Colorado Ass'n of Public Employees v. Lamm

677 P.2d 1350, 1984 Colo. LEXIS 492
CourtSupreme Court of Colorado
DecidedFebruary 21, 1984
Docket82SA16
StatusPublished
Cited by70 cases

This text of 677 P.2d 1350 (Colorado Ass'n of Public Employees v. Lamm) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

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Colorado Ass'n of Public Employees v. Lamm, 677 P.2d 1350, 1984 Colo. LEXIS 492 (Colo. 1984).

Opinion

LOHR, Justice.

This is an appeal from a judgment of the Denver District Court declaring certain provisions of the State Personnel System Act, Sections 24-50-101 to -142, C.R.S.1973 (1982 Repl.Vol. 10 & 1983 Supp.), and regulations promulgated thereunder to be invalid because they violate Article XII of the Colorado Constitution. We affirm in part and reverse in part.

I.

In 1981, the General Assembly enacted Senate Bill No. 308, Colo.Sess.Laws 1981, ch. 304 (S.B. 308), amending the State Personnel System Act in numerous respects. This new legislation reflected in large measure the recommendations of the Governor’s Executive Committee on Personnel Management in State Government, contained in its final report issued January 1, 1981, entitled “Revitalizing The State Personnel System.” S.B. 308 was to take effect July 1, 1981, and emergency rules to implement the statutory changes were promulgated to become effective on that same date. These rules were later made permanent.

On June 29, 1981, the Colorado Association of Public Employees, two of its officers, and two employees of the State of Colorado brought this action in Denver Dis *1353 trict Court challenging some of the provisions of S.B. 308 and the rules adopted thereunder as inconsistent with Article XII of the Colorado Constitution, which contains detailed provisions with respect to the state personnel system. The plaintiffs sought declaratory and injunctive relief. Named as defendants were Richard D. Lamm, as Governor of Colorado; Gail H. Klapper, as Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Personnel; the Colorado Department of Personnel; and the Colorado State Personnel Board.

After the plaintiffs’ motions for a temporary restraining order and for a preliminary injunction were denied, the case was tried on the merits. On October 26, 1981, the court issued written findings of fact, conclusions of law and a judgment granting much of the relief requested by the plaintiffs. The defendants appealed, challenging the court’s determinations that: (1) the provisions of S.B. 308 granting rule-making authority to the State Personnel Director (Director) violate Colo. Const. Art. XII, §§ 14(3) and (4), which vest rule-making authority exclusively in the State Personnel Board (Board); (2) Section 24-50-124(1) of S.B. 308, modifying criteria and procedures to be employed in separating certain certified employees from state service, violates the veterans’ preference provisions of Article XII of the Colorado Constitution; (3) Section 24-50-115(6) of S.B. 308, requiring a probationary period for employees who are promoted, transferred to a different position at their request, or hold a position that is reallocated to a higher pay grade, contravenes sections 13(8) and 13(10) of Article XII of the Colorado Constitution; (4) Sections 24-50-101(3)(a) and 24-50-104(3)(g) of S.B. 308 introduce criteria for employment and promotion that are inconsistent with the constitutionally prescribed system based on merit and fitness, to be ascertained by competitive examination; (5) the authorization in Colo. Const. Art. XII, § 13(9) to make temporary appointments for a period of up to six months without complying with the personnel system’s hiring criteria and procedures cannot be construed to allow the appointment of temporary employees to complete up to 1040 hours of work in a twelve-month period as purportedly permitted by section 24-50-114(2) of S.B. 308. We agree with the fifth ruling and with that part of the fourth that holds section 24-50-104(3)(g) unconstitutional, but reverse all the other determinations summarized above.

II.

As a preliminary matter, it is useful to review the standards by which the sufficiency of a statute is to be tested under the Colorado Constitution. The General Assembly has plenary legislative powers, conferred by the people in their Constitution. People ex rel. Tucker v. Rucker, 5 Colo. 455 (1880). These powers, however, are subject to express or implied restraints reflected in the Constitution itself. People ex rel. Livesay v. Wright, 6 Colo. 92 (1881); People ex rel. Tucker v. Rucker, supra. The legislature cannot enact a law contrary to those constitutional restraints. Mauff v. People, 52 Colo. 562, 123 P. 101 (1912). We have consistently recognized that every statute is presumed to be constitutional and this presumption can be overcome only by showing that the enactment is unconstitutional beyond a reasonable doubt. E.g., Colorado Auto & Truck Wreckers Association v. Department of Revenue, 618 P.2d 646 (Colo.1980); Mr. Lucky’s, Inc. v. Dolan, 197 Colo. 195, 591 P.2d 1021 (1979). The provisions of Article XII of the Colorado Constitution set forth in detail the principles under which the state personnel system is to operate. While the General Assembly can supplement the provisions of Article XII, no legislation contrary to the express or implicit requirements of that Article can survive a constitutional challenge. See Colorado State Civil Service Employees Association v. Love, 167 Colo. 436, 448 P.2d 624 (1968). Where the language of the Constitution is plain and its meaning clear, that language must be declared and enforced as written. Id.; People ex rel. Park Reservoir Co. v. Hinderlider, 98 Colo. 505, 57 P.2d 894 (1936).

*1354 With the foregoing principles as our guide, we now review the trial court’s rulings.

III.

A.

The trial court found that a number of the provisions of S.B. 308 purport to alter the constitutionally established roles of the Board and the Director with respect to rulemaking and delegation of authority. The court concluded, therefore, that such provisions violate Article XII, sections 14(3) and (4) of the Colorado Constitution. We disagree, and hold that each of the challenged statutes is consistent with those sections of the Constitution.

The relevant provisions of the Constitution state:

The state personnel board shall adopt, and may from time to time amend or repeal, rules to implement the provisions of this section and sections 13 and 15 of this article, as amended, and laws enacted pursuant thereto, including but not limited to rules concerning standardization of positions, determination of grades of positions, standards of efficient and competent service, the conduct of competitive examinations of competence, grievance procedures, appeals from actions by appointing authorities, and conduct of hearings by hearing officers where authorized by law.

Colo. Const. Art. XII, § 14(3).

There is hereby created the department of personnel, which shall be one of the principal departments of the executive department, the head of which shall be the state personnel director who shall be appointed under qualifications established by law.

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677 P.2d 1350, 1984 Colo. LEXIS 492, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/colorado-assn-of-public-employees-v-lamm-colo-1984.