Meaning of "ex officio"

MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE The following document is provided by the LAW AND LEGISLATIVE DIGITAL LIBRARY at the Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library http://legislature.maine.gov/lawlib Reproduced from scanned originals with text recognition applied (searchable text may contain some errors and/or omissions) l<. IC'fL\Jl!) S. CCJHES ATTORNEY GENERAL Bill Brown STATE OF ~I.-\INE DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AUGUSTA, 1'.!AINE 0-'1333 April 18, 1979 State Government Corru:nittee State House Augusta, Maine Dear Bill: STEPHEN L. DI.-\MO:S.[1 Jo.1N S. GLEA'.iON JOHN i\'1. R. PATERSOS Rnr.irnT J. STOL! DEPUTY ATTORNEYS GEtlERAL Enclosed is an opinion of the office which I believe answers your question as to the meaning of "ex officio. 11 As to your second inquiry - ·whether incl us ion o.E the State Treasurer on the Board of an Authority would make the State liable for the indebtedness of the Authority it is my opinion that the mere fact of the Treasurer's E1.embership would not suffice to create such liability. Generally speaking, both the relev~ht statutes and the bonds expressly recite the liability or nbnliability of the State, and in my view, those recitations would be controlling. · Please let me know if I may be of any further service. SLD/ec Enc. Sincerely, STEPHEN L. DIAMOND Deputy Attorney General Walter George p -'..J. ,.. <,_, • Steele., Jr. West, Deputy I J •.J February 16, 1965 Maine Milk Commission Attorney General Reference is made to your memo of February 12th expressing concern as to ·whether or not the me officio member of the Maine Milk Commission, who is the Commissioner of Agriculture., may vote and may be Chairman of the Commission. The Milk Commission Law., Title 7, section 2952., pro- vides, "The Cormnissioner of Agriculture shall be ex officio a member of said Commission." Ex officio means, 11by virtue of officc. 11 Thus., the above-quoted sentence really means that the Commissioner of AgriculturG by virtue of his office is a member of the Commission. He is ns much a member of the Commission as any 0£ the other six persons appoin"i.:ed by the Gov,:rnor. As a mernber of the Commission he 11as the right and duty to vote on any and all questions. He may also serve as Chairman if elected by a raa.jority of the mern.bers. GC'W:H cc: Maynard Dolloff George C .. West Deputy Attorney General