Case Information
*1 OFFICE OF THE
lustIn,
Sonorabls Lo)1 A. Keith, ChaIrnun
RallrorC Coxmissl:n cf Torr,
ToxQr ” 1040, teokr our opia- loll 80 the eats ellt twari or traure of uffloe oxplre am rtolted in 7cur
flee Rallroed Coa- motion In lSS4 for the 'A. II. X. .9plelltl, hari'ag
bad bben appoint66 rha ge sIlllean Piorson sdada- 03 on Jaauor7 19, lQe6 ax I wal r.oted mvalibor eleotlon e on sanuar7 19, tona ln thb Porbaber Juafr .G. 6. Lettlaore edainirtrred fl& tin J6nuar7 lb, 1Qb5.g 1959 (Aotr Theis woa emote4 b7 the Ls&rlaturo 46th bg., p. 13tO Ch, 486, 0. 1) tbo followinC. stat- 1939, utr whlob rpware 2929a in Vernon*8 Cl+il FM dclr Annotated Otatotsrl *2 I,,-
Rononblo Lon A. 6mlth, Pa&r t tha l ffrotlvo
*lrom and after drtr hereof of offlor of all ~.OtiVa 8tato and DirtriOt trrma ofiicorr a4 the Stat0 of Toxa~), QovWnOr 9 rxoeptin(l Governor, xmbara of the Senate, and Llbutrnant Yabrra of thr Houar of ReprWsrntatlvrs, rhall br- gin on th8 lrt da7 of Januar followln(l thr Brxt Ooneral Eleotlon at whloh ra 1 d reepeotlvr 8tata and
Dlrtrlot ofiloorr wore rleotod,g
ma offlos or R8llrona Comalodonrr lr an rlootlrr off100 rnd 18 not one of thr offlorr l xo r pted by thm Statr bxprear prorldonr of thlr AOt. Thrrsuml@r your 8uoooaaor 18 authorlrrd to quallf7 for and aa8uma thr dutlor of the of- floe on the Irt bay of JcLnuaq, at whioh tim), of lQU, oourao, 7our right hold the of floe longor would ooa8e.
Seotion SO M ArtlOle Xl’Z COAatitUtiOll Or Tars8 &laratlteOr a 81X-7-l tO= t0 Railroad c~88t.OnOr8. on thr 15th da7 of JanUar7,
:;t&ppesrr that 7ou puallfled ior t ha dx-yrar term to whloh 7ou were alooted at thr ~ar&al rl*otlon of 1934, d
Thua lr posed tha guestIon of shather thsra ia an7 the applIOatIOn Of Art1010 29e9a, aUpra, legal obstaola ti under whloh atatuto your auoce88or ms7 000~~7 tha offior on the 18t da7 of Janu6r7, 1041, revlaw hirtory of the 0rri00 we rhall brlrrl7
Or h3llrCMId cOSId88iOnOr. In 1890 there wa& l do?tod 8rOtlOn t of ArtlOle I of thr Conrtltutlon, whloh raadr;
rRaIlroaUr heretofora OOn8truOtOd or rhloh meiy thla statr ara hereby herBafter be ooaetruotra drOlarad pub110 hIghUa78, and railroad ~oapet~Ie8, The Lb&irbtUrO ehal par8 Lswr to common oarrlers.
ragulato railroad, freight and parrangbr tarlffr,
oornot abu@@n ana prevent un ust dI~orImInation and extortion in tha rater of fro i ght and paraangbr tar- Itfr on tha diffarant railroad8 S thi8 St&o and on- forpI the 8ama bf adopttat ponalt 08) and to tha further f OOOBlpliBhYi6nt ~Of thO8r objrotr and pUrpO808, IM pl-O- all requisite &aana and aganc I vlda and eatabllth Invested with suoh prmerr 68 ma7 ba dseml adequate and adrIaabla,w
706 Honorabla Lon A. Snith, Pee. 5
Furruant tharrto, the E&d Laglrlaturt in 1691 croatad the Railroad CoaIaaIon (Oantral Lawr. Vol. 10. 9. s.ct1on 1 of thr AOt providing 88 r0llowh -B. it enact.4 tb Ls&!i$latulv of th. State c
of Texar: Thet a Ral&otd Cctudbtlon it barab7 parsons to br l oraatbd, to be oompottd of three - the taking pOl(I3t.d latura then in ttatlon be OOVtrlWX, th. of 8oon thla act, or ea tffaot thereafter [08] the Wrarnor ahall, upon iOiiW8t ff the Lag I- fl aa praotlaabl., b7 and with th. adrlo. of thr Ssnat., if th. Ltgirlaturt then be In arsalon appoint aald CoiaEi88IOn.raj but if th. L.glslaturt b. not in #.I)- thr Covomor ahall m&r 8uoh l ppoIntm.nt8, olon, and aoh COmm!a&Io~~r 10 appointad rhall hold hIr orflce. until ttoond Kofor?bay after tba Inauguration of th.
naxt auccaedinC) OovbMor end until hlo appolnt .6 and qu4lIr~ad. 8UOOttding Oo*trnor Xeoh tucott8or
ahall on troond YonCey artar hit ineuPmmtlon, or ba .oon fhartaftar aa praotloabl., appoint ml& taoh hold hla orrice until c0ml88Ionar8, rho ahsll acoon ~onds7 artar th. Inauguration tha next oi euooetdinp, oovtmor and uotll hlr auooe6sot Is ap- pointed anil ~utairiee.~ The fortgolne rm?vIaIons revriaed Ia the rtatutory l tatdas Or Sexa5 iAnti1 1926, attrr W!ii.h ArtiO.1. 6447 read:
*Tim Railroad Cca6leaI~ of Tbxaa shall br com- go864 of three (S) mambtre, on6 of who6 ahall ba aleot.4 bi-mnlall7 attaoh conare election for th. tbn 81x part.*
In tb. 7.8r 1894, hmavar, tharr X88 8dOpt.d 8.0. a0 Article XYI of the Constitution of Tent which tlon mad8 aa r0iim6:
vtr duration or all 02fIcor not tlxml b7 thla Coartltutlon rhell n.vtr txoeed two years; prcvlded, that .whtn a Ballroad Comfssicn la created by law 1 t thall be ooepooed of thra. Comaairsloabre who shell b.
altotad by the people at a Ccmtral election fOC State tens 0rri0b shall be Jx parri orfltxrb, and thblr
707 Ronorabla Len A. Wth, Page 4
provided Railroad CommIarlonera f lrrt tloctod
after da 856ndmant goes Into tffaot rhall hold
orriot $8 one rh.al 1 *aCta two yaert , an4 fOiiOW8: one four part, and one air yeare; thalr ttma to tit&T they l hall hare bt 4aol4td by lot lmmsdlett~y And ona Railroad CosmireIoAer rhll be quel~fl*d. elected every two gear8 tharaortbr; In cost of ta- In aaid 0rri0t 0r tha stbte orno tha Governor fill raid racanoy by appointment until tba next gtn- oral l laotIoA. * to t?Iia OonstitutioAal pmvitlon, John R. Furruant
Reagan, L. L. Storty, und AllieoA ~ie~fleld wera altottd Rall- road Commlsrlonerb et the general alaotlon In 1890. It lr the of riolal recorded t laotion rtglrter that tJllson key- field qualified for tbt orfioa on the 5th bay or Januer7, 1097, and that John 8. lieegen end L. L. ttOT6p ?&alIfIed on the 17th da7 of January, 2837.
Th8 hlrtory of rubaapuBAt qualifioationr for the of- fICe rtrtalt that there haa been no day otrtala upon which the Coptaisdoatrr hart qurlifiad; the dstt har bean terlsblr arter of Smuery, followl~g, the general tleotlca, usually ‘the lrt da Gth, the letrst, agerontly, bel~g upon the 2lst the I about t6y Or &~AUU~J. the tlaa the Iirnt thme elected Comalrrlcnrra At
wtrt tloctad and pualifltd, rtlatlot the rtatutsr were alltat t~aot~rt offiob Railroad Comrdr8ioAtr. There wa6 oal7 Snotlon SC Art1018 TVZ of Cunatltutlon.
Horeowr, Artltlr 1957, 19&B, end 17S9 of the Rtvlaad open- or 1895 (proriding for l laotloa rbtupts, for tht Statuttt ing end oouotIA~ or raturns by th8 sscrctary cf St&t, end ror the d~11vsr7 0r 00rtirioatt6 br altotlon Govamior oA the fortiath dsy after the general eltotioA) did Aot ln- oluet tbe orrloe ol kall.rca& Cosmlarlaner in the enumeration of to which the ttetUtt8 wsra pplloablt. St%te officer .*m P5th &&shturo in 1697 (rrubsequant to taking ofrloe tha Efrat eltotte Rellroad Cozuclselonert) amtn484
Art1018 1957 in0iuet tbo stat8 orriot of Railroad Co5anIeeIoner. *5 Ronorablr Len A. smith, logo 3
m8r4rorr rtth4 in04gtloa or tk4 4104tir4 orri0r thora oxlrtrb only thr provirlon of Rallrosd Conaalrr~mrr in 6eotlon 50 Artlole xvx or the conrtltution thtt th4 ?bt l lOOtOa R8iirOd cOd88iOn8r8 8hOUld h8~8 8tSe68r4d t8l.Q8 O? tUf0, ?GUr, Lti 81X yOPI8, SKld t&t 8Ub88qU8ntly 8hOtOa biirOSb cOIWIhriOZi4r8 8hOUiQ h8V8 t8m8 Of 81X y8W8. Neither COn8titUtiOll nOl- th8 4t8tUt48 8X~UO881y 8ither UhOIl tbe Ori&intIl 8tA688rOd t8WE OO!lUii8lJO4d 64t4tain9d Or WhSn th8 8Ubs4$Uent 01X-y4Sr t8lTl8 W8r8 t0 Cm8n.O..
Th8 SdOptiOil Of ,CtOtIGn 30 C? ;.rtIOl8 =I O? the COnstftUtiOll 8brQc8t86 th8 8p?OilltiV4 COllEfd48100 pZWid4a for by the LlgidetUr8 lE91 pur-S-t to S8OtiOn 2 of Art1014 in I O? th4 COn8titUtiOll. Thi8 n8C46Strily wa8 OG!Uul8umted at th4 n4xt "g4neT4l 8hOti3n ?Or St4te Q??IC8r8", 8W!%8 b41Y.@ th4 Eonnsral 814ctlcn In Novrmber, 1896.
Ill OOll84l-#8nO8 thre8 &?IIlrO8d COloei881On4r4 olrotea rt Eener81 ri4ctlon 1896 oould hrvr thrr8upon Of th8 O??iO88. Ob- 4lld 444UlWd th8 dUti84 qU4lifi4d tar rit?U~~ the COnr;'-881Cn4r8 tier4 LCt 4lltit.146 t0 lOm4r tppOintiV8 hold thbir Office8 buOaus8 they Wre 4~p8rceded Undrr S8OtiOll XVI Of th8 CLnatitUtiOn by th8 el.CtOd OffiOOr8. ‘SO O? Arti To oonsfdsr otherdse would reach a result contrary to Section this by force c? hn act c-f t?.e 22:nyi LoCislature in
&~d
Thr g4n4ral rule oler the UnItod Stat88, prouliarly in thir iE8tanCe, 18 thtt rhtr8 110 tilll8 ?Orthe oppliccble 008c4nOoment O? 8 tars3 O? OfflC8 i@ ?iXsd by th8 Co~8titUtfOn rtatutt, comisanO88 rrm th8 CSt8 0r 4n rleo- lluoh term tioa or rrom the logal 4804rt8lnm4nt or thr rrsult8 0r the 414otion. 22 k* c. L., 6 251; RO A. L. Il. 1290; 46 COr. JUT. 955, 6 104; Whitmy 1. Patriok, 64 iii80. 191, 120 1. I. SUpp.
560.
In ruoh 0888 It slay not be htld thet the term OWI- fiOlIQ48 at th4 t1w O? pU4lifiOetiOn th8 O??ICC. ThI8 ?Or for the obvious roSson tb8t ir it uerb so an orrforr would bo on- 8blod tO.,bnhr$8 upcn the terIQ Of hi8 pr8d8048SOr without re- ducing his own, by term by pOctpOnillp Jowttt v. [508] csoding term. or, 8hOUl r !;oC!cnnoll, 112 irk, 291, 165 6. ex h8 dlent of dolsyi~ b8 hi8 OM in virtue C.U8ii?htiOU his th4 dAt8 Oi tUOO488or, a? preCeco88or*8 hi8 thr ti54 45ler&8 o? hi8 qutiifiCatiOii, UpoIl hi8 iX48at holdI% otor, hi8 8UO- for
G. 954. *6 h&8 b
ROnOr8bl8 LOQ A. bdttt:, 88OtiOIl 19 Of XVI O? C4ll8titUtiOlh 9r~- Art1018 adO8
*Aal Offi44T8 uithia thir 8tet.4 8hal1 4oBtiau4 tbo dutler oi tholr orri044 untli thrlr perform #hall b8 duly qulliflod." euooo88or3 TG the 48P4 OffOOt 18 Arti u Of th8 ROri84d OS Terarr Cl111 Btatuteb
"Z8Oh orricer,whtthor ti4ct8a t~pOint8d urldor th4 law8 O? thifi Stat8 . . . 8b311 kOk3 hi8 Offi
for tbo tern provided by 16~ and until hi8 0UoO488or 18 4140tea or tppointrd and qU8iifi4d. . . .-
Thr conoluslon la reaCh44, thersfore, th8t the.t6mr 0s 0rri04 0s th8 flr8t Willroad cOItiOi8tiOnOr8 rlrotsd purruant t0 SOQtlOn so Of Arti xn Of th4 cOB8titUtiOB’Of POX88 OOIE- m8aood at thr tin8 o? thrlr dOOtiOB, 8nd thir rOg4rdl484 of WhOn tb4y qUdi?iCib $0~ an& 888~tXOd tbo dUti48 Of th4 O??iCI48.
Th4 ti4t three 4iOOtOa COlU6i88iO~Or8 W82'4 @lSX'Wit486 by vT48p40tit4 tOTI Or tW0 iOUr, 8ne 8iX y48r8 88 d46idtd wore gusrante*d tit-yaar terci8. lot; eucc44dlng C~tdsslontr8 It he8 beon ee~t~r46 Supraee Court 0s fern8 that -th4 te&it~tIUO la 'without power to eboli8h OOn8titutional OffiC48, Or t0 8kGrt8n t4A8 Of G??iCO, WhlOh 8~4 riX4d th4 Couell 1. Ayers, 1X T8X. 346. Thsro 14, how- Con8tltutlon." objeOflOn tc a legl8latlr4 regulation 4?8f, no 4On8titUtiOM1 0s th4 oomamraa4mmt 0s tOhb8 0s 0rri04 provided the result 1s t0 8hOrtOlJ 4 4Olr8titUt;Oll81, not tom.
68 boforr aantlimod, 2btb Legie&turo in 1099 amended mtlolr 1969 0s the Rerlsed atatutm Of U95 to :tnoludr th4 0rri04 0s 1~0llroad cormol4sIoner, whorotor on tba fortieth dny after thr goneral eleotlon tha Governor dellverrd orrtltl- eater 0s 414otlon to the nesly deotad Railroad COxnl88lon4r8, 04 ~011 88 to otbrr ofSlcrr8. Tier the dootrlne reoogalt4d in th4 0884$'0? Tom T. ni,pper, 192 s. K. 72). (writ 0s error re- , stezpt f. Tittle, 169 S. 8. 996 (CiV. App.) and Hanil- fU84d) ton v, stst.4, 61 E. x. 219 (GOWt Of CrihLMl. APpOtit), eubar- term8 0s 0rZi04 0s Railr~ab GOXVai48iO?lOr8, tna other ot- quent fiOUr8, o0wn4nced on th4 fortieth day rfter the general oleo- tf58 wbm the el8Ot8d titlorr could qdiry t$bni4ths for
710 Boaorablo Lon A. smith, Pa20 7
It was bold this Mprrtmsnt in en o~lnlon Ld Cd881~0r J. 9. Xslko? UndSr bats Or CSOSPlbOr 1, (Lottsr Opinions, vol. 374, 0. 461) thet thr term o? lea4 ru0h off108 oomunord on Sortleth dry sitor the ~ononl slsotion. Likorlso et to Dlstrlot o? Jan- Judges u&or 68te uary @, 1937 (Lottsr oplnlons, Vol. 374, p. 99s). Esoh o?
these oylnlons was rendered prior to tho eluotmuit of Art.1010 2929s.
The 8ffnOt G? ruklng th0 forty-day provl6lOn sppll- oablo to the off100 0r Asilrocd Comdssloasr we8 IkGt 8 short- the incumbents tholr snlrrg o? tho terms. Rother, it aff6rcod ?til tome en4 t tenure in nxcsss 0r tho term had they qusll- fled when their torn8 oommsncod.
It may bo obserrod thRt 6 -t.zre. c? ofiloo” 1s the tlmo during wblob, b law, BII office may bo held by an olootsd ; 8 *tonur* 0fri08- is tne tlrdo during appoint06 0rrioia wtloh ID. 0frioiai riotuelly ssrfos, Ths tlmo oath loa not oolnoldo . For oraxplo , en offloor map dolay his qurllf f oatlon and thtrobg etortsa in tlrtuo G? tbc Srot tbat tie his tsnurs
-tom had oG=snood et tho time rhon ho 00~16 bars ~uallfled.
Or, an of?loor play qualify &en his term co~onoss end hold over beyond tho oxplratlGn of hlr term until his euccsssor do08 0: amy :uell?y, ln rhioh sxossde his term. osaa MS tonurs The tortia of first three olootod Rall.r~;~tt~;;- tbo e oom~enos4 rt the tins c? tholr 0loctlGn. alrslonorr lng rrom the noted nmsndsnont hrtlols 19b7, Rsrlsod Stat- utes o? 1895, the 25th Lcgiulbturs ln 1897, subsoquont tortis of the offlco oom6enOsd on ?ortloth bay sitor eonera lsotion. fa oonsoqusnos of Art1018 29298, ennoted by the 45th Lo&lslaturs ln 1937, tho tens o? subssquont Rsll- read Commlsslcnors begin on the first day OS Jsnwry foll6wlng tbo general olootlon.
Xn no ooze has tho oonotltutional tone baon r%rten- 06. Tho f eot lr t&o oiflco boeo 0Gaslstontly that bUCO0680XC delayed their tlms o? qusllfloatlon does not gainsay tho oom- osnnot alter menconent’of tholr tome prior thereto. custoai that whloh is, by law, otherwise. you are thorofors, respsot?uZl adrlssd it 1s that
the Gplnion o? this Doprrtment that Art10 f 8 Z929e, suprs, nay be oonstltutlolurlly the otfloo o? Railroad Colsais- applied tc slonor end dstormlws when your wlecoBscr say quality for and
73.l
Bonorabl@ LOII A. aah, page 8
i th8 duti08 0s tb0 0rri08. This is on tbr lrt 4 of
888~ xi ana when such 18 done, wbstbor 00 th 8 Januaw, 1941.
date lstor, your rlgbt hold the o??los longer tbors- upon 08~888.
Yours very truly ATTGRREY GENERAL OF TEXAS \ .
ZCSsBBB
APPROVECDEC
.,.