Court Opinion

ID: 9790964
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 02:02:08.268338+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:37:32.878906
License: Public Domain

DUBOFSKY, Justice,
dissenting:
I respectfully dissent.
The majority relies on Associated Students v. Regents, 189 Colo. 482, 543 P.2d 59 (1975) for its conclusion that the Colorado Open Records Act, sections 24-72-201 to -206, 10 C.R.S. (1982 & 1983 Supp.) does not apply to the University of Colorado. I believe that Associated Students is distinguishable from the instant case and that the plain language of the Open Records Act-governs the records of the University of Colorado.
Colo. Const, art. VIII, § 5(2) grants the governing boards of state institutions of higher education power to supervise generally their institutions. In Associated Students, although noting that article VIII’s grant of authority is limited by the phrase, “unless otherwise provided by law,” this court held that section 24-6-402, 10 C.R.S. (1982) (the Colorado Sunshine Act) requiring that meetings of “any board, committee, commission, or other policy-making or rule-making body of any state agency or authority ” be open is not sufficiently specific to override the University of Colorado Board of Regents’ authority to supervise the university (emphasis added). In contrast, the provisions of the Open Records Act at issue here apply specifically to “all writings made, maintained, or kept by the state or any agency, institution, or political subdivision thereof.” Section 24-72-202(6), 10 C.R.S. (1982) (emphasis added). As the majority concedes, the University of Colorado is a state institution. See Colo. Const, art. VIII, § 5(1).
“Agency” is defined in the context of title 24, article 4 as: “any board, bureau, commission, department, institution, division, section, or officer of the state, except those in the legislative branch or judicial branch and except state educational institutions administered pursuant to title 23 ... C.R.S.” Section 24-4-102(3), 10 C.R.S. (1983 Supp.) (emphasis added).1 The University of Colorado is administered pursuant to title 23, article 20 and therefore is one of the few institutions exempted from section 24-4-102(3)’s definition of “agency.” The Open Record Act’s specific reference to “institutions” in section 24-72-202(6) would be redundant if the act were not applied to educational institutions, since all other institutions2 are covered by that section’s use of the term “agency.” See section 24-4-102(3). Statutes should be construed to give effect to all of their terms. Gearhart-Owen Industries v. Panhandle Production Co., 624 P.2d 355 (Colo. App.1980) cert. denied, Feb. 17, 1981.
The majority holds that use of the term “institution” in section 24-72-202(6) is not sufficiently specific to show that the General Assembly intended the Open Records Act to apply to the University of Colorado. I believe this holding is an unwarranted expansion of Associated Students. The plain language of the Open Records Act *790clearly includes the records of state institutions such as the University of Colorado within its scope. To require the General Assembly to express its intent even more explicitly is, I believe, an interference in the legislative process unjustified by the Colorado Constitution or significant policy concerns.
I would reverse the district court’s decision.
NEIGHBORS, J., joins in this dissent.

. This definition has not been changed substantially since the date of this court’s decision in Associated Students v. Regents, 189 Colo. 482, 543 P.2d 59 (1975) (refusing to apply section 24-6-402, directed to agencies and authorities, to the University of Colorado). See Ch. 33, sec. 1, § 3 — 16—l(l)(b), 1969 Colo.Sess.Laws 81.

. Colo. Const, art. VIII, § 1 lists institutions as including “[e]ducational, reformatory and penal institutions, and those for the benefit of insane, blind, deaf and mute_”