Opinion ID: 2601613
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: analysis

Text: Kansas administrative agencies have no common-law powers. Any authority claimed by an agency or board must be conferred in the authorizing statutes either expressly or by clear implication from the express powers granted. See Pork Motel, Corp. v. Kansas Dept. of Health & Environment, 234 Kan. 374, 378, 673 P.2d 1126 (1983). PERB and AAUP both argue PEERA grants the Board the power to impose monetary remedies in conjunction with finding prohibited practice violations. But they concede PEERA does not expressly authorize such awards. Therefore, if PERB is to have such power, it must arise by clear implication from PERB's general statutory charge to effectuate the purposes and provisions of [PEERA], as provided in K.S.A. 75-4323(e)(3). Both PERB and AAUP contend PERB's quasi-judicial functions in prohibited practices complaints necessitate having the power to implement PEERA's purposes and provisions. They make three arguments: (1) PEERA's provisions necessarily require sweeping remedial power; (2) the pre-1986 version of PEERA contained a broad grant of authority that should be read into the statute today; and (3) the implied power to award monetary damages can be derived from provisions in other labor laws.