Only those requestors authorized by law may seek the Attorney General's written advice through a formal opinion.
The Government Code lists the officials authorized to request formal attorney general opinions. The attorney general is prohibited by statute from giving a written opinion to anyone other than an authorized requestor.
Authorized requestors include:
- the governor
- the head of a department of state government
- the head or board of a penal institution
- the head or board of an eleemosynary institution
- the head of a state board
- a regent or trustee of a state educational institution
- a committee of a house of the Texas Legislature
- a county auditor authorized by law
- the chairman of the governing board of a river authority
- a district or county attorney
A person other than an authorized requestor who would like to request an attorney general opinion may ask an authorized requestor to submit the question to the attorney general. The authorized requestor has the discretion to decide whether to ask for an attorney general opinion in any given instance.