Title: BRD OF EDUCATION v JUDGE
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 13052
State: Montana
Issuer: Montana Supreme Court
Date: July 3, 1975

No. 13052 I N T H E S U P R E M E C O U R T O F THE STATE O F M O N T A N A 1975 BOARD O F PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE STATE OF MONTANA, P l a i n t i f f , THOMAS L. JUDGE, Governor of the S t a t e of Montana, Defendant. ORIGPNAL PROCEEDING : For P l a i n t i f f : Garlington, Lohn and Robinson, Missoula, Montana Sherman V. Lohn argued, Missoula, Montana For Defendant : Hon. Robert L. Woodahl, Attorney General, Helena, Montana Lon Maxwell, Assistant Attorney General, argued, Helena, Montana Cannon and Garrity, Helena, Montana Donald Garrity argued, Helena, Montana Patrick E. Melby, Helena, Montana Submitted: June 16, 1975 Decided : A L L 8 ez 1975 Filed : AjJL $ ;$I$ M r . J u s t i c e Wesley C a s t l e s delivered t h e Opinion of t h e Court. This is an o r i g i n a l proceeding seeking a declaratory judgment a s t o t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y of an enactment, Chapter 434, of t h e Forty-Fourth Legislative Assembly e f f e c t i v e on J u l y 1, 1975. This Court permitted the f i l i n g of a complaint by t h e Board of Public Education a g a i n s t t h e Governor of t h e S t a t e . An answer was f i l e d , b r i e f s f i l e d , and o r a l argument had. Defendant admitted t h e necessity f o r t h i s o r i g i n a l proceeding, but denied t h e challenged l e g i s l a t i v e a c t was unconstitutional. By t h e complaint and answer, t h r e e i s s u e s a r e presented: (1) D o t h e provisions of Chapter 434, Laws of 1975, which designate t h e S t a t e Board of Education a s t h e S t a t e Board of Vocational Education v i o l a t e t h e provisions of A r t i c l e X , Sec- t i o n 9 , 1972 Montana Constitution? ( 2 ) I f t h e f i r s t i s s u e i s answered i n t h e a f f i r m a t i v e , a r e t h e provisions of Chapter 434, which designate a new execu- t i v e o f f i c e r f o r vocational education, v a l i d and severable from t h e i n v a l i d portions of t h e Act? ( 3 ) I f a l l o r any portion of Chapter 434 i s unconstitu- t i o n a l , is t h e appropriation f o r vocational education contained i n H.B. 286 inoperative? A r t i c l e X , Section 9, 1972 Montana Constitution, e s t a b l i s h e s t h r e e d i s t i n c t boards concerned with state education. The per- t i n e n t provisions are: "(1) There is a s t a t e board of education composed of t h e board of regents of higher education and t h e board of public education. It is responsible f o r long-range planning, and f o r coordinating and evaluating p o l i c i e s and programs f o r t h e s t a t e ' s educational systems. * * * " ( 2 ) (a) The government and c o n t r o l of t h e Montana university system i s vested i n a board of regents of higher education which s h a l l have f u l l power, r e s p o n s i b i l i t y , and a u t h o r i t y t o supervise, coordi- nate, manage and c o n t r o l t h e Montana u n i v e r s i t y system and shall supervise and coordinate other public educational institutions assigned by law. " (3) (a) There is a board of public education to exercise general supervision over the public school system and such other public educational institu- tions as may be assigned by law. Other duties of the board shall be provided by law." Prior to enactment of Chapter 434, the general supervision and control of vocational education was vested in the Board of Public Education under sections 75-5617(1) and 75-7702, R.C.M. 1947. In enacting Chapter 434, the legislature attempted to take this responsibility away from the Board of Public Education by transferring it to the State Board of Education. It accomplished this by designating the State Board of Education, the board estab- lished by Article X, Section 9(1), 1972 Montana Constitution, as the State Board of Vocational Education. (Chap. 434, section 75-7702, R.C.M. 1947) and requiring it to adopt policies: " * * * to effect the orderly development of a system of vocational education that is adaptable to changing needs, controlled to prevent unneces- sary duplication, co-ordinated with federal guide- lines and requirements for vocational education, and funded to ensure growth and quality programming." The law then provides specific areas which such policies must cover, including standards for courses, instructor qualifi- cations, criteria for courses, apportionment of appropriated moneys both state and federal, and authorizes the adoption of any other policies not inconsistent with law and which are deemed necessary for the proper operation of the system. Chapter 434, section Under Chapter 434, the governor is required to appoint from the State Board of Education, designated the Vocational Ed- ucation Board, five persons, three from the Board of Public Edu- cation and two from the Board of Regents, designating this board as an administrative committee, which is to have the responsibility f o r t h e administration of t h e p o l i c i e s adopted. Section 75-7702. This committee is t o s e l e c t an executive o f f i c e r who " * * * s h a l l administer f o r t h e administrative committee a l l state and f e d e r a l laws r e l a t e d t o vocational education.", i n addition t o other prescribed d u t i e s . Section 75-7703, R.C.M. 1947. Chapter 434 a l s o provides f o r t h e assignment of c e r t a i n powers and d u t i e s provided by law t o t h e Board of Vocational Education. Section 75-5617, R.C.M. 1947. I n e f f e c t , Chapter 434 t r a n s f e r s supervision and c o n t r o l of vocational education from t h e p l a i n t i f f here t o t h e S t a t e Board of Education, and from t h a t Board t o an administrative committee and an executive o f f i c e r . Chapter 434, Laws 1975, c o n s i s t s of 17 sections; t h e f i r s t 1 6 amend various e x i s t i n g s t a t u t e s . Section 17 provides a sever- a b i l i t y clause. The 1975 Legislature a l s o enacted House B i l l 286, "AN ACT APPROPRIATING M O N E Y S TO VARIOUS STATE AGENCIES FOR T H E BIENNIUM ENDING JUNE 30, 1977." A s o r i g i n a l l y passed by t h e House of Representatives, House B i l l 286, pp. 16, 17, contained t h e follow- ing appropriations t o t h e Superintendent of Public I n s t r u c t i o n : "From t h e general fund: Five vocational technical c e n t e r s 3,616,319 4,245,790 Vocational secondary & post- secondary education * * * From t h e earmarked revenue fund * * * 02900 Vo-tech c e n t e r s t u i t i o n : ERA 123,585 144,734" This language was deleted from t h e b i l l by t h e Senate Committee on Finance and Claims, which i n s e r t e d t h e following language a t pp. 1 4 , 15 of the enrolled b i l l : " I f House B i l l 566, forty-fourth l e g i s l a t u r e , be- comes law, t h e following funds a r e t r a n s f e r r e d from t h e Superintendent of Public I n s t r u c t i o n ' s o f f i c e t o t h e S t a t e Board of Vocational Education. "STATE BOARD O F VOCATIONAL EDUCATION Educational s e r v i c e s program From t h e general fund 165,805 175,217 From t h e f e d e r a l and p r i v a t e revenue fund vocational education account 360,709 393,671 D i s t r i b u t i o n of public funds program From t h e general fund Five vocational t e c h n i c a l c e n t e r s Vocational secondary and postsecondary education From t h e earmarked revenue fund 02900 Vo-Tech c e n t e r s t u i t i o n ERA 123,585 144,734 . : Total 4,946,248 5,701,827" W e s h a l l not review here t h e general p r i n c i p l e s t o be followed i n considering c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y of an enactment, but w i l l r e f e r t o r e c e n t cases. No11 v. C i t y of Bozeman, Mont . , 534 P.2d 880, 32 St.Rep. 415; S t a t e ex rel. Cashmore v. Anderson, 160 Mont. 175, 500 P.2d 921. W e now t u r n t o t h e h i s t o r y of t h e law which Chapter 434 seeks t o amend. I n t h e 1889 Montana Constitution A r t i c l e X I , Sec. 11, only one board was established t o d e a l with state educational i n s t i - t u t i o n s , it provided: "The general c o n t r o l and supervision of t h e state u n i v e r s i t y and t h e various o t h e r s t a t e educational i n s t i t u t i o n s s h a l l be vested i n a s t a t e board of education, whose powers and d u t i e s s h a l l be prescribed and regulated by law. * * *." P r i o r t o t h e adoption of t h e 1972 Montana Constitution, rhe s t a t e l e g i s l a t u r e vested c o n t r o l and supervision of t h e s t a t e ' s vocational education system i n t h e Board of Education. Section 73-7702, R.C.M. 1947. This then w a s t h e s i t u a t i o n when t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n a l Convention convened--one Board of Education with f u l l respon- s i b i l i t y under t h e Constitution f o r a l l s t a t e educational systems, including vocational education. A r t i c l e X , Section 9, 1972 Montana Constitution, c l e a r l y sets up t h r e e boards: (1) The Board of Regents of higher education, t o super- v i s e t h e Montana u n i v e r s i t y system; with t h e reservation t h a t other d u t i e s could be prescribed by law. ( 2 ) The Board of Public Education, t o exercise general supervision over t h e public school system, with t h e reservation t h a t other d u t i e s could be prescribed by law. ( 3 ) The S t a t e Board of Education, consisting of t h e f i r s t two Boards. The provision c a r e f u l l y d e l i n e a t e s t h a t " I t i s re- sponsible f o r long-range planning, and f o r coordinating and eval- uating p o l i c i e s and programs f o r t h e s t a t e ' s educational systems." The debate on A r t i c l e X , Section 9, i n t h e 1972 Constitu- t i o n a l Convention centered around t h e i s s u e of whether t h e r e should be a s i n g l e board as i n t h e 1889 Constitution, o r two boards, one f o r t h e u n i v e r s i t y system and one f o r t h e public school system. This is c l e a r from a reading of t h e t r a n s c r i p t of proceedings of t h e Constitutional Convention, Vol. 8 , beginning a t page 6266. The concept of two boards prevailed. The t h i r d board, t h e S t a t e Board of Education, made up of t h e other two, was o r i g i n a l l y con- sidered from t h e standpoint of a unified budget and was only t o review matters of mutual i n t e r e s t . Thereafter, t h e language f o r long-range planning, coordinating and evaluating was added. I n considering t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s of t h e t h i r d board, o r t h e S t a t e Board of Education, it was proposed t h a t t h e word "administrations" be i n s e r t e d so t h a t t h e Board would have respon- s i b i l i t y 'for coordinating and evaluating p o l i c i e s , programs and administrations f o r t h e s t a t e ' s educational system." This was s p e c i f i c a l l y r e j e c t e d with t h e f e a r being expressed t h a t such a provision might alloh7 t h e t h i r d board t o override t h e decisions of t h e other two. It was c l e a r l y the i n t e n t of t h e Convention t o maintain a two board system with t h e t h i r d board t o have no executive o r administrative powers o t h e r than those expressed i n planning, coordinating and evaluating. I n t h e convention proceedings, vocational education and vo-tech a r e r e f e r r e d t o many times i n t h e discussion of A r t i c l e X , Section 9. The t e r m s were used interchangeably. The f a c t is, vocational education is included i n t h e curriculum of nearly every high school i n Montana while vo-tech generally r e f e r s t o t h e sep- a r a t e c e n t e r s located i n major Montana communities. There was no question but t h a t it was intended t h a t vocational education was t o be a r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of t h e Board of Public Education. A s an example, i n Volume 8 , p. 6340 of t h e t r a n s c r i p t , t h i s exchange occurs : "DELEGATE DAHOOD: * * * t e l l us under which board-- t h e board of public education o r t h e board of regents--you would place t h e vocational education program of Montana? "DELEGATE CHAMPOUX: The board of public educa- t i o n , * * *". Moreover, t h e r e p o r t of t h e Education and Public Lands Committee ordered f i l e d a t p. 2180, Volume 4 of t h e Transcript of Proceed- ings, contains a t page 30 t h i s explanation: "Under e x i s t i n g l a w , vocational-technical c e n t e r s w i l l remain within t h e public school system and thus under t h e j u r i s d i c t i o n of t h e Board of Public Education. Witnesses from t h e 'Vo-Tech' f i e l d assured t h e Committee t h a t t h i s was t h e i r prefer- ence a t t h e present t i m e . However, t h e language of t h i s s e c t i o n and of t h e new s e c t i o n 1 1 allows s u f f i c i e n t f l e x i b i l i t y so t h a t , should conditions change, these i n s t i t u t i o n s could be accommodated i n t h e system of higher education." The c l e a r contemplation of t h i s r e p o r t i s t h a t t h e respon- s i b i l i t y f o r vocational education could be t r a n s f e r r e d t o t h e Board of Regents from t h e Board of Public Education, but t h e r e is no indication it could be t r a n s f e r r e d t o t h e Board of Education. I t should be noted t h a t i n A r t i c l e X , Section 9(2) ( a ) , t h e framers of t h e 1972 Constitution, a f t e r providing t h a t t h e Board of Regents was t o have general supervision of t h e University system, added t h e s e words: " * * * and s h a l l supervise and coordinate other public educational i n s t i t u t i o n s assigned by law. I' Likewise i n A r t i c l e X , Section 9 ( 3 ) ( a ) , a f t e r providing t h a t t h e Board of Public Education should e x e r c i s e general supervision over t h e public school system, these words were added: " * * * and such other public educational i n s t i - t u t i o n s a s may be assigned by law. Other d u t i e s of t h e board s h a l l be provided by l a w . " It i s obvious t h e framers of t h e Constitution feared a super board and desired t h a t t h e a u t h o r i t y of t h e S t a t e Board of Education be limited t o long-range planning, coordination and evaluation. Now, examining Chapter 434, it is c l e a r t h a t it f l a t l y provides f o r "ADMINISTERING VOCATIONAL EDUCATION" as expressed i n t h e t i t l e of t h e Act. This i s contrary t o t h e expressed w i l l of t h e framers of t h e 1972 Constitution. Chapter 434, Laws of 1975, i s unconstitutional. The second i s s u e i s whether t h e Act is severable. That is, defendant argues t h a t even i f t h e delegation of power t o t h e s t a t e hoard of education and t h e administrative committee i s i n v a l i d , t h e separately operative remainder of t h e Act, p a r t i c u l a r l y Section 2 is severable and thus v a l i d . Defendant urges t h a t i f t h e administrative committee i s i n v a l i d , then t h e power of appoint- ing t h e executive o f f i c e r f o r vocational education would f a l l t o t h e governor under A r t i c l e V I , Section 8, 1972 Montana Consti- t u t i o n , which provides f o r appointment by t h e governor, i f not otherwise provided f o r . Defendant urges t h a t Section 2 of t h e Act ( t h e amendment t o s e c t i o n 75-7703) and such other portions of the Act that relate to the executive off lcer for vocatiorlal education are severable and should be upheld. However, from whdt we have set forth heretofore, it is clear that if the State Board of Education does not have the powers contemplated by the Act, all other provisions are dependent thereon. The Act then must fall. House Bill No. 286 is the general appropriations bill of the legislature for the biennium ending June 30, 1977. Section 12 sets forth the general headings of various departments and the sums appropriated. Under the heading "SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION'S OFFICE" this language appears: "If House Bill 566, forty-fourth legislature, becomes law, the following funds are transferred from the Superintendent of Public Instruction's office to the State Board of Vocational Educa- tion. " "STATE BOARD OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION" [The appropriations are then listed]. It is obvious the funds are appropriated to the Superin- tendent of Public Instruction. The transfer is plainly contingent on the Act, Chapter 434, becoming effective. It has not become effective because of our holding here. Accordingly, the funds are not transferred and remain with the saperintendent's office. To summarize, we hold Chapter 434, Laws of 1975, an un- constlcutional law. The provisions are not severable and the provisions for a new executive officer are invalid. The appro- priation contained in House Bill 286 to the Superintendent of Pub- lic Instruction is operative. This opinion shall constitute a declaratory judgment. .Chief Justice ! Justice Y