Case Information
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN
.~ \ , ! \\
/-‘.---.i \ *2 Hon. Olin Culberson,&ige 2
and oS that held by them ln storage, and also 0s their SOUPCB or supply, the nrtnbe~ 0f ~0n3 Srcm which they draw thelr supply, the mount 41 jcessure malntalned,andthe mount and cbaraoter and deaorlptlon OS the equipment em- ployed, and 6uoh other matters p
the business %a the Comlsalon lfLz%eszi- nont."
pphlle we are ln entire agreePent with the prinalplea
stated In our previous opfaionto the effectthatlntheevent of any doubt es to the neaws.tty Sor notice and hearing on rule8 and regulations the doubt should be reeolmd ln favor of iesuenoe OS said notlae an&the holdlag OS a hearing. However, in the absenoe OS statutory requlrauaents lt la our i;ll$S that CQSO of Ore@ V. Xailraad C0m1lss i on OS ma,
117 S. W. (2d) 142 (error disariesed) le aontrolllng.
We q&e from that aam as Sollogr.
*There Is no aompelllag~lnhr3rent maeon why notloe aab baring should be mqulred as prerequlslte to the vslldlty of a general rule and r~egulatlon OS adminlstratlre boards.
f7.10 intlmete knowledge possessed by the COIE- mlesion, aSSord8 ample basis for dlnpepalng with notfoe when general regulatory opder~ am con- 08Tll94. nle wide rarlety 0r highmys end tr%r- ii0 oondltlona may call Sor exeeptlons as re- gards given localltles, particular alasses OS commodltles or omrlera, or 6V8ri individual a%lTlers. It aauld sot be praotlaal to con- sider all OS these spealal oasea ln the pro- nmlgatlon ot general regulatlone . . . . &ad and hear- the Legislature latendedthatnotlw lngshouldbehatllncaseoSgene.ral ordera, It ooad eaolly hare so provided. Its absence In thls regard, and its presence in the apeol- rmilly emmarated aasw alearly bdlaate that In the former, was not deemed esa~ntkl.~
The 0as Vtllltles kot &me, in oertaln lmtaa6ee, spealflaallyrequlre the giving o? notloe and the ZaoLdlag of hearing before the lssuao~e of Orders in regard (I) to fra C&ty Ordlnanoss %a provided by ArtlaZe $060; (2 7" peals as regards review of r&as, agreestents, and orders aiiscrthg
Hon. Olin Culberson, rage 3
publla utllltles, as pmtided in titicle 6054. However, ln ,irticls 6056, pursuant to whlah the proposed rule5 andrcs&u- latlons are sought to be issued, there ls no suchrequlrement. Eramdnatlon of that .4rtlale olearly reveals t&t only orders and regulatfocur afft4atlq3 the lndustrygenerellymiy bels- mstter of suah orders and regula- Further, the subject slled. tions S%ll within the oategory OS knowledge and lnfonnatlon peoulie& known to tho experts of Gas Utllltles Ulvlslon OS the 2 af I2od CoxQl55lon. They know what Information they need ln way of reaorda to properly regulate the industry. k serve no purpose. It is to notlae and hearing thereo+muld be noted that the Comnlssloa Is euthorlz~d to elicit @forma- tion tn regard to quantities OS gas distributed and of that held by them in storage, and also oS their source OS 5uppl.y, the number of wells Srom which tbep draw their supply, the amount of pressure mslntained, the amount and oharaoter and desorlptlon or the equlpmnt employed and such other matttie perta$ning to business as the Commlsslon may deen ge - nent . Tn&he~words,therequlrerpants oath ? llroad C OIS- -Ion that may be made 'pursuant to Artlale &bz, simply have to dowlth themaklng otrecords and books, amlreports aireotlng all the industry, generally and alike. quotlsg from Just106 xcClendon*s oplnlon ln Further
the Greer ease: YiaU the Laglslatme intended that notlas andhearlng should behadlncase ofgeaersl order, It oould easily bare 50 protidti . . .* This Department hasrendereda Ukeoplnlon lnre- gard to notice and hearing on m.l&oad ConmIssIon orders pur- porting to regulate bus temlnsls lo this state. Oplnlon No. O-1107, doted August 23, 1939, a&%ressed to the Honorable James E. Kllday, Dlreator, Xotor Transportation Dl~l.5105, Rallxoacl Codsslon OS Texas.
The order there under d.Lmas6lon, as here, lmolved general m&tars aSSeating the industry as whole and ia re- specttowhlchtherewas no statutoryrequlrenzentior notlee and hearing. i~aaordlx@.yg, ln reliance upon the doetrlm oS the Greer case, we declared no notice and hearing xwa%BsaFy.
Hon. Olin Culber6on, Page 4 is ouropinlonthatthaRallroad Coml55lon
may issue rules -4 regulatlont5 pumuant to mtlala 6056,
APPROVE!:OCT 2, 1939
ATTORNEY.GBNERAL, 02 TmEJ