Case Information
*1 The Attorney General of Texas I Novdaer 13, 1984 JIM MAlTOX ,. Hr. Bill Rale Opinion No. ~~-228
suprma Cowl Bullding Executive Director P. 0. Box 1254s Taxae Cormiaaion on klwnen Rights Re: Authority of a local h- AImtIn. TX. 7S711- 2548 P. 0. Box 13493, Capi,tol Station SlZ475-2501 relation.4 comniaaion to file TdW s1011)74.1357 Auatln, Tuaa 78711 auit under section 4.03(5) of Tslecoplrr 5121475.0255 article 5221k. V.T.C.S. Dear Mr. Hale: 714 Juk8.w Suite 700 Dallas. TX. 752024505 214rf42a044
You raqueat clc.riflcation of the source of a local human right6
c&eeion'e authority to file employment discrimination actlona. Spccifitilly, you mk vhether e local comisaion may file civil 4S24 Alb.m AW.. SuIta lS0 actlona purauaat to oection 4.03(5) of the Texas Commission on Human El Pwo. TX. 7Sm5.27n2 OlS!5S34B4 Righta Act, V.T.C.8. ,#art. 5221k, without a local ordinance authorizing
arch action. We conclude that once a local coum~esion ia created pureuaat to eectioa 4.02 of the act, the local commission la .Ml T.rar. Wt. 700 authorfzed by aectlm 4.03(5) of the act to file civil actions aa liouaton. TX. 77002-3111 specified In section 4.03(5), which is controlled by section 4.04(a). 7x3mx3.w No local ordinance LIO necessary. Thio does not. however. prevent a political aubdlvlsioe from either adopting and enforcing an ordinance w6 Broadway. SUIW 312 pursuant to eection 4.01 or delegating to its local cormnission the Lubbock, TX. 794013479 power to enforce ‘ordinance. 5w747-5238
Ae a preliminary matter, when e political subdivision haa no 43X N. Tenth. Suite B direct interest in 4, particular claim and, consequently. no standing. MeAllen. TX. 7S501.WI5 it also lacks stac,ding to act in the public interest. city of 512iuS2e47 Jeffcroon v. Railroad Coumlssion, 453 S.W.Zd 906, 908 (Tex. Civ. App.
- Austin 1970. vrit ref’d n.r.e.); Ridalgo County Water Improvement 200 MaIn Plaza. SUIIS 4ca Dietrict No. 2 V. Capron County Water Control 6 Improvement District San Antonlo. TX. 7S2OS2797 No. 5, 253 S.V.Zd 29'4, 300 (Tex. Civ. App. - San Antonio 1952. writ 5121225-4191 rcf’d n.r.e.) (polizlcal subdivision may be class representative In
suit relating to thtr function the political subdivision). The legislature may place the authority to represent the public by filing suit where it choaaw. 80 long as it does so constitutfonally. The question of who may amaintain an action ie a matter of lav and is not subject to tha cont:rol of the parties. Pieldton Co-operative Gin v. Urtiht, 259 S.U.Zd 603. 605 (Tex. Civ. App. - Amarillo 1953, no yrlt). a political ~rrbdivision may confer upon itself or upon its deleiatee authority to aeaert another individual’e or entity’e cawe of-action only as specified by lav.
In addition to the jurisdiction of the state commission. article 5221k provides for two local methods of effecting its purposes: one *2 *
Hr. Bill Bale - Page 2 (JW:!;!~)
by the political subdivision itself and the other through a local cowaiseion. Section 4.01 lnilicates that
[a] political subdivision may adopt and enforce an ordinance that prchibite practices designated aa unlawful under this or otheruiee declared unlavful under fecleral or state lav. (Emphasis added).
Section 4.02 provides for local com~fssions in part as follows:
A political subdivision or tvo br more political subdivisions acting jointly 3 create a local to promote the purposes of this cormission Act. . . . (EmphaM.s added).
Both of these provisions are permissive; thus, a polftical subdivision need not enact and enforce employment discrimination ordinances and need not create a local human righte coamission which vould promote the purposes of article 5221k on the local level. No local action is necessary :lor enforcement'of article 5221k on the local level by the state compj:sslon absent these actions. political -- subdivision prry delegate the authority to enforce oun section 4.01
ordinance; hovevet. once a poltitical subdivision creates a local humen rights comnission pursuant to this statute, which specifically authorizes certain powers, the local cod6sion has at least the power* authorized by the ewtute. See Attorney General Opinion E-753 (1975); see also Attorney -GralOplnions Ii-1092 (1977); E-619 (1975).
Section 4.01 is a provision which emphasizes that a political subdivision is not preempted from preventing employment discrimination and which grants authority to prevent local discrimination by enforcement of a local ordinance which may or may not duplicate article 5221k. Generally, l.ocal regulation that is ancillary to and In harmonv with the general lmcooe and ouroose of state enactments is acceptable. City of Brook&de'Villag; ;. Comeau. 633 S.W.Zd 790. (Tea 1982) cert. denied.-459 U.S. 1087 (1982). Article 5221k specifically authorizes 1ocs:l ordinances: nothing in article 5221k p;ohibits a-political subdivision from delegating ihe power to enforce its ordinances its local :mmission.
Section 4.02 Is an indlependent provision, with regulation by local commissions guided by-the provisions of article 5221k rather than by the provisions ;I local ordinance. Therefore. a local commission created pursuant to section 4.02 has the authority to file certain civil actlone to enfmce article 5221k. as directly granted by section 4.03(5) of the act. Section 4.03(5) grants local commissions the pouer
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Mr. Bill lisle - Page 3 (~~-228)
to receive, investigate. seek to conciliate, and pass on complaints alleging violations of thia and file civil actions to effectuate the purposes of thia Act if the federal government or state emission hi;8 referred the complaint to the coamission or has Tleferred jurisdiction over the subject matter o:? complaint to the COW mission. . . . (E$asIs added). local human rights comrm~.esion may file civil actions in these
instances, as further controlled by section 4.04(a), without separate authorization by locsl ordinance.
j;UMMARY The authority of a local human rights com- mission, created pursuant to section 4.02 of article 5221k. file. civil actions pursuant to section 4.03(5) 16 not contingent upon enactment of a local ordinance. Nevertheless, a political subdivision may ttdopt and enforce a local ordinance pursuant to section 4.01, and nothing in article 5221k proribits a political subdivision from delegating to local commission the pouer to enforce the ord:lnance.
Very truly your J b A - JIM MATTOX Attorney General Texas TOM GREEN First Assistant Attorney General
DAVID R. RICHARDS
Executive Assistant
Prepared by Rick Gilpin
Assistant Attorney General
APPROVED:
OPINION COMMITTEE
Rick Gilpin, Chairman
Jon Bible
Colin Carl
Suaan Garrison
Jim Hoellinger
Nancy Sutton