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, please fax your request to (512) 462-0548 or call (512) 936-1730. To 
inquire about pending requests for opinions, phone (512) 463-2110.

Letter Opinions
LO# 98-043. (ID# 39619). Request from Mr. John Laakso, Acting Executive 
Director, Public Utility Commission of Texas, 1701 N. Congress Avenue, P.O. Box 
13326, Austin, Texas 78711-3326, regarding interpretation of Senate Bill 667, 
establishing program to assist individuals with hearing or speech impairment to 
purchase specialized telecommunications device for telephone access.
Summary. Senate Bill 667 authorizes the Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard 
of Hearing to determine what constitutes a basic telecommunications device for 
an individual eligible to participate in the voucher program established by the 
statute.
LO#98-044. (RQ-1053). Request from the Honorable Don Schnebly, District 
Attorney, Parker County, Weatherford, Texas 76086, regarding status of work 
performed by a county attorney while he simultaneously held the office of 
municipal judge.
Summary. The county attorney of Parker County vacated his office of municipal 
judge of the City of Willow Park when he assumed the former position, and none 
of his acts as county attorney are affected by his purported holding of the 
office of municipal judge.
LO#98-045. (RQ-1122). Request from the Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair, 
Committee on Judicial Affairs, Texas House of Representatives, P.O. Box 2910, 
Austin, Texas 78768-2910, regarding whether a private, nonprofit organization 
may administer scholarship monies to minority students.
Summary. The Hopwood decision does not affect the authority of a private, 
nonprofit organization to administer a privately funded, race-restricted 
scholarship program. A state university may provide information about students 
to such an organization and may inform students about the organization's 
scholarship program without transforming the organization's private activities 
into state action.
TRD-9809297
Filed: June 10, 1998