Case Information
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The Attorney General of Texas Dcccmbrr 14. 1984
JIM MAlTOX
wxlIoy GoIlwal
Bonorable Joe Uancit: Bell C~inioo No. 311-253 Trinity county Attorwy
P. 0. mox an Be: Mbether . chief deputy uy be tu l sstsoor-collector Groveton. fewa Y!i845 court of which l comieeionerr her cousin ia 8 nember Deer Mr. Bell:
You otaca that e recency bes been cruted In tbe office of tax l ueuo r-c ollecto r :by the dutb of the incwbcnt who bed l erved l inee Jenuery 1. 1961. 1Im chief deputy bes been continuously employed io the office in var%uo poaitiono for twenty-tuo ycarr and bar been chief deputy :pGcera. She ia a first coud~~ of l c ounty comb- sioner vho bea served continuously in office l iucc Jenuery 1. 1961. A lexu, sune 702 wk vhet’her the colpireioners my l ppoint the chief noue1m. Et. 7mo2-3111 deputy to fill the vecency without violetlag the nepotism l tetute. 7lw22ssM2
Article 5996e. V.T.C.S.. on nepotin. provideo:
No oi'ficer of thie State . . . nor my officer or .merbmr of eny State di&ict. county. city, school district or other upicipal boud or vota for, or confim the dull rppoint. appointlent to any office, pomitioa, clerbhip. or duty, of eny parson dated within emp1OJY.t the MCOI$ degree .by ,affinity or within the third r 'by conunyinity to w degree perwn l ppointdma or l o voting, or to any ocher member amy l xh board . . . vhen the ulery, fem. or compenu~tion of aufh eppointee IS to be paid for. directly i.ndlrectly, out of or public funds o:c feeo of office of l ny kind or cberecter provided, nothIn tlut utut*oever; herein the ppolntmeat. . . . rbell coateinotl prevent voting or confirmation of my, pereoo who for, shell hmc been contiououely employed in ny such PO61 tiOIL. clcrkehip, nployment or duty office. two (2) years prior for a period election or eppoincment officer or member eppoint Lug. VOCiIQ for, confirming or to election or ppointment of eppointwnt. D. 1128
Honorable Joa Warner Bell - :?trge 2 *(m-253)
the officer or ember related to such employee la rhe prohibited degree.
First cousioa are related within rhe second degrea by conaenguinity. See Attorney General Opinions O-6221 (1944); O-4670 (1942). -
The county tax l aaesaor-collector holds an elective office. Tex. Conat. art. VIII. M14. 16. 16a; Tax Code r6.21. Thus. ordinarily tax aeaaoor-collector would be ~alactad by people end not The court, hovaver. is by the comlmi,c~oers court. statutorily auth&ited to fill a vacancy ia this office until the next general election. V.T.C.S. mrt. 2355.
Article S996e. V.T.C.S.. bars the comisalonera court from cousin, of a comiaaionar any office appointing firac eploymaat . Attorney Gencrrd. Opinions O-5452 (1943); 04987 (1942); uee also Attorney General Opinion 04670 (1942). The acetu~a pravantm any member of the comissionera voting for
any pereon ralettd wlthin the second degree by affinity . . . co t:ha person ao appointing or so voting. to any other member any such board. (Fmp~asia added). art. S996a. Thus, nooe the coamiaaionara may vote to
V.T.C.S. appoint the first cousin of a coamlasloucr to the vacant office of tex aaaaaaor-collactor. See Attorney Ganeral Opioioa O-3016 (1941). raise xceptiou to article 5996a. V.T.C.S.. for a person
employad by a governlog boa::d for two yaara contiauously prior to the alaction of hia ralaciva to that board and suggest it may apply in The tax this eaea. It 18 irrelevmt to the problem before us. ppoiata hfa deputlaa; the cowiaalooer6 court aaeaaeor-collactor cannot control or ioflueoce his aclectloa individuals tbat V.T.C.S. art. 3902; Attorney General Opioiona S-993 (1977); post. The deputy tax l asesaor wae oavar H-697 (1975); O-6221 (194A:). appointed by the commiuiontrr~ court. She therefore does ooc come within the two-year proviso elf article 5996a. V.T.C.S.
SUMMARY The cowisaioncra court m6y not appoint cowin of u commissioner to the office of firet county tax eaaasacw-collector vacated the death of the incumbent.
Ilowrable Joe Uitmer Bell - Pq;c 3 (JM-253)
TOM CREW
I:icst Aralstanc Accorney General
DAVlD R. RICHARDS
Executive Aaaiscanr Attorney Oc!ncral
RICK CILPIN
ChaIrman, Opinion Committee
Preparad by Suean L. Garrison Attorney General
Assistant
APPROVKD:
OPINTON COMMITTEE
Hick Gilpin. Chairman
Susan Garriaoo
Tony Cuillory
Jim Hoellinger
Jenni~fcr Riggs
Nancy Sutton