Title: STATE EX REL SAMMONS TRUCKING IN
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 12194
State: Montana
Issuer: Montana Supreme Court
Date: January 3, 1972

No. 12194 I N T H E S U P R E M E COURT O F THE STATE O F MONTANA T H E STATE O F MONTANA, ex r e l , S A M M O N S TRUCKING INC., a Montana Corporation; NORTHERN TANK LINE, a Montana Corporation; and GREYHOUND LINES, INC, , a California Corporation, Relators, L O U BOEDECKER, A L F R E D C , L A N G L E Y and ERNEST C , STEEL, As Members of and comprising the BOARD O F RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS and Ex-Officio PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION of the S t a t e of Montana, Respondents. ORIGINAL PROCEEDING : Counsel of Record : For Relators : Risken and Scribner, Helena, Montana. A. W. Scribner argued, Helena, Montana. For Respondents : Hon. Robert L. Woodahl, Attorney General, Helena, Montana. William E. 0 ' ~ e a r y and David L. Astle, Helena, Montana. William E. 0 ' ~ e a r y argued, Helena, Montana. Submitted: December 21, 1971 PER CURIAM: This is an o r i g i n a l proceeding brought a s a c l a s s action by common c a r r i e r s operating motor vehicles engaged i n i n t e r - s t a t e commerce and using Montana highways. Applicants seek a declaratory judgment and w r i t of mandate adjudging invalid cer- t a i n s t a t e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n , r e g i s t r a t i o n and licensing procedures as imposed upon such vehicles t o t h e extent t h a t such s t a t e re- quirements impose g r e a t e r and conflicting requirements than those imposed by federal law; and mandating t h e s t a t e according- l y * Oral argument was had following t h e f i l i n g of t h i s appli- cation. Respondents appeared through counsel f o r the Public Ser- vice Commission, who appeared likewise f o r t h e attorney general. Following o r a l argument respondents ' counsel indicated he would f i l e an answer admitting t h e f a c t s of t h e p e t i t i o n which has now been done. A l l p a r t i e s submitted the matter t o the Court f o r de- c i s i o n on t h i s basts. From the undisputed f a c t s it appears t h a t i n past years the Public Service Commission has registered motor c a r r i e r s i n i n t e r s t a t e commerce under t h e provisions of section 8-123, R.C.M. 1947, and has further required the r e g i s t r a t i o n and indentifica- t i o n of each vehicle s o engaged on o r before July 1st of each year; t h e issuance of metallic license p l a t e s carrying a d i f f e r - ent i d e n t i f i c a t i o n number valid u n t i l July 1 s t of t h e succeeding year; and has imposed a s a condition t o t h e issuance of such p l a t e and i d e n t i f i c a t i o n a t e n d o l l a r ($10.00) license f e e prescribed -2- by section 8-116, R . C . M . 1947. In 1965 the United States Congress enacted Public Law 89-170, imposing upon the Interstate Commerce Commission the duty of promulgating uniform standards for the registration and identification of interstate motor vehicles, applicable to all of the states of United States and to become effective five years from the date of such promulgation. This legisla- tion expressly declared : 11 To the extent that any state requirements for registration of motor carrier certificates or permits issued by the Commission impose ob- ligations which are in excess of the standards or amendments thereto promulgated under this paragraph, such excessive requirements shall on the effective date of such standards, constitute an undue burden on interstate commerce. I t Acting pursuant to this authority the Interstate Commerce Commission has promulgated such standards applicable to the vari- ous states of United States. These became effective December 14, 1971, and provide for registration of each vehicle and is- suance of identification stamps on or before January 31st of each calendar year. Such regulations further provide that the fee charged by the respective states for such registration and identification shall not exceed five dollars ($5.00) for each vehicle. The Public Service Commission intends to proceed under the provisions of state law rather than federal law,unless other- wise directed by this Court. The underlying issue here involved is whether the state statutes or the federal legislation and reg- ulations of the Interstate Commerce Commission control. -3- W e hold the federal s t a t u t e and regulations promulgated by t h e I n t e r s t a t e Commerce Commission i n connection therewith t o be controlling over contrary provisions of s t a t e law. The s t a t e law regulating i d e n t i f i c a t i o n , r e g i s t r a t i o n and licensing procedures and fees of motor vehicles operated i n by common c a r r i e r s i s contained/chapter 184, Laws of 1931. This s t a t u t e has not been amended since i t s o r i g i n a l enactment. In 1947 t h e United States Supreme Court held t h a t the t e n d o l l a r ($10.00) license f e e required f o r such vehicles f o r use of t h e Montana highways was valid and did not c o n s t i t u t e an undue bur- den on i n t e r s t a t e commerce. Rwy. Com. v. Aero Mayflower Tran., 119 Mont. 118, 172 P.2d 452. Public Law 89-170 was enacted by t h e United States Congress i n 1965 and regulations i n conformity therewith have been prom- ulgated by t h e I n t e r s t a t e Commerce Commission. These necessitate an e n t i r e revision of the procedures provided by s t a t e law. Pub- l i c Law 89-170 makes it unmistakably c l e a r t h a t a l l s t a t e s must follow these provisions a f t e r the e f f e c t i v e date, notwithstand- ing s t a t e laws o r regulations t o the contrary. This a c t express- l y provides t h a t s t a t e requirements s h a l l not c o n s t i t u t e an undue burden on i n t e r s t a t e commerce i f they a r e accomplished i n accor- dance with t h e standards which have been promulgated by t h e I n t e r - s t a t e Commerce Commission. It a l s o expressly provides t h a t t o t h e extent s t a t e requirements pose g r e a t e r obligations, they s h a l l c o n s t i t u t e an undue burden on i n t e r s t a t e commerce. By enacting t h i s l e g i s l a t i o n Congress has pre-empted t h e f i e l d of s t a t e regulation and i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of i n t e r s t a t e motor -4- vehicles using Montana highways. The laws and regulations of the United States supersede the s t a t u t e s of the s t a t e of Montana on the same subject t o the extent t h a t they are i n c o n f l i c t therewith and impose upon the Public Service Commission the duty t o carry out such provisions by r e g i s t r a t i o n and i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of i n t e r s t a t e motor vehicles operated by common c a r r i e r s using the highways of Montana i n the manner prescribed by the federal s t a t u t e s and regulations on o r before January 31, 1972. Where a s t a t e s t a t u t e and a federal s t a t u t e operate upon the same sub- j e c t matter and prescribe d i f f e r e n t r u l e s concerning it, and the federal s t a t u t e is one within the competency of Congress t o enact, the s t a t e s t a t u t e must give away. I n t e r s t a t e Commerce Commission v. Detroit G. H. & M. R. Company, 167 U.S. 633, 42 L.Ed. 306, 17 S.Ct. 986; Cincinnati, N. 0. & T. P. R. Co. v. I n t e r s t a t e Commerce / F Commission, 162 U.S. 934; The United S t a t e s Supreme Court has di- r e c t l y held t h a t i f a congressional enactment occupies the f i e l d , it supersedes o r pre-empts s t a t e law. United A . A . & A . I. W. v. //f. : : Wisconsin Emp. Rel. Bd., 351 U.S. 226, 100 L.Ed. 1-163, 76 S.Ct. Congress has the power t o a c t and t o declare what consti- t u t e s an undue burden on i n t e r s t a t e commerce. Southern Pacific Co. v. Arizona, 325 U.S. 761, 89 L.Ed 1915, 65 S.Ct. 1515 puts i t i n t h i s language: "congress has undoubted power t o redefine the d i s t r i b u t i o n of power over i n t e r s t a t e commerce. It may e i t h e r permit the s t a t e s t o regulate the commerce i n a manner which would otherwise not be permissible * * * o r exclude s t a t e regula- t i o n even of matters of peculiarly l o c a l concern which nevertheless a f f e c t the i n t e r s t a t e commerce The matter i s a p t l y put i n 15 C.J.S. Commerce $15, p. 420: "In accordance with t h e view t h a t the regulation of commerce is exclusively within the power of Congress, i f and when it chooses t o a c t , * 9~ * where Congress regulates commerce by enacting a s t a t u t e , within i t s competency, t h a t covers the same subject matter a s , o r is i n d i r e c t c o n f l i c t with, a s t a t e s t a t u t e , the exercised power of Congress is not only supreme and paramount but a l s o exclusive, superseding t h e s t a t e law and ex- cluding additional o r further regulation covering the same subject by the s t a t e legislature. This is t r u e regardless of t h e authority under which t h e s t a t e may have acted, such a s under i t s police power. The same r e s u l t follows from t h e regula- t i o n of an agency o r instrumentality of commerce by federal commissions o r agencies, such as t h e i n t e r s t a t e commerce commission, o r by the secre- t a r y of commerce by v i r t u e of power properly dele- gated by Congress. 11 Accordingly we declare t h a t the provisions of Public I a w 89-170 and p a r t 1023 of T i t l e 49 of t h e Code of Federal Regulations a r e applicable t o the r e g i s t r a t i o n and i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of motor ve- h i c l e s i n i n t e r s t a t e commerce using the highways of t h e s t a t e of Montana, and t h a t t o t h e extent t h a t Montana s t a t u t e s impose great- e r and conflicting requirements, they c o n s t i t u t e an undue burden on i n t e r s t a t e commerce and must give way t o t h e federal law. W e spe- c i f i c a l l y hold t h a t ~ o n t a n a ' s previous licensing procedures includ- ing t h e imposition of the ten d o l l a r ($10.00) f e e imposed by sec- t i o n 8-116, R.C.M. 1947, a r e expressly i n c o n f l i c t with federal law and t h e s t a t e may impose a f e e no g r e a t e r than f i v e d o l l a r s ($5.00) per vehicle f o r such purpose i n accordance with federal regulations. Let aperemptory w r i t of mandate issue accordingly.