BURNS v. CLINE

2016 OK 99
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedOctober 4, 2016
StatusPublished

This text of 2016 OK 99 (BURNS v. CLINE) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
BURNS v. CLINE, 2016 OK 99 (Okla. 2016).

Opinion

OSCN Found Document:BURNS v. CLINE

BURNS v. CLINE
2016 OK 99
Case Number: 114679
Decided: 10/04/2016
THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA


Cite as: 2016 OK 99, __ P.3d __

NOTICE: THIS OPINION HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED FOR PUBLICATION. UNTIL RELEASED, IT IS SUBJECT TO REVISION OR WITHDRAWAL.


LARRY A. BURNS, D.O., on behalf of himself and his patients, Plaintiff/Appellant,
v.
TERRY L. CLINE, in his official capacity as Oklahoma Commissioner of Health, and GREG MASHBURN, in his official capacity as District Attorney for Cleveland, Garvin and McClain Counties, Defendants/Appellees.

ON APPEAL FROM THE DISTRICT COURT OF OKLAHOMA COUNTY,
THE HONORABLE JUDGE THOMAS PRINCE, PRESIDING

¶0 The plaintiff, Larry A. Burns, D.O., (Burns) challenges Senate Bill No. 642, Okla. Sess. L. 2015, Ch. 387 (West) ("SB 642"), as violating the single subject rule mandated by Okla. Const. art. 5, §57. Burns appeals from summary adjudication in favor of defendants and the denial of his request for declaratory judgment that SB 642 is unconstitutional and his request for permanent stay. We granted certiorari and we hold that SB 642 is unconstitutional and violates the single-subject rule of Okla. Const. art. 5, §57.

MOTION TO RETAIN PREVIOUSLY GRANTED;
DISTRICT COURT'S JUDGMENT REVERSED AND
REMANDED WITH DIRECTIONS

J. Blake Patton, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for Appellant
Zoe Levine, New York, New York, for Appellant
Sarah A. Greenwalt, Office of the Attorney General, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for Appellees

WATT, J.:

¶1 The issue before this Court concerns the constitutionality of SB 642, passed by the Legislature and signed into law by the Governor on June 4, 2015. The effective date of the legislation was November 1, 2015. This legislation includes one section modifying an existing statute relating to abortions, and enacts three unrelated new sections in this same title. We reverse the district court's findings and hold the statute unconstitutional as it violates the single subject rule set forth in Okla. Const. art. 5, §57.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

¶2 Prior to filing the declaratory action giving rise to this appeal, Burns filed an application with this court to assume original jurisdiction, seeking declaratory and injunctive relief against the defendants, Terry L. Cline, in his official capacity as Oklahoma Commissioner of Health, and Greg Mashburn, in his official capacity as District Attorney for Cleveland, Garvin, and McClain Counties (defendants/State). In the petition for original jurisdiction, Burns asked this Court to find SB 642 unconstitutional and to issue a permanent injunction blocking its enforcement.1 On October 26, 2015, this Court assumed original jurisdiction and ordered a stay of the enforcement of the legislation for 30 days.2 After Burns filed his petition for declaratory relief in district court, this Court ordered the stay to remain in effect.3 This appeal arises from Burns' petition for injunction filed in district court and its grant of summary judgment finding SB 642 constitutional and denying injunctive relief. This Court issued an order retaining this appeal on March 2, 2016.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

¶3 We determine we have authority to address the constitutionality of SB 642. Under Douglas v. Cox Retirement Properties, Inc., 2013 OK 37, 302 P.3d 789, we acknowledge the heavy burden placed on those who raise constitutional challenges to legislation. This Court favors a statutory construction that upholds the constitutionality of a statute. Oliver v. Hofmeister, 2016 OK 15, ¶ 5, 368 P.3d 1270, 1272. This Court does not consider the "propriety, desirability or wisdom" in a statute. Douglas, 2013 OK 37, ¶3, 302 P.3d at 792. The function of this Court is limited to a determination of whether legislative provision is valid and nothing further. Douglas, supra.

ANALYSIS

¶4 Art. 5, § 57 of the Oklahoma Constitution provides: "Every act of the Legislature shall embrace but one subject, which shall be clearly expressed in its title...." 4 This clause is commonly referred to as the "single subject rule". The purpose of this constitutional provision is not to impede legislation. Rather it is to insure transparency in the legislative process.5 The single subject rule is to prevent the Legislature from making a bill "veto proof" by appending unpopular legislation within popular bills.6

¶5 We have stated the purposes of this rule are:

1) to ensure that the legislators or voters of Oklahoma are adequately notified of the potential effect of the legislation; and

2) to prevent 'logrolling', the practice of assuring the passage of a law by creating one choice in which a legislator or voter is forced to assent to an unfavorable provision to secure passage of a favorable one, or conversely, forced to vote against a favorable provision to ensure that an unfavorable provision is not enacted.7

¶6 The recognition of this doctrine extends back to statehood.8 This constitutional provision acts as a safeguard against enacting legislation which, if introduced as a single bill, could never command the approval of a majority of the legislature.9

¶7 Defendants advance two theories in support of their argument that SB 642 is constitutional. First, defendants attempt to argue that this legislation does not violate the single subject rule because it is germane, relative and cognate to one subject, the protection of women's reproductive health. Defendants next contend that SB 642 is simply comprehensive legislation, and that this Court has found that comprehensive legislation does not necessarily violate Okla. Const. art. 5, §57. Upon careful review of Oklahoma jurisprudence, we find defendants' arguments are not in accord with our prior decisions on the single subject rule.

Legislation Must be Germane, Relative and Cognate to Satisfy
art. 5 §57 of the Oklahoma Constitution

¶8 Defendants posit that SB 642 is constitutional under the single subject rule, because all sections in this legislation relate to protecting the reproductive health of women.

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2016 OK 99, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/burns-v-cline-okla-2016.