Court Opinion

ID: 9648470
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 14:22:26.149006+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:12:01.478009
License: Public Domain

DONNELLY, Judge,
dissenting.
On this appeal, we must weigh an exercise of the police power of Missouri against the provision “[t]hat no law * * * impairing the obligation of contracts * * * can be enacted.” Mo. Const, art. I, § 13.
In State ex rel. Kansas City v. Public Service Commission, 524 S.W.2d 855, 864 (Mo. banc 1975), this Court said:
The rule we adopt recognizes that the police power is essential to the achievement of such objectives as protecting the health and safety of the public and that it is as broad as need be to achieve those objectives. At the same time, it recognizes that the police power is not so powerful that it impairs the obligations of contracts where such impairment is not necessary to achievement of the objective for which the power is being exercised.
The issue on this appeal is whether, as defendants contend, the addition of the word “psychologist” to the list of health providers is necessary for protection of the public health and welfare.
“In discussing this question, [the principal opinion] * * * assumes the inevitability of an affirmative answer. It does not in any manner demonstrate that if [psychologists are not added to the list] * * *, the protection of the public [health and welfare] * * * by means of the police power will be frustrated or even hindered.” State ex rel. Kansas City, supra, at 860.
In my view, the challenged statute violates our Missouri Constitution. It unconstitutionally impairs the obligation of contracts. Mo. Const. art. I, § 13. We need not address the similar provision in Article I, § 10 of the United States Constitution. See Allied Structural Steel Co. v. Spannaus, 438 U.S. 234, 98 S.Ct. 2716, 57 L.Ed.2d 727 (1978).
I respectfully dissent.