Court Opinion

ID: 9544488
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 16:56:10.66477+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:13:05.856802
License: Public Domain

NIX, Chief Justice,
concurring.
The appellant, the court below and my brethren on this Court have focused upon the constitutionality of the “warrantless search provisions” provided for in the Enforcement and Remedies sections of Article VI of the Solid Waste Management Act, Act of July 7, 1980, P.L. 380, No. 97, 35 P.S. §§ 6018.601-6018.617 (Supp.1986). Yet nowhere in *208those sections is there an express grant of a warrantless right of entry. Thus the constitutional issue arises from a statutory interpretation and not from the express dictates of the General Assembly.
It should not be necessary to remind the members of this Court that it is a cardinal rule of statutory construction that it be assumed that the legislature did not intend to violate the Constitutions of the United States and of this Commonwealth. 1 Pa C.S. § 1922(3); Consumer Party of Pennsylvania v. Commonwealth, 510 Pa. 158, 507 A.2d 323 (1986); Hospital Utilization Project v. Commonwealth, 507 Pa. 1, 487 A.2d 1306 (1985); Krenzelak v. Krenzelak, 503 Pa. 373, 469 A.2d 987 (1983); Wajert v. State Ethic Commission, 491 Pa. 255, 420 A.2d 439 (1980); Triumph Hosiery Mills v. Commonwealth, 469 Pa. 92, 364 A.2d 919 (1976); Devlin v. Osser, 434 Pa. 408, 254 A.2d 303 (1969); Philadelphia v. Depuy, 431 Pa. 276, 244 A.2d 741 (1968); Bentman v. Seventh Ward Democratic Committee, 421 Pa. 188, 218 A.2d 261 (1966); Milk Control Commission v. Battista, 413 Pa. 652, 198 A.2d 840 (1964); Commonwealth v. McCoy, 405 Pa. 23, 172 A.2d 795 (1961); Baker v. Retirement Board of Allegheny County, 374 Pa. 165, 97 A.2d 231 (1953); Spigelmire v. North Braddock School District, 352 Pa. 504, 43 A.2d 229 (1945), This is particularly true where one must strain to reach the unconstitutional meaning, Consumer Party of Pennsylvania v. Commonwealth, supra; Philadelphia Housing Authority v. Commonwealth, Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board, 508 Pa. 576, 499 A.2d 294 (1985); Commonwealth v. Stanley, 498 Pa. 326, 446 A.2d 583 (1982); Commonwealth v. College, 497 Pa. 71, 439 A.2d 107 (1981); In Re: Estate of Baker, 496 Pa. 577, 437 A.2d 1191 (1981); Commonwealth v. Mumma, 489 Pa. 547, 414 A.2d 1026 (1980); Stegmaier Estate, 424 Pa. 4, 225 A.2d 566 (1967); Davis v. Sulcowe, 416 Pa. 138, 205 A.2d 89 (1964), which in my judgment is the case here.
Section 608(3), the subsection said to authorize a “warrantless entry,” simply provides that the Department and its agents and employees shall:
*209(3) Enter any building, property, premises or place where solid waste is generated, stored, processed, treated or disposed of for the purposes of making such investigation or inspection as may be necessary to ascertain the compliance or noncompliance by any person or municipality with the provisions of this act and the rules or regulations promulgated hereunder. In connection with such inspection or investigation, samples may be taken of any solid, semisolid, liquid or contained gaseous material for analysis. If any analysis is made of such samples, a copy of the results of the analysis shall be furnished within five business days to the person having apparent authority over the building, property, premises or place.
35 P.S. § 6018.608(3) (Supp.1986).
This subsection merely defines the Department’s obligations to perform on-site investigations and inspections. It does not authorize any entry that would be violative of existing law. This is clearly evident because the very next paragraph, section 609, provides for an administrative search warrant,1 which clearly would satisfy constitutional standards, for the carrying out of the responsibilities imposed under subsection 608(3). The obvious question that is raised by an interpretation that would read section 608(3) as providing a blanket authority for warrantless investigations *210and inspections is what then would be the need for section 609.
It is also argued that subsection 610(7) is conclusive proof that subsection 608(3) was intended to authorize a warrant-less entry. Section 610(7) provides:
It shall be unlawful for any person or municipality to:
(7) Refuse, hinder, obstruct, delay, or threaten any agent or employee of the department in the course of performance of any duty under this act, including, but not limited to entry and inspection under any circumstances.
35 P.S. § 6018.610(7) (Supp.1986).
To argue that this provision embraces any entry, whether lawful or not, would again violate fundamental concepts of statutory construction. The obvious meaning of the use of the word “entry” in the last clause of the above quoted subsection is an “entry” permitted under the provisions of the Act. That would therefore require the entry to be either consented to by the landowner or pursuant to a warrant secured under section 609.
I therefore agree with appellee that subsection 608(3) did not implicitly provide for a warrantless entry and since the entry was unauthorized the criminal charges against appellant were properly dismissed. For that reason I would affirm the order of the court below.

. Section 609 provides:
An agent or employee of the department may apply for a search warrant to any Commonwealth official authorized to issue a search warrant for the purposes of inspection or examining any property, building, premise, place, book, record or other physical evidence of conducting tests, or of taking samples of any solid waste. Such warrant shall be issued upon probable cause. It shall be sufficient probable cause to show any of the following:
(1) that the inspection, examination, test, or sampling is pursuant to a general administrative plan to determine compliance with this act;
(2) that the agent or employee has reason to believe that a violation of this act has occurred or may occur; or
(3) that the agent or employee has been refused access to the property, building, premise, place, book, record or physical evidence, or has been prevented from conducting test or taking of samples.
35 P.S. § 6018.609 (Supp.1986).

. Colonnade Catering Corp. v. United States, 397 U.S. 72, 90 S.Ct. 774, 25 L.Ed.2d 60 (1970) (upholding validity of warrantless inspections of businesses in alcoholic beverage industry); United States v. Biswell, 406 U.S. 311, 92 S.Ct. 1593, 32 L.Ed.2d 87 (1972) (upholding validity of warrantless inspections authorized by Gun Control Act).