Opinion ID: 1917391
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Components or Systems

Text: With respect to the second element of the express prohibition on municipal ordinances, we are asked to determine the meanings of components and systems in Minn.Stat. § 16B.62, subd. 1. When interpreting a statute, we construe words and phrases according to their plain and ordinary meaning. Am. Family Ins. Group v. Schroedl, 616 N.W.2d 273, 277 (Minn.2000); see also Minn.Stat. § 645.08(1) (2006). Although the statute itself does not define the terms components and systems, the administrative rules incorporate the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, available at www.m-w.com, as the source of ordinarily accepted meanings for undefined terms in the State Building Code. Minn. R. 1300.0070, subp. 1 (2007); see also Minn. R. 1309.0201 (2007) (providing that the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary shall be considered as providing ordinarily accepted meanings for terms in the International Residential Code). According to the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, a component is a constituent part. System, meanwhile, is defined as a regularly interacting or interdependent group of items forming a unified whole, or more specifically, a group of devices or artificial objects or an organization forming a network especially for distributing something or serving a common purpose. Because the administrative rules incorporate the definitions from this source, we apply these definitions in determining the scope of the municipal regulations that are prohibited under the State Building Code.