Court Opinion

ID: 9755710
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 20:48:12.770743+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:28:10.349548
License: Public Domain

Roberts, J.
concurring. I agree with the court’s conclusion that the provisions of G. L. 1956, §22-2-4, deprive a substantial segment of the people of this state of reasonable equality of representation in the house of representatives. It is my further opinion, however, that the provisions of chap. 2 of title 22, taken as a whole, preclude equality of representation in the house of representatives for another segment of the population, specifically, those who reside in towns that pursuant fo §22-2-2 are restricted to representation therein by a single member. There is nothing in the record certified to this court that warrants a holding that the present classifications of the towns and cities of the state in the apportionment of representation in the house of representatives are either founded in reason or consistent with the right to equality of representation guaranteed by the equal protection clause. The numerous gross disparities in the quantum of representation conferred upon individual citizens that result therefrom, in my opinion, constitute invidious discrimination and render the classifications set out in that statute repugnant to the equal protection clause of the fourteenth amendment to the federal constitution.
The power to apportion the membership of the house of representatives is by the provisions of article XIII of amendments to the constitution of this state textually committed to the general assembly. Article XIII provides for a house of representatives that shall not exceed a membership of one hundred, which shall be apportioned by the legislature on the basis of population, and that each city and town shall be entitled to be represented therein by at *84least one member. Further provision is made therein for the reapportionment of the membership of the house after the taking of any federal census and for the election by districts of the members representing those municipalities which are entitled to be represented by more than one representative. It may be properly noted at this point that the duty thus imposed upon the legislature to reapportion the house is a continuing duty, and when a legislature fails to do so the duty is cast upon the next succeeding legislature. Opinion of the Justices, 148 Me. 404.
It was made clear by the United States Supreme Court in Baker v. Carr, 369 U. S. 186, that a justiciable question is raised when legislation apportioning representation in a state is challenged on the ground that it deprives a citizen of equality of representation in violation of the equal protection clause of the fourteenth amendment to the federal constitution. That court made it equally clear in Scholle v. Hare, 369 U. S. 429, that primarily the duty of hearing and determining these questions rests upon the state courts. I am convinced, however, that because the power to apportion in this state is textually committed by the constitution to the legislature, the power of this court in the matter extends only to' a determination of the constitutionality of apportionment legislation. The courts of this state, in my opinion, are without power, inherent or conferred, to' apportion the house of representatives either directly or indirectly by resort to the equity jurisdiction. I have not been persuaded that the courts of this state possess any power to enjoin the elective process established by the legislature absent some showing of action by an officer or board in excess of the authority conferred by such legislation or of the invalidity of that legislation on constitutional grounds. In the instant action the laws of the state establishing the elective process have not been challenged.
*85When it is found that an apportionment statute is repugnant to the equal protection clause of the federal constitution, the duty to provide for an apportionment that will not be in conflict with the provisions of the fourteenth amendment as the supreme law of the land is cast upon the legislature. See Cooper v. Aaron, 358 TJ. S. 1, This court is not warranted in concluding that this coordinate branch of the state government, having been made aware of the unconstitutionality of the existing apportionment legislation, will not move promptly and effectively to provide for an apportionment that will be consistent with the supreme law of the land.
I am aware of the difficulty involved in the enactment of apportionment legislation pursuant to the provisions of article XIII that will not invade the federally protected right of the individual to equality under law as provided for in the fourteenth amendment to the federal constitution. However difficult this task may be, I cannot agree that at this time we should hold it to be impossible of accomplishment. Therefore, I do not concur in the view of my associates that article XIII necessarily is repugnant to the equal protection clause of the fourteenth amendment. Neither can I subscribe to the proposition clearly implied in the majority opinion that this court properly may anticipate a legislative inability to enact an apportionment statute in compliance with the provisions of article XIII that would not violate the equal protection clause. Whether the elimination of some of the provisions contained in article XIII might serve to make the enactment of apportionment legislation thereunder less difficult is a matter in which this court can properly have no interest, it being, in my opinion, a matter of policy to be determined by the legislative and executive branches of the government.
It is incumbent upon the legislature to enact apportionment legislation that will eliminate the disproportionate *86representation that results from the terms of the instant statute. It is not to be presumed that the legislature will fail to perform its duty in this respect. In such circumstances then this court should exercise an appropriate restraint and refrain from advising the coordinate branches of government as to the method by which they should comply with their duty in the premises. I am of the opinion, however, that we may with propriety direct the attention of the legislature to the concept that the equal protection clause of the federal constitution is concerned with legislative classifications providing for the distribution of benefits and burdens among the people. Where such legislative classifications either arbitrarily or irrationally discriminate between persons of the same circumstances, usually they are held to be violative of the equal protection clause.
Legislative classifications, however, do not necessarily violate the equal protection clause merely because they are in some measure discriminatory. Unless the discrimination is irrational and not reasonably related to the objectives of the state action, the constitutional right to equality under the law is not invaded. In Baker V. Carr, supra, Mr. Justice Douglas in his concurring opinion noted that the weighting of the vote in one district over that in another district may not amount to the invidious discrimination contemplated by the equal protection clause.
The strong implication in Baker v. Carr, supra, is that there must be some reasonable relationship between population and the apportionment of representation if such an apportionment is to escape being labeled as invidiously discriminatory. Whether, in apportioning representation, departures from substantial equality of population as the basis therefor amount to invidious discrimination must be determined in the light of all other existing relevant factors. I am persuaded that the legislature, in apportioning, properly may exercise a reasonably broad discretion to reconcile *87geographical, economic, and social factors with such disparities as to equality of population without such discrimination as may result therefrom necessarily amounting to the constitutionally inhibited invidious discrimination. See Maryland Committee For Fair Representation v. Tawes, 228 Md. 412, 434, 180 A.2d 656, 668, and McGowan v. Maryland, 366 U. S. 420, 426.
Of course, when these classifications impinge upon personal liberties, they will be scrutinized closely to determine the reasonableness of the discrimination therein as affecting the right to equality under law. I do not share in the opinion of the court that the legislature is unable to enact any legislation in this area that would withstand such scrutiny. To so hold is to attribute to this court the possession of clairvoyant powers, with which, of course, it is not endowed. In other words, I cannot agree that this court should now foreclose legislative action pursuant to article XIII of the amendments by anticipating the unconstitutionality of apportionment legislation that has been neither enacted nor proposed.
Stated briefly then, it is my opinion that this court should herein advise the coordinate branches of the state government of the unconstitutionality of the present apportionment of the house of representatives as provided in chap. 2 of title 22 that those branches of the government may with reasonable promptness proceed to provide for substantial equality of representation in the house by enacting appropriate and valid legislation. I am convinced that to such an end the superior court should be directed to presently refrain from declaring any rights under the instant petition but to retain jurisdiction thereof for such period of time as it deems will be sufficient to permit the general assembly next to be elected to consider the problems involved in the enactment of legislation bringing about an apportionment that would be consistent with the equal protection clause.
*88Gallogly, Beals & Tiernan, David F. Sweeney, Robert 0. Tiernan, for petitioners.
J. Joseph Nugent, Attorney General, Corinne P. Grande, Special Counsel, for respondents.
It is my opinion that such a disposition of the matter for the present would enable the legislature to give the problem the dispassionate and impartial consideration it so clearly merits. That such consideration of the problem by the legislature is highly desirable becomes apparent with the realization that the ultimate solution thereof may possibly require an abandonment of the traditional policy of this state to give to each city and town representation in the house by one member thereof at least. A thorough exploration of alternative solutions may well render unnecessary an abandonment of this long-standing political policy conferring overrepresentation upon some of the less populous communities.
However, because four members of the court are in agreement that the cause should be remanded to the superior court for the entry of a decree in accordance with the opinion of the majority, I will concur in that order, albeit reluctantly.