*1 Eon. E. H. Thornton, Jr.

Chair&+ Approprlatione~Comlttee

House of Repreeentatlvee

Austin, Texas

Dear Sir: opinion No. o-496

Re: H.B. 259 In regard to the suspension of all statutes fixing salaries and the enabling oft the Legislature to set the amounts of such salaries.

Your request for an Opinion, aa to whether or not H.B. 259 effectively suspends all statutes fixing salaries and enables~the Legislature to set all ealarles at amounte which It deems proper regardless of any other ~statutory provlsione, hae been received by this office.

It le the opinion of this Department, after a careful examination of a copy of H.B; 259, that the bill operates to permit the Legislature to fix the salary of all State officers and employees named in the bill wlth.due regard to the exceptions embodied therein, and that other statutes fixing sala- ries are'suspended except where euch statutes are merely repetition of conEti- tutlonal provisions.

YOurs~very truly, BY /8/ Ross Carlton Ross Carlton As+k%nt RC:jm:lm

APPROVED:

Id Gerald c. Mann

AmORNEY GENERALOFTEXAS