Opinion ID: 2310747
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: applicability of foaa

Text: [¶ 12] This case involves the construction of two statutory schemes. Statutory construction is an issue of law; therefore, we review the Superior Court's construction of the statutes de novo. Springfield Terminal Ry. Co. v. Dep't of Transp., 2000 ME 126, ¶ 8, 754 A.2d 353, 356. [¶ 13] The first statutory scheme at issue is FOAA. FOAA mandates a liberal construction to promote its underlying purposes and policies .... 1 M.R.S.A. § 401 (1989). The purpose of FOAA is to open public proceedings and require that public actions and records be available to the public. Id. The burden of proof is on the agency or political subdivision to establish just and proper cause for the denial of a FOAA request. Springfield Terminal, 2000 ME 126, ¶ 9, 754 A.2d at 356; see also 1 M.R.S.A. § 409(1) (1989). [¶ 14] FOAA provides that every person has the right to inspect and copy any public record. 1 M.R.S.A. § 408 (1989). FOAA defines public record as: [A]ny written [or] printed ... matter ... that is in the possession or custody of an agency or public official of this State or any of its political subdivisions, ... and has been received or prepared for use in connection with the transaction of public or governmental business .... Id. § 402(3) (Supp.2000). To determine whether the requested documents are public records we first look to whether HAD #1 is an agency or political subdivision. [7] Because the definitional provisions of FOAA do not explicitly state that hospital districts come within its coverage, we turn to the second statutory scheme at issue in the case, the enabling statute for HAD #1, to glean whether it provides that HAD #1 is an agency or political subdivision. [¶ 15] We have recited at length the authority given to HAD #1 in the enabling legislation. On the basis of the burdens and duties granted to HAD #1 by the Maine Legislature, we conclude that HAD #1 functions as a political subdivision because it has many of the same characteristics of a political subdivision. It is a body politic and a creature of the Legislature. We found the term body politic and corporate to be significant in determining that a transit district is a political subdivision for purposes of the Maine Tort Claims Act. Young v. Greater Portland Transit Dist., 535 A.2d 417, 418 (Me.1987). HAD #1 is charged with carrying out a public purpose, that is, providing for the health care of the inhabitants of the district. It has the power to raise revenue through the issuance of bonds and levying taxes. The towns in the district are responsible for the debts of the district. HAD #1 is governed by a board of directors elected by the qualified voters of the towns in the district. Upon dissolution of the district, its assets revert to the towns. The significant powers and duties granted to HAD #1 by the Legislature are characteristics generally reserved for political subdivisions. [¶ 16] When determining whether an entity is a public agency or body for purposes of public disclosure laws, other jurisdictions have looked to the function that the entity performs. See, e.g., Conn. Humane Soc'y v. Freedom of Info. Comm'n, 218 Conn. 757, 591 A.2d 395, 398 (1991) (holding that humane society is not equivalent of public agency); Mem'l Hosp.-West Volusia, Inc. v. News-Journal Corp., 729 So.2d 373, 380 (Fla.1999) (holding hospital system functioned as public agency); [8] News & Observer Publ'g Co. v. Wake County Hosp. Sys., Inc., 55 N.C.App. 1, 284 S.E.2d 542, 549 (1981) (holding expense and other records of hospital subject to disclosure); [9] Cleveland Newspapers, Inc. v. Bradley County Mem'l Hosp. Bd. of Dirs., 621 S.W.2d 763, 766 (Tenn.Ct.App.1981) (holding payroll records of hospital created by private legislation subject to disclosure). [10] Factors which courts generally consider include: (1) whether the entity is performing a governmental function; (2) whether the funding of the entity is governmental; (3) the extent of governmental involvement or control; and (4) whether the entity was created by private or legislative action. Conn. Humane Soc'y, 591 A.2d at 397. See also Telford v. Thurston County Bd. of Comm'rs, 95 Wash.App. 149, 974 P.2d 886, 893-95 (1999) and cases cited therein. The courts do not require that an entity conform to all factors, but that the factors be considered and weighed. [11] Conn. Humane Soc'y, 591 A.2d at 397; Telford, 974 P.2d at 894. [¶ 17] What the above-cited cases have in common is an inspection of the functions of the entity under examination and a determination of whether, on balance, the entity functions as a public agency. Our review of the functions of HAD #1 convinces us that it functions as a political subdivision. First, it performs what has been viewed as a governmental function, that of providing health care. Second, although tax-generated funds are not currently used to finance the operations of HAD #1, it has issued bonds under its legislative authority, and it has the power to tax. Furthermore, the towns in the district are ultimately responsible for the debts of HAD #1, and its assets will revert to the towns upon dissolution. Third, the control of HAD #1 is in the hands of citizens elected from each town in the district. The number of directors and manner of election is directed by statute. Finally, it was created by the Maine Legislature. Because HAD #1 functions as a political subdivision, we conclude that it meets the definition of political subdivision in FOAA. [¶ 18] Having concluded that HAD #1 is a political subdivision for the purposes of FOAA, we next determine whether the records requested from HAD #1 by the Town come within the definition of public records in section 402(3) of FOAA. Records that are received or prepared for use in connection with the transaction of public or governmental business are public records. 1 M.R.S.A. § 402(3). We conclude that the contract with Quorum is a document connected with public business; the contract relates to the management of a hospital which was constructed and is maintained for the benefit of the public with the use of fund-raising authority granted by the Legislature, which authority is exercised by elected citizens. For the same reason, we conclude that the compensation records of the management employees are records prepared for public business. [¶ 19] Although section 10-A, added to HAD #1's enabling legislation, defines HAD #1's administrative records as public records for purposes of FOAA, we do not rely on it but instead rely upon the general legislation of FOAA. We chose not to rely on section 10-A for two reasons: (1) HAD #1's enabling legislation sufficiently details its governmental functions for us to conclude that it is a political subdivision for purposes of FOAA and that the requested records are public records; and (2) the hospital parties have challenged the constitutionality of section 10-A, and we decline to rule on the constitutionality of an enactment when it is not essential to do so. As a general rule courts should endeavor to resolve the controversies before them without deciding constitutional issues, reaching such an issue only `[if] it is entirely necessary to a decision on the cause in which it is raised.' Osier v. Osier, 410 A.2d 1027, 1029 (Me.1980) (quoting State v. Good, 308 A.2d 576, 579 (1973)). We simply note that section 10-A is not inconsistent with our interpretation of the enabling act as granting sufficient governmental powers on HAD # 1 to classify it as a political subdivision for purposes of FOAA. [12]