Board’s staff subsequently raised questions as to whether the vetoes exceeded
the governor’s authority under the Texas Constitution. In response, the Office
of the Governor provided a detailed brief outlining the constitutionality of
the veto proclamation.
Hegar issued the following
statement:
“I am lapsing the funds for
all items objected to by the Governor and will treat the items in question as
vetoed. However, if advised otherwise, those appropriations can be made
available immediately. As the Chief Financial officer of the state of Texas, it
is my responsibility to account for items of appropriation. There are complex
questions related to the Governor’s vetoes, so I am seeking clarity and
requesting guidance from the Attorney General’s Office. This is a
constitutional issue that goes to the heart of separation of powers within
Texas government. I have a fiduciary duty to Texas taxpayers to ensure their
hard-earned dollars are spent in a manner that is consistent with the
constitution of the state of Texas.â€