Opinion ID: 1794181
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Heading: Construction of Section 232.52(2)(e)(3).

Text: In considering statutory language, we adhere to established standards for the construction of statutes. See Iowa Code ch. 4. If a statute is ambiguous we may look to the legislative history, the object to be accomplished, the evils to be remedied, and the purpose for which the statute was enacted. Id. § 4.6(1)-(3); Shidler v. All American Life & Fin. Corp., 298 N.W.2d 318, 321 (Iowa 1980). Under Iowa Code section 232.52(2)(e), the legislature clearly restricted the court's authority to place only certain children at the state training school. It appears the legislature's purpose was to restrict the population of the school, both for its own sake, and as part of an effort to emphasize community-based placements in juvenile court dispositions. See 1990 Iowa Acts ch. 1239 §§ 7, 21, 22. We must place a reasonable construction on the statute which will best effect the purpose of the statute, rather than one which will defeat it. Sullins, 509 N.W.2d at 485. The statute should not be construed so as to make any part of it superfluous unless no other construction is reasonably possible. Iowa Auto Dealers Ass'n v. Iowa Dep't of Revenue, 301 N.W.2d 760, 765 (Iowa 1981). We will presume the legislature enacted each part of the statute for a purpose and intended that each part be given effect. Iowa Code § 4.4(2); Iowa Dep't of Transp. v. Nebraska-Iowa Supply Co., 272 N.W.2d 6, 11 (Iowa 1978). We will not presume that the legislature intended words in the statute be given a redundant meaning. Sullins, 509 N.W.2d at 485. Finally, we may consider the administrative construction of the statute. Iowa Code § 4.6(6). The training school superintendent testified that section 232.52(2)(e)(3) had been construed and consistently applied to require more than one finding of a delinquent act. We agree with this construction. Dispositional hearings are held following the entry of an order of adjudication. Id. § 232.50(1). The adjudication order is entered by the court following a finding that the child has committed a delinquent act. Id. § 232.47(10). If only one finding of the commission of a delinquent act is required, the statutory criterion would be pointless and superfluous. We construe section 232.52(2)(e)(3) to require a finding that the child has been found to have committed two or more delinquent acts. REVERSED.