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The Attorney General is the lawyer for the State of Texas and is charged by the Texas Constitution to defend the laws and the Constitution of the State of Texas, represent the State in litigation and approve public bond issues. As lawyers for the State of Texas, the Attorney General and his staff handle a wide variety of legal matters. Texas statutes contain nearly 2,000 references to the Attorney General. To fulfill the responsibilities set forth in these statutes, the Office of the Attorney General serves as legal counsel to all boards and agencies of state government; issues legal opinions when requested by the Governor, heads of state agencies and other officials and agencies as provided by Texas statutes; sits as an ex-officio member of state committees and commissions; and defends challenges to state laws and suits against both state agencies and individual employees of the State.
The Office of the Attorney General performs a number of services that benefit all citizens of this state, including enforcement of health, safety, and consumer laws and regulations, educational outreach programs and protection of the rights of the elderly and disabled. The Attorney General also is charged with the collection of court-ordered child support and the administration of the Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund.
Although the Attorney General is prohibited from offering legal advice or representing private individuals, he serves and protects the rights of all Texans through the activities of the various divisions of the agency. For example, the Consumer Protection Division protects consumers and the legitimate business community by filing civil lawsuits under the Deceptive Trade Practices Act and other consumer protection and antitrust statutes. The division is best known for its work in traditional areas of consumer protection litigation: enforcing against false, misleading or deceptive advertising and marketing practices. In addition, the division provides consumers with an informal dispute resolution process.
The Elder Law and Public Health Division takes legal action against nursing homes, assisted living facilities, home health care agencies and psychiatric facilities that abuse and neglect residents and patients. The division prosecutes civil cases of Medicaid fraud and abuse. The division also works in cooperation with the Consumer Protection Division to investigate and prosecute those who commit fraud against seniors.
A glance at the Attorney General's website, found at www.oag.state.tx.us, will quickly illustrate the wide array of services offered by the agency to the citizens of Texas with links to information on such topics as child support, consumer protection, crime victims assistance and senior issues.
Please feel free to contact me if I may be of assistance regarding any matter of state government. You can contact me by writing to P.O. Box 2910, Austin, TX 78768-2910 or by e-mailing me at larry.phillips@house.state.tx.us.
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