Title: In Re Request of the Governor for an Opinion of the Justices

State: delaware

Issuer: Delaware Supreme Court

Document:

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE

IN RE REQUEST OF THE )
GOVERNOR FOR AN OPINION __ ) No. 320, 2010
OF THE JUSTICES )

Submitted: May 28, 2010
Decided: July 9, 2010

Before STEELE, Chief Justice, HOLLAND, BERGER, JACOBS, and
RIDGELY, Justices.

 

Question Answered: AFFIRMATIVE

 

William J. Wade, Gregory P. Williams, Todd A. Coomes, and Elizabeth R
He, Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A., Wilmington, Delaware for a Negative
Response.

Lawrence W. Lewis, State Solicitor, Judy Oken Hodas, and Thomas E.
Brown, Department of Justice, Wilmington, Delaware for an Affirmative
Response,
To The Honorable Jack Markell, Governor of the State of Delaware:

We respond to your May 28, 2010 letter requesting our opinions whether

 

you may serve on the National Assessment Governing Board without effectively
resigning the office of Governor of the State of Delaware, under Article III,

Section 11 of the Delaware Constitution of 1897, which proscribes your accepting

 

an “office under the United States."' ‘The Federal Secretary of Education has

appointed you to the Governing Board, which advises the Federal Commi

 

er

of Education Statistics on procedures to collect and disseminate national academic

 

performance data, Because the President did not nominate you for a position
requiring the United States Senate’s advice and consent, and the Governing
Board's function is to provide advice independently from the Education Secretary,
‘we answer in the affirmative
ORIGIN OF THE QUESTION
‘The Education Secretary appointed you to the Governing Board and, driven

by your desire to accept the appointment, you requested our opinions on whether

" We have recharacterized the advocates’ position and restated your original question, which
read

Is service on the National Assessment Governing Board the acceptance of
aan “office under the United States” under Anicle Ill, Section 11 of the
Delaware Constitution of 1897 and, if s0, would my service on the
Governing Board operate as a resignation of my service in the office of
Governor of the Stale of Delaware?

 
the Delaware Constitution mandates that you would effectively resign your

position as Governor by serving on the Governing Board.” Following receipt of

 

your letter, we requested opening and answering briefs from the State Solicitor's
office, which has advocated for an affirmative response; and from William Wade
of the Richards, Layton & Finger law firm, which has advocated for a negative
response.’ We appreciate Mr. Wade, as well as his colleagues Gregory Williams,
‘Todd Coomes, and Elizabeth He, for their timely and helpful service pro bono
publico.

The Governing Board advises the Statistics Commissioner on the guidelines
for carrying out the National Assessment of Educational Progress.’ The Governing,

Board must select subject areas, determine achievement levels and objectives,

 

 

design the National Assessment methodology and review process of the National

Assessment, and develop standards for regional comparisons and guidelines for

disseminating results.’ The Governing Board also reviews complaints with the

? Letter fom the Governor to the Justices, dated May 28, 2010, at 1-2. “Given my interest in
‘ensuring that our students have access to a quality education, I would like to accept Secretary
Duncan's invitation.”

10 Del. C. § 141(b). “The Justices of the Supreme Court may appoint 1 or more members of
the Delaware Bar, duly qualified to practice before said Court, for the purpose of briefing or
arguing the legal issues submitted by the Governor or General Assembly.” We characterize
‘counsels’ respective positions based on our restated question.

* 20 USC §§ 9621-9622.

5 20USC § 9621(eX1).
Statistics Commissioner, and forwards meritorious complaints to the Education
Secretary for reporting to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce,
and to the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and

Pensions.®

 

‘The Education Secretary must appoint a diverse, statutorily defined group of

practitioners and interested persons to the Governing Board.’ Governing Board
members serve staggered terms of no more than four years,* and act independently
from the Education Secretary.” Governing Board members must take an oath of

office, and may receive a $100 daily stipend and travel expense reimbursement.”

© 20 USC § 9622(012).

7 20 USC § 9621(b\1). The Governing Board shall consist of two current or former governors
from different politcal parties, two state legislators from different politcal parties, two chief
state school officers, one local educational superintendent, one state board of education member,
‘one local board of education member, three classroom teachers from the grades thatthe National
“Assessment surveys, one business or industry representative, two curriculum specialist, three
testing and measurement experts, one nonpublic school administrator or policymaker, one
clementary and one secondary schoo! principal, two parents who are not employed by a state or
Federal educational agency, and two members of the general public who are not employed by a
state or Federal educational agency.

* 20 USC § 9621(6X(1),

° 20 USC § 9621(A(1). “In the exercise of its responsibilities, the Assessment Board shall be
independent of the Secretary and the other offices and officers of the Department.”

 

"© The oath reads, “I, Jack Markell, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that | will support and defend
the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear
‘rue faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental
reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the
office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.” In your letter, you have offered to forego
the stipend and travel reimbursement if that affects our Constitutional analysis.

 
The National Assessment, essentially the nation’s educational report card,
seeks to collect and disseminate unbiased, educational data to support

policymakers, educators, and the media.'' Students, local agencies, and states

 

participate voluntarily, except in biennial fourth and eighth grade reading and
mathematics assessment for which the Education Secretary shall enter into an
agreement with each state that receives Title I funds."
AUTHORITY AND REVIEW
We have discretion ~ that we have chosen to exercise ~ to jointly or
separately advise the Governor or either House of the General Assembly on

constitutional or statutory interpretations required to discharge their duties."

Because the Justices’ opinions arise under statutory authority, without any case ot

   

controversy, they do not bind future litigation."* In formulating our oj

 

review your letter, counsel’s briefs, and our own research without limitation.
OPINION

You have submitted your request for the Justices’ opinions because the

Delaware Constitution, Article Ill, Section 11, prevents the Governor from also

8 20 USC § 9622(by; National Assessment Governing Board — Who We Are ~ Overview,
hutp://wwww.nagh.org/whno-we-are/overview hum.

" 20 USC §§ 631 1(6}2), 9622(d).

"10 Del. C. § 141; 29 Del. C.§ 2102. In re Opinion of the Justices, 722. A.2d 307, 309 (Del.
1998) (citing Stare ex, rel. Biggs v. Corley, 172 A. 415, 419 (Del. 1934).

1998 Opinion, 722 A.2d at 309 (citing In re Opinion of the Justices, 413 A.2d 1245 (1980))
holding “an office of the United States.”'* That service would operate to

 

effectively resign your governorship.'* We must consider whether, by advising on
procedures to assemble and disseminate the National Assessment, the Governing
Board constitutes “an office of the United States.” We focus primarily on whether,
in holding both positions, you might face a conflict in exercising Delaware and the
United States sovereign authorities.'”

In earlier opinions, we identified several factors to determine whether
service in state positions would unconstitutionally overlap with another state

Sit

 

position." ily, we have relied on Federal law to determine whether a

Federal position constitutes a Federal “office.” In our 1994 Opinion, we held that
the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) Board of Directors does not
constitute a Federal office. The authorizing statute expressly states that Amtrak is

not “an agency, instrumentality, authority, entity, or establishment of the United

Inve: Opinion ofthe Justices, 647 A.24 1103, 1108 (Del. 1994).
"1d a 1108.

7 See 1994 Opinion, 647 A.2d at 1107 (discussing Delaware's concem with conflict between
authority under the 1792 Delaware Constitution and the 1787 United States Constitution.

"* See, eg. Biggs, 172 A. at 419 (holding that a Fish and Game Commissioner position
‘constituled an office); 1998 Opinion, 722 A.2d at 311 (holding that a State Trooper position
‘constituted an office); In re Opinion of the Justices, 672 A.2d 4, 7 (Del. 1995) (citing In re
Opinion of the Justices, 245 A2d 172, 174 n.2 (Del. 1968) (holding that board or commission
positions appointed pursuant to 23 of 24 Del. C. constituted offices).
States Government.”"” Rather, as the United States Supreme Court held, Amtrak is
a “nongovernmental corporation.”””

In Biggs v. Corley, we identified five factors indicating that a public
employment/service is a public “office:” 1) the exercise of some portion of the
State's (or other government entity's) sovereign power;"' 2) tenure in office; 3)
Fees and emoluments; 4) oaths in office; and 5) the powers and duties of
position.”? The list is non-exclusive, and is a guideline for judicial analysis.”> Both
sides agree that factors two through five are present, and that the determination of
whether the position requires the exercise of sovereign power is determinative in
this case,

‘Nevertheless, we continue our past practice of analyzing the status of
Federal positions under Federal law. This practice appropriately defers to the

United States, when determining which positions can and will exercise Federal

as

 

541

National RR Passenger Corp. v. Atchison. Topeka & Santa Fe Ry. Co., 470 US 451, 470
(1985). Counsel for the affirmative note that the Justices looked to Federal statutes to determine
‘whether membership on Amtrak's board constituted an “office.” As stated above, Amtrak is a
private, for-profit company and the Federal statute at issue specifically provided that Amtrak is
hot “an agency, instrumentality, authority, or entity, or establishment of the United States
Government.” Accordingly, the facts ofthis case are distinguishable.

 

 

 

 

® Among the factors, this one is the most important, and must be present in an “oflie.” Jn re:
Request of the governor for an Advisory Opinion, 722 A2d 307, 311 (Del. 1998) ¢*/998
Opinion”).

® Biggs». Corley, 172 A. 415,419 (Del. 1934); see also 1998 Opinion, 722 A:2dat 311.

® 1998 Opinion, 7228.24 at 311
sovereign power, Congress and the United States Supreme Court are best

 

positioned to empower and delimit Federal sovereignty and employment.
Likewise, we would expect similar deference, and rely on our opinions and the
General Assembly's official actions regarding Delaware state employees’ duties
and authority.

‘The United States Supreme Court has described positions in the Federal
Government in terms of (1) principal and (2) inferior offices, which exercise
Federal sovereignty, and (3) employment, which does not exercise Federal
sovereignty." The President nominates, and the Senate provides advice and
consent, when filling a principal office.”* Department heads may appoint, and
must supervise, inferior offices.”

‘The President did not nominate, and the Senate will not provide advice and
consent to confirm you, before you join the Goveming Board. ‘The Education
Secretary appointed you to the Governing Board, but cannot supervise the
Governing Board.”” The Governing Board, therefore, falls outside of the United

* Morrison v. Olson, 487 US 654, 671 (1988) (discussing the Appointments Clause, U.S. Const
art TI, $2, .2).

id

* Edmund v. U.S., 520 US 651, 663 (1997) (stating that “inferior officers” are officers whose
work is directed and supervised at some level by others who were appointed by President
nomination with the advice and consent of the Senate”)

129

 

§ 9621001).
States Supreme Court's description of a principal or inferior office. Governing
Board positions would therefore constitute mere “employment” within the Federal
government.

‘Turning to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, we find that the Governing,

Board meets the definition of an “advisory committee.”"" Under FACA, an

 

“advisory committee” is any “committee, board, commission, council, conference,
panel, task force, or other similar group, ... which is ... utilized by one or more

ing advice or recommendations.” Congress

 

agencies, in the interest of obt
requires and limits the Governing Board to advise the Statistics Commissioner on
executing the National Assessment. We agree with the Ohio Supreme Court's
pronouncement that a state commission created to “find[] facts, assist[} in the
formulation of plans and the making of recommendations . . . cannot be said to
constitute the exercise of sovereign powers.”" As an advisory committee, the
Governing Board does not ~ and statutorily cannot ~ exercise Federal sovereign
power. Therefore, your acceptance of the appointment to the National Assessment
Governing Board will not operate as a resignation of your service in the Office of

Governor of the State of Delaware.

5

 

1C app. (2001).
® S USC app. 32X¢) 2001),

» Suate ex rel. Herbert v. Ferguson, 52 N.E.24 980, 983 (Ohio 1944),
‘The foregoing represents the Justices’ unanimous response to your question

in the affirmative.

Respectfully submitted,

Pacer ern ne - .
Chief Justice Myron T. Steele

llontt Pile Lack
Justice Randy J. Holland
ini stl ‘erg

BQneoba

tice Jack B

OLLI

Justice Henry duPont Ridgely