4
'
No. 11901
I N THE SUPREME C U T O T E STATE O MONTANA
OR F H F
VICTOR PEASE, e t a l , ,
P l a i n t i f f s and Respondents,
-vs -
LAULETTE L. HANSEN, e t a l . ,
Defendants and R.espondent9,
-VS -
THEODORE CARKULIS, e t a l . ,
Defendants and A p p e l l a n t s .
Appeal from: D i s t r i c t Court o f t h e Eighth J u d i c i a l District,
Honorable Paul G. H a t f i e l d , Judge p r e s i d i n g .
Counsel of Record :
For A p p e l l a n t s :
Thomas H Mahan argued, Helena, Montana,
.
For Respondents:
Montana .
J. Fred Bourdeau, County Attorney, Great F a l l s ,
James R. Walsh, Deputy County Attorney, argued,
Great F a l l s , Montana.
Robert B. G i l l a n , Great F a l l s , Montana.
Submitted: February 1 7 , 1972
Decided : MAR 10 1972
M r . J u s t i c e John Conway Harrison d e l i v e r e d t h e Opinion of t h e
Court.
On March 16, 1970, p l a i n t i f f V i c t o r Pease f i l e d a com-
p l a i n t i n t h e d i s t r i c t court of the eighth j u d i c i a l d i s t r i c t ,
Cascade County, seeking a judgment d e c l a r i n g s e c t i o n 71-302,
R.C.M. 1947 ( E l i g i b i l i t y requirements f o r g e n e r a l r e l i e f ) , and
S e c t i o n 4561-2, Montana Department of P u b l i c Welfare Manual Volume
I V ( P o l i c i e s and P r o c e d u r e s ) , u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l , i n t h a t t h e r e s i -
dency requirements f o r w e l f a r e e l i g i b i l i t y t h e r e i n v i o l a t e t h e
p r o v i s i o n s of t h e F o u r t e e n t h Amendment of t h e United S t a t e s Con-
stitution. Pease f u r t h e r sought a permanent i n j u n c t i o n r e s t r a i n i n g
t h e defendants from e n f o r c i n g t h e dura t i o n a 1 r e s i d e n c y r e q u i r e -
ments of t h e s t a t u t e and r e g u l a t i o n .
On June 17, 1970, t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t e n t e r e d f i n d i n g s
o f f a c t , conclusions o f law, o r d e r , judgment and d e c r e e , wherein
i t found t h a t , indeed, t h e r e s i d e n c e requirements of t h e s t a t u t e
and r e g u l a t i o n were v i o l a t i v e of t h e F o u r t e e n t h Amendment of t h e
United S t a t e s C o n s t i t u t i o n and c i t e d Shapiro v . Thompson, 394
U.S. 618, 89 S.Ct. 1322, 22 L Ed 2d 600. However, t h e d i s t r i c t
c o u r t made a d i s t i n c t i o n between t h e e f f e c t of t h e s t a t u t e and
r e g u l a t i o n on t h e two defendant w e l f a r e a g e n c i e s . It h e l d t h e
s t a t u t e and r e g u l a t i o n were u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i n s o f a r a s they con-
d i t i o n e d g e n e r a l r e l i e f a s s i s t a n c e on a dura t i o n a b r e s i d e n c y r e -
quirement but t h a t t h e s t a t u t e and r e g u l a t i o n were c o n s t i t u t i o n a 1
a s "a proper method of e s t a b l i s h i n g t h e p r o p o r t i o n a t e s h a r e o f
s o c i a l r e l i e f t o be provided by t h e i n d i v i d u a l c o u n t i e s . "
The d i s t r i c t c o u r t " p e r p e t u a l l y enjoined" defendants
from ''enforcing t h e one y e a r residency requirement" contained i n
t h e s t a t u t e and r e g u l a t i o n but determined t h a t t h e s t a t u t e and
r e g u l a t i o n were p e r m i s s i b l e p r o h i b i t i o n s on t h e payment of g e n e r a l
r e l i e f from county poor funds and t h a t a l l a p p l i c a t i o n s received
by t h e county, where t h e a p p l i c a n t had n o t s a t i s f i e d t h e one y e a r
residency requirement, were t o be forwarded t o t h e s t a t e d e p a r t -
men t o f p u b l i c w e l f a r e f o r payment.
The d i s t r i c t c o u r t ' s r u l i n g was appealed t o t h i s Court
and i n r e v e r s i n g t h i s Court s t a t e d i n Pease v. Hansen, 157 Mont. 99,
483 P.2d 720, 722, 28 S t . Rep. 309,312:
"We cannot a g r e e w i t h t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t t h a t
Shapiro i s c o n t r o l l i n g i n t h e s i t u a t i o n p r e v a i l i n g
h e r e because t h i s c a s e does n o t involve any f e d e r a l l y
a s s i s t e d program. "
Since t h i s Court r e v e r s e d t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t r u l i n g
t h e b a s i s of t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l q u e s t i o n , we f e l t no n e c e s s i t y t o
d i s c u s s t h e second i s s u e presented---which agency, s t a t e o r county,
should pay g e n e r a l r e l i e f f o r t h e i n i t i a l one y e a r p e r i o d .
O November 16, 1971, t h e United S t a t e s Supreme Court
n
r e v e r s e d t h i s Court and s t a t e d i n Pease v. Hansen, U.S. 9
"Whether a w e l f a r e program i s o r i s n o t f e d e r a l l y
funded i s i r r e l e v a n t t o t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l p r i n c i p l e s
enunciated i n Shapiro v. .Thompson, 394 U.S. 618."
I n view of t h e d e c i s i o n of t h e United S t a t e s Supreme
Court on t h e f i r s t i s s u e , t h i s Court ordered a r e t u r n remittitur
s o t h a t a r e h e a r i n g could be s e t a s t o t h e second issue---who shall
pay. Oral argument was heard on February 17, 1972, w i t h n e i t h e r
p a r t y s u b m i t t i n g supplementary b r i e f s .
The i s s u e b e f o r e us now i s c l e a r : since neither the
s t a t e n o r t h e county can deny g e n e r a l r e l i e f a s s i s t a n c e t o an
applicant f o r f a i l u r e t o s a t i s f y a durational residency require-
ment, i s t h e county o b l i g a t e d t o s a t i s f y such payment o u t of
t h e county poor fund o r i s t h e s t a t e o b l i g a t e d t h e r e f o r ?
F i r s t , we determine which agency has t h e duty o r
r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r providing g e n e r a l r e l i e f a s s i s t a n c e . Article
X, Sec. 5 of t h e Montana C o n s t i t u t i o n provides:
"The s e v e r a l c o u n t i e s of t h e s t a t e s h a l l provide
a s may be p r e s c r i b e d by law f o r t h o s e i n h a b i t a n t s ,
who, by reason o f a g e , i n f i r m i t y o r m i s f o r t u n e ,
may have claims upon t h e sympathy and a i d of
s o c i e t y . 11
It would appear t h a t t h e Montana C o n s t i t u t i o n p l a c e s t h e
burden of providing f o r t h e aged, inf&rm and u n f o r t u n a t e upon t h e
counties. N e v e r t h e l e s s , t h e e x t e n t of t h a t burden i s c o n d i t i o n e d
by t h e phrase "as may be p r e s c r i b e d by;dawl'. I n S t a t e ex r e l .
Wilson v . Weir, 106 Mont. 526, 533, 79 P.2d 305, t h i s Court s a i d :
"The words ' a s may be p r e s c r i b e d by l a q ' a s used
i n t h i s s e c t i o n , mean a s may be p r e s c r i b e d by Act
of t h e l e g i s l a t i v e assembly. 11
I n Jones v . Cooney, 8 1 Mont. 340, 344, 263 P. 429, t h e
Court s a i d :
"As t h i s c o n s t i t u t i o n a l d e c l a r a t i o n i s n o t s e l f -
executing t h e measure of r e l i e f which may be
f u r n i s h e d n e c e s s a r i l y depends upon s t a t u t e s en-
a c t e d t o c a r r y o u t t h e benevolent purpose expressed. "
Defendant Cascade County Department of Public Welfare
argues t h a t i n o r d e r f o r t h e county t o be o b l i g a t e d t o pay g e n e r a l
r e l i e f a s s i s t a n c e t o t h e new c l a s s o f a p p l i c a n t s c r e a t e d a s a
r e s u l t o f Pease, t h e r e must be s p e c i f i c s t a t u t o r y law s o d i r e c t i n g .
It f u r t h e r argues t h a t s e c t i o n 71-302, R.C.M. 1947, s p e c i f i c a l l y
p r o h i b i t s payment by t h e county t o a p p l i c a n t s who have n o t r e -
s i d e d i n t h e county f o r a t l e a s t one y e a r and t h a t Pease does
n o t p r o h i b i t t h i s l i m i t a t i o n on county funds, a s long a s t h e
a p p l i c a n t i s paid by t h e s t a t e .
It f u r t h e r argues t h a t s e c t i o n 71-309, R.C.M. 1947,
commands payment only t o r e s i d e n t s o f t h e county and a p p l i c a n t s
who have n o t r e s i d e d w i t h i n t h e county f o r a one y e a r p e r i o d
a r e not residents. This s e c t i o n i s a p r o h i b i t i o n on t h e ex-
p e n d i t u r e o f county funds, but i t i n no way r e s t r i c t s payment
by t h e s t a t e nor does i t i n f r i n g e upon t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l r i g h t s
o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l a p p l i c a n t , s i n c e such a p p l i c a n t can be paid by
the state.
Another argument advanced by t h e county, a l t h o u g h n o t
documented, i s t h a t Cascade County i s a l r e a d y taxed t o t h e
maximum (17 m i l l s ) and t h e a n t i c i p a t e d i n c r e a s e i n a p p l i c a n t s a s
a r e s u l t of Pease w i l l p l a c e an a d d i t i o n a l burden on t h e county.
F u r t h e r , t h e r e i s a d i s p a r i t y among t h e 56 c o u n t i e s of t h e s t a t e
i n t h e amount of t a x levy needed t o fund t h e i r p a r t i c u l a r w e l f a r e
programs.
Shapiro and Pease have c r e a t e d a new c l a s s o f i n d i g e n t s ,
t h e t r a n s i e n t and migrant i n d i g e n t h e r e t o f o r e n o t provided f o r by
our s t a t u t e s . While t h e l e g i s l a t u r e d i d a n t i c i p a t e and provide
f o r t r a n s i e n t s t r a v e l i n g through t h e s t a t e who a r e i n j u r e d and i n
need of medical treatment and h o s p i t a l i z a t i o n ( s e c t i o n 71-308, R.
C.M. 1947), i t understandably f a i l e d t o a n t i c i p a t e t h a t t h e United
S t a t e s Supreme Court would n u l l i f y a l l s t a t e w e l f a r e r e s i d e n c y
requirement s t a t u t e s , I n s o doing t h a t Court c r e a t e d a g r e a t d i s -
p a r i t y among t h e s e v e r a l c o u n t i e s i n regard t o t a x l e v i e s t o support
county g e n e r a l w e l f a r e programs.
Defendant Montana S t a t e Department of Public Welfare argues
t h a t without s t a t u t o r y p r o v i s i o n we must look t o A r t i c l e X, Sec. 5
of t h e Montana C o n s t i t u t i o n , thus p u t t i n g t h e burden on t h e county.
I t a r g u e s t h a t Shapiro a n n u l l e d a l l residency requirements, s t a t e
and county. With t h i s argument we cannot a g r e e . Rather, we hold t h e
l e g i s l a t u r e can provide r e s i d e n c y requirements f o r county r e s i d e n c e ,
a s i t h a s , and where no provision^ has been made t o c a r e f o r t h e
t r a n s i e n t , migrant i n d i g e n t t h e s t a t e must provide u n t i l such time
a s t h e i n d i g e n t has e s t a b l i s h e d residency i n a e o u n t y , a s provided
by law. Residency is a m a t t e r c o n t r o l l e d by t h e l e g i s l a t u r e . The
l e g i s l a t u r e has provided g u i d e l i n e s f o r r e s i d e n c y requirements i n a
number of c a t a g o r i e s , such a s :
R.C.M. 1947, S e c t i o n 11-710 -
714---Mayor,Alderman, r e q u i r a n e n t s
11-1814-------- Requirements, members o f
police force
21-134 --------
P l a i n t i f f i n divorce action
23-522 --------
Elections, rules f o r deter-
mining v o t i n g and r e g i s t r a -
tion
59-304 --------
Certain o f f i c e r s a t s e a t of
government
59-306 --------
Judicial officers, restrictions
on
59-304-308----- P u b l i c o f f i c e r s , r e s t r i c t i o n s
61-121 --------
C h i l d , p a r e n t t o determine
71-209 --------
Requirements, s t a t e , county
personnel
71-302 --------
Requirements f o r genera 1
relief
82-1306-------- Executive, r e s i d e n c e
83-302 --------
Qualifications f o r citizen-
ship
83-303 --------
Rules f o r determining
83-403 --------
A l l e g i a n c e , how renounced
93-703 D i s t r i c t Judges
93-704 --------
J u s t i c e s of Peace, where
93-2904
93-6601
-------
Venue determined by r e s i d e n c e
-------
Justice courts, actions in.
Chief J u s t i c e James T. Harrison, speaking f o r t h e Court i n
S t a t e ex r e l . Lewis and C l a r k County v . Board o f P u b l i c Welfare,
141 Mont. 209, 211, 376 P.2d 1002, a c a s e involving a d i s p u t e between
t h e s t a t e and county w e l f a r e boards involving a n i n j u r e d t r a n s i e n t
female, s a i d :
"* * * t h e Board i s empowered t o promulgate r u l e s
and r e g u l a t i o n s t o e f f e c t u a t e t h e p o l i c i e s of t h e
Welfare Act ( s e e R.C.M.1947, $ 71-2041, and o f t t i m e s
a r u l e of thumb, such a s t h e f o u r t e e n day r e g u l a t i o n ,
may s e r v e t h i s end. However, such a r u l e of thumb,
w h i l e undoubtedly e f f e c t i v e i n t h e m a j o r i t y of c a s e s ,
i s simply unworkable i n c e r t a i n e x c e p t i o n a l s i t u a t i o n s ,
t h i s being one o f them. Here we have a wandering
t h i r t e e n year o l d c h i l d incapable o f e s t a b l i s h i n g a
r e s i d e n c e i n Montana, R.C.M. 1947, $ 83-303, subd.6;
s h e had no means o f s u p p o r t and roamed from p l a c e
t o p l a c e i n Helena f o r approximately one month.
Would t h e Board s a y t h a t a n o n - r e s i d e n t t o u r i s t who
s p e n t more than f o u r t e e n days v i s i t i n g t h e parks i n
Montana ceased t o be a t r a n s i e n t when h e had been i n
t h i s s t a t e more than f o u r t e e n days? W t h i n k n o t , n o r
e
do we t h i n k t h a t t h e g i r l i n t h i s c a s e ceased t o be a
t r a n s i e n t a f t e r t h e e x p i r a t i o n of f o u r t e e n days. 1 1
Here, we have a somewhat s i m i l a r s i t u a t i o n - - a n i n d i g e n t
who, u n t i l S h a p i r o , could n o t become a r e s i d e n t e l i g i b l e f o r wel-
f a r e a s s i s t a n c e u n t i l he had been a r e s i d e n t of Montana f o r a y e a r .
He was caught between claims o f t h e S t a t e Welfare Board and t h e
County Welfare Board t h a t t h e o t h e r was o b l i g a t e d f o r h i s a s s i s t a n c e .
He became a r e s i d e n t of Montana f o r g e n e r a l w e l f a r e purposes by
a c t i o n of t h e United S t a t e s Supreme Court, but n o t of t h e county
wherein he i s l o c a t e d u n t i l a f t e r r e s i d i n g i n t h a t county f o r one
year. In t h e meantime, h i s g e n e r a l w e l f a r e needs a r e t h e o b l i g a t i o n
of t h e s t a t e .
The judgment o f t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t i s a f f i r m e d .
ssociate Justices
Hon. Jack Shanstrom, D i s t r i c t
Judge, s i t t i n g f o r J u s t i c e Wesley
Mr. J u s t i c e Gene B . Daly took no p a r t i n t h i s cause.