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 : APR 2 4 1981
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Clerk
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 admi-
n 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 exami-
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 D i s t r i c t C o u r t h e l d t h e
r u l e invalid. 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 cer-
t 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 require-
m 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 . The
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
S e c t i o n 2 - 4 - 3 0 5 ( 5 ) , MCA.
." (~mpLsis added . )
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 ) , MCA, quoted
i n the preceding paragraph. 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), Mont . , 609 P.2d 271, 37 S t . R e p .
546. 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 imme-
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 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 apprentice-
s 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 . W e hold the r u l e a 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: