BRD OF BARBERS v BIG SKY COLLEGE
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No. 88-397 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA 1981 THE BOARD OF BARBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING OF THE STATE OF MONTANA, Respondent and Appellant, VS. BIG SKY COLLEGE OF BARBER-STYLING, INC., a Montana Corporation, Petitioner and Respondent. Appeal from: District Court of the Fourth Judicial District, Honorable James B. Wheelis, Judge presiding. Counsel of Record: For Appellant: Roger Tippy, Helena, Montana For Respondent: Ellingson and Lovitt, Missoula, Montana Submitted on briefs: February 25, 1981 Decided : qJd-Hw Clerk APR 2 4 1981 M r . C h i e f J u s t i c e F r a n k I . H a s w e l l d e l i v e r e d t h e O p i n i o n of t h e Court. The sole i s s u e i n t h i s c a s e is t h e v a l i d i t y of a n admin i s t r a t i v e r u l e o f t h e Board of B a r b e r s r e q u i r i n g a y e a r ' s a p p r e n t i c e s h i p s e r v e d i n a c o m m e r c i a l b a r b e r s h o p p r i o r to examin a t i o n and l i c e n s i n g a s a b a r b e r . r u l e invalid. The D i s t r i c t C o u r t h e l d t h e W e af f i r m . I n O c t o b e r , 1 9 7 9 , Big Sky C o l l e g e a s k e d t h e Board of B a r b e r s i f C l a r e Delaney, a r e c e n t g r a d u a t e , could t e a c h a t t h e c o l l e g e and q u a l i f y t h a t t e a c h i n g a c t i v i t y a s a n a p p r e n t i c e s h i p f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f e x a m i n a t i o n and l i c e n s i n g a s a b a r b e r . The Board t r e a t e d t h i s r e q u e s t a s a p e t i t i o n f o r a d e c l a r a t o r y r u l i n g u n d e r t h e Montana A d m i n i s t r a t i v e P r o c e d u r e A c t (MAPA) . Following a h e a r i n g , t h e Board r u l e d t h a t t h e t e a c h i n g a c t i v i t y c o u l d c o u n t f o r h a l f a y e a r ' s a p p r e n t i c e s h i p p r o v i d e d t h e o t h e r h a l f y e a r was s e r v e d i n a commercial barbershop. B i g Sky C o l l e g e p e t i t i o n e d f o r j u d i c i a l r e v i e w of t h a t ruling. The D i s t r i c t C o u r t o f M i s s o u l a County h e l d t h e r u l e i n v a l i d and awarded summary j u d g m e n t i n f a v o r of t h e C o l l e g e . The Board h a s a p p e a l e d t h i s judgment t o t h i s C o u r t . The p a r t i e s h a v e s t i p u l a t e d t h a t C l a r e D e l a n e y w i l l r e t a i n h e r l i c e n s e r e g a r d l e s s o f t h e outcome o f t h i s a p p e a l . Thus i t i s o n l y t h e v a l i d i t y o f t h e r u l e a s i n t e r p r e t e d by t h e Board t h a t is t h e s u b j e c t of t h i s appeal. The r e l e v a n t s t a t u t e p r o v i d e s : "On c o m p l e t i o n o f 1 y e a r of a p p r e n t i c e s h i p u n d e r t h e i m m e d i a t e p e r s o n a l s u p e r v i s i o n of a l i c e n s e d b a r b e r , an a p p r e n t i c e must a p p l y to t h e d e p a r t m e n t t o t a k e t h e e x a m i n a t i o n f o r a b a r b e r ' s cert i f i c a t e of r e g i s t r a t i o n . " S e c t i o n 37-30-305, MCA. An a p p r e n t i c e i s s t a t u t o r i l y d e f i n e d a s f o l l o w s : "An ' a p p r e n t i c e ' , u n d e r t h i s c h a p t e r , is a p e r s o n who r e c e i v e s i n s t r u c t i o n i n a n a p p r o v e d b a r b e r s c h o o l or c o l l e g e and from a b a r b e r a u t h o r i z e d to p r a c t i c e b a r b e r i n g i n t h i s s t a t e .I1 S e c t i o n 37-30-101 ( 2 ) , MCA. The B o a r d ' s r u l e a t i s s u e h e r e p r o v i d e s : " E v e r y a p p r e n t i c e m u s t s e r v e o n e n o r m a l work y e a r , or i t s e q u i v a l e n t a t t h e d i s c r e t i o n of t h e b o a r d , as a n a p p r e n t i c e b e f o r e he c a n t a k e t h e b a r b e r e x a m i n a t i o n . " S e c t i o n 40-3.18 ( 6 ) - S 1 8 6 0 ( 3 ) MAC. The Board a r g u e s t h a t i t h a s a u t h o r i t y to a d o p t r u l e s f o r a d m i n i s t e r i n g a s t a t u t o r y g r a n t of power, c i t i n g s e c t i o n 37-30-203(2), MCA; it c o n t e n d s t h a t i t s r u l e i n t e r p r e t i n g t h e s t a t u t o r y term " o n e y e a r o f a p p r e n t i c e s h i p " f a l l s w i t h i n i t s a u t h o r i t y w h e r e t h e l e g i s l a t u r e g a v e no g u i d a n c e as t o i t s meaning. The Board u r g e s u s t o a p p l y t h e MAPA s t a n d a r d o f " r e a s o n a b l e n e c e s s i t y t o e f f e c t u a t e t h e p u r p o s e of t h e s t a t u t e " i n determining t h e v a l i d i t y of its r u l e , c i t i n g s e c t i o n s 2-4-305(4), ( 5 ) , and 2 - 4 - 5 0 6 ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) , MCA. The Board c r i t i c i - z e s r e c e n t Montana cases as d e v e l o p i n g a common law i n c o n s i s t e n t with the statutes. Specifically, appellant criticizes the f o l l o w i n g l a n g u a g e i n B e l l v. Dept. o f P r o f e s s i o n a l and Occupational Licensing (1979) , Mont . , 594 P.2d 3 3 1 , 36 "The c o u r t s h a v e u n i f o r m l y h e l d t h a t a d m i n i s t r a t i v e r e g u l a t i o n s a r e ' o u t o f harmony' w i t h l e g i s l a t i v e g u i d e l i n e s i f t h e y ( 1) ' e n g r a f t a d d i t i o n a l and c o n t r a d i c t o r y r e q u i r e m e n t s o n t h e s t a t u t e ' ( c i t a t i o n o m i t t e d ) ; or ( 2 ) i f they engraf t a d d i t i o n a l , noncontrad i c t o r y requirem e n t s o n t h e s t a t u t e which were n o t e n v i s i o n e d b y t h e l e g i s l a t u r e . A r i z o n a S t . Bd. o f F u n e r a l Directors v. P e r l m a n ( 1 9 7 2 ) , 1 0 8 A r i z . 3 3 , 492 P.2d 6 9 4 . " The Board c o n t e n d s t h e s e c o n d B e l l t e s t a b o v e is i n a c c u r a t e and s h o u l d n o t be a p p l i e d . W e a g r e e t h a t i n d e t e r m i n i n g t h e v a l i d i t y o f t h e Board 's r u l e i n t h i s case t h e MAPA t e s t of " r e a s o n a b l e n e c e s s i t y t o e f f e c t u a t e t h e p u r p o s e o f t h e s t a t u t e " s h o u l d be a p p l i e d . s t a t u t e e x p r e s s l y so p r o v i d e s : "Whenever by t h e e x p r e s s o r i m p l i e d terms o f a n y s t a t u t e a state agency has a u t h o r i t y t o adopt r u l e s t o i m p l e m e n t , i n t e r p r e t , make s p e c i f i c , o r o t h e r w i s e c a r r y o u t t h e p r o v i s i o n s of t h e s t a t u t e , no r u l e a d o p t e d is v a l i d or e f f e c t i v e u n l e s s c o n s i s t e n t and n o t i n c o n f l i c t w i t h t h e s t a t u t e and r e a s o n a b l y n e c e s s a r y t o e f f e c t u a t e t h e p u r p o s e - -e s t a t u t e of t h (~mpLsis added . ) S e c t i o n 2 - 4 - 3 0 5 ( 5 ) , MCA. ." The W e d i s a g r e e t h a t r e c e n t Montana cases h a v e a d o p t e d a d i f - f e r e n t s t a n d a r d o r h a v e d e v e l o p e d a common l a w i n c o n s i s t e n t w i t h the statutes. The l a n g u a g e c r i t i c i z e d by t h e Board i n B e l l a r t i - c u l a t e s t h e t w o r e q u i r e m e n t s o f s e c t i o n 2-4-305 ( 5 ) , i n the preceding paragraph. MCA, quoted I n B e l l we h e l d an a d m i n i s t r a t i v e r u l e o f t h e Board o f B a r b e r s i n v a l i d w h i c h r e q u i r e d t h e s u c c e s s f u l p a s s i n g o f a n i n s t r u c t o r ' s e x a m i n a t i o n f o r l i c e n s i n g as a b a r b e r i n s t r u c t o r i n t h e f a c e of a s t a t u t e t h a t r e q u i r e d o n l y 1 0 y e a r s e x p e r i e n c e and a c h a r a c t e r i n v e s t i g a t i o n . S t a t e ex r e l . S w a r t v. Casne e t a l . ( 1 9 7 7 ) , 1 7 2 Mont. 3 0 2 , 5 6 4 P.2d 983, s t r u c k down a d m i n i s t r a t i v e r u l e s o f t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f Community Af f a i r s t h a t were i n c o n f l i c t w i t h M o n t a n a ' s S u b d i v i s i o n and P l a t t i n g Act. W e i n v a l i d a t e d an a d m i n i s t r a t i v e r u l e of t h e Department of S o c i a l and R e h a b i l i t a t i o n S e r v i c e s t h a t r e q u i r e d a p p l i c a t i o n f o r b e n e f i t s w i t h i n 5 d a y s a f t e r r e c e i p t o f m e d i c a l care b e c a u s e t h e r u l e d i d n o t e f f e c t u a t e t h e purpose of t h e s t a t u t e , v i z . p r o v i d i n g a i d to t h e i n d i g e n t . M i c h e l s v. D e p t . o f S o c i a l and R e h a b i l - i t a t i o n Services (1980), 546. Mont . , 609 P.2d 271, 37 S t . R e p . C o n t r a r y t o a p p e l l a n t ' s c o n t e n t i o n , t h e s e r e c e n t Montana cases h a v e c o n s i s t e n t l y a p p l i e d t h e MAPA s t a n d a r d s i n d e t e r m i n i n g t h e v a l i d i t y of a d m i n i s t r a t i v e r u l e s a d o p t e d by s t a t e a g e n c i e s . W e a p p l y t h e same MAPA s t a n d a r d s i n t h i s case. Here t h e s t a t u t e r e q u i r e s a y e a r of a p p r e n t i c e s h i p served "under t h e immed i a t e p e r s o n a l s u p e r v i s i o n of a l i c e n s e d barber" i n o r d e r t o q u a l i f y f o r e x a m i n a t i o n and l i c e n s i n g as a b a r b e r . The B o a r d ' s r u l e r e q u i r e s a n a p p r e n t i c e t o s e r v e " o n e n o r m a l work y e a r , o r i t s e q u i v a l e n t a t t h e d i s c r e t i o n of t h e board" b e f o r e a p e r s o n becomes e l i g i b l e f o r e x a m i n a t i o n and l i c e n s i n g as a b a r b e r . I 1 N o r m a l work y e a r " as i n t e r p r e t e d by t h e Board u n d e r i t s r u l e means a n a p p r e n t i c e s h i p s e r v e d i n a commercial b a r b e r s h o p s e t t i n g , while the s t a t u t e simply r e q u i r e s a y e a r ' s apprentices h i p s e r v e d " u n d e r t h e i m m e d i a t e p e r s o n a l s u p e r v i s i o n of a licensed barber." Thus t h e B o a r d ' s r u l e e n g r a f t s a n a d d i t i o n a l r e q u i r e m e n t on a p p r e n t i c e s h i p not contained i n t h e s t a t u t e . In o u r v i e w , t h i s a d d i t i o n a l r e q u i r e m e n t t h a t a p p r e n t i c e s h i p be s e r v e d i n a c o m m e r c i a l b a r b e r s h o p d o e s n o t s a t i s f y t h e t e s t of " r e a s o n a b l e n e c e s s i t y to e f f e c t u a t e t h e p u r p o s e of t h e s t a t u t e , " s e c t i o n 2-4-305(5), MCA, v i z . r e q u i r i n g a p e r i o d of t r a i n i n g p r i o r t o q u a l i f y i n g f o r e x a m i n a t i o n and l i c e n s i n g a s a b a r b e r . It engrafts additional, n o n c o n t r a d i c t o r y r e q u i r e m e n t s on a p p r e n - t i c e s h i p p r o h i b i t e d by B e l l and M i c h e l s . i n t e r p r e t e d by t h e Board i n v a l i d . Af f i r m e d . Chief J u s t i c e W e concur: W e hold the r u l e a s
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