*1 R-477 HE NE GENE EXA!F3 AUSTIN 11. TEKas

PRICE DANIEL ATTORNEY GENERAL

May 20, 1847

Hon. J. F. Ward, Chaixman, Opinion No. V-211 Contingent Expense Committee,

House of Representatives,, Re: The legality of Austin, Texas payment, during the interim, newspaper sub- for

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scriptions ior members of the House. of Repre- sentatives from the House Con- tingent Expense Aooount .

Dear Sir:

Tour request for an opinion upon the above aubjeot matter is as follows:

“Please give the Contingent Expense Committee of the House of Representatives an opinion as to whether or not it is per- mlssible for .the Contingeht lkpenee Ao-.

oount to stand the expense of a member* s ‘newspaper subscription Wring the interim.

Several House members have mde such a re- quest and as I can find no p’reaeaent ooa- cerning suoh a request, I would appreciate I .,‘,an opinion from your offioe as final auth- I .,,.:;;‘,.-,ority . *

...,.. ‘),” ,,’ You are respeotfully s.dviseQ’ that it is not ~-S&h1 ‘to pay from the Contingent Expense AGoount of the Lkgislatuke the expense of a-member,* a newspaper sub- s&ption during the’~ interim. .,,~’

.,.. :’ Such expense,oould not be oonstrued to be for $$u’tjilc’purpose with respect to any duty imposed by law I~ upon: #e” member.

There are, of course, certain interim eapensee of members permissible to be paid, where they are aoting ,in ‘andnterlm committee capacity for some lawful leglsla- tive purpose, but the case put by you does not fall wlth- in that class,of claims.

Hon. J. F. Ward, page 2 (V-211)

A member's expense for newspaper sub- scription dud43 the Legislative interim IBay not be paid from the Contingent Expense Ao- count of the Legislature.

Yours very truly, ATTORNEYGENERAL OF?EXAS 0S:wb

APPROVED MAY 20 1947