chair, Jurisprudence, Texas 
House of Representatives, P.O. Box 12068, Austin, Texas 78711-2068, concerning 
whether a municipality is required by Article I, sec.19, Texas Constitution, to 
provide to a newly annexed area the same level of regulation of "sexually 
oriented business" as existed in the area prior to annexation.
TRD-9515260