Trozzo v. People

51 Colo. 323
CourtSupreme Court of Colorado
DecidedApril 15, 1911
DocketNo. 7260
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 51 Colo. 323 (Trozzo v. People) 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.

Bluebook
Trozzo v. People, 51 Colo. 323 (Colo. 1911).

Opinion

Mr. Justice Hill

delivered the opinion of the court:

[325]*325The plaintiff in error was tried upon .two indict- ' ments; each charged a separate offense; both were for the violation of an act entitled “An act concerning certain forms of prostitution and providing" punishment for persons encouraging prostitution in violation of this act.” Approved April 26, 1909. The first indictment, in substance, charges him with feloniously engaging and assisting in operating and managing a certain house for the purpose of carrying on prostitution; the second, with feloniously and knowingly living on, and being supported, in part, by the money and other valuable considerations realized, procured and earned by one Winnie Stevens, a female person, through the pros- . titution of one Blanche Bennett, another female person. By proper motion to quash the indictments, the constitutionality of this act was challenged. This motion was overruled. On motion of the District Attorney, over the objections of the defendant, the causes were consolidated for trial; the defendant was convicted upon both indictments and brings the causes here for review upon error.

Four groups of assignments of error are urged; as some of them necessitate a reversal of the judgment, in view of a new trial it is proper to consider them all; this will be done in the order presented.

It is urged that this act contravenes section 21 of article 5 of the state constitution, in that its title contains more than one subject of legislation and that various subjects in the act are not expressed in the title. A very able and ingenious argument has been presented in support of this position. This section of the constitution reads:

“No bill, except general appropriation bills, shall be passed containing more than one subject, which shall be clearly expressed in its title; but if any subject shall be embraced in any act which shall not be [326]*326expressed in the title, such act shall be void only as to so much thereof as shall- not be so expressed.”

From this language it will be observed, that, to dispose of the defendant’s contentions it is only necessary to consider: First, does the title contain but one general subject? Second, does the act contain a subject which is clearly expressed in the title? And third, do the charges made against the defendant come within the provision of the one subject which is clearly expressed in the title?

This section of the constitution has been before this court for consideration in several cases where it was claimed its provisions were violated. At first glance several subjects usually appear to be mentioned in the titles of a great many acts, but, as said by this court in the case of Golden Canal Co. v. Bright, 8 Colo. 144, at page 149,

“This constitutional inhibition must receive a reasonable construction. It is enough if the bill treats of but one general subject, and that subject is expressed in- the title.”

In that case the title to the act under consideration read,

“An act to regulate the use of water for irrigation, and providing for settling the priority of right thereto, and for payment of the expenses thereof, and for payment of all costs and expenses incident to said regulation and use.”

It was held that this title contained but .one general subject properly expressed in it, which was “to regulate the use of water for irrigation” and that the remainder of the title refers to nothing which is not germane to the subject thus expressed. We think this position is applicable here. The controlling provision of the title to the act in question is, “An Act concerning certain forms of prostitution.” 'The rest of the title refers to nothing which is not germane to the [327]*327subject thus expressed. The remainder which reáds “and providing punishments for persons encouraging prostitution in violation of this act” is -germane to the subject already expressed-. The punishments • provided are by necessary implication properly included • in that portion of the title preceding it; had this lat- ' ter portion been omitted the punishments could have ] been properly included in the bill under the first por-; tion of the title. The punishment provided, for a male person over the age of eighteen, who shall feloniously engage and assist in operating or managing a house for the purpose of carrying on prostitution, or for any male or female person, over the age of eighteen, who shall knowingly live on, or be supported in whole or in part, by the money, etc. procured or earned by any female person, through the prostitution of any other female person, would certainly come under the provisions of a title which reads, “An Act concerning certain forms of prostitution” or “ An Act concerning prostitution.” These matters all concern prostitution or certain forms of prostitution.

In the case of Clare v. The People, 9 Colo. 122, the title of the act under consideration read, “An act to facilitate the recovery of ore taken by theft or trespass, to regulate sale and disposition of the same, and for the better protection of mine owners.” It was held that this title contained but one general subject clearly expressed, and that the addition of sub-divisions thereof did not necessarily vitiate the whole title.

In Brown v. Elder, 32 Colo. 527, this court held that the inheritance tax provisions contained in the general revenue act of 1902, did not embrace separate and distinct subjects from the one expressed in the title of the act, which reads, “An act in relation to public revenue, and repealing all previous acts or parts of acts in conflict therewith.” It was further held that this title was sufficiently broad to include all the [328]*328provisions concerning the inheritance tax and was' not so general as to be misleading.

In Re Breene, 14 Colo, at page 405, in commenting upon this section, this court said,

“* * * The general assembly may, within reason, make the title of a bill as comprehensive as it chooses, and thus cover legislation relating to many minor but associated matters. For example, an act entitled ‘An act in relation to municipal corporations’ may provide for the organization, government, powers, duties, offices and revenues of such corporations, as well as for all other matters pertaining thereto. ‘The generality of a title,’ says Judge Cooley, ‘is therefore no objection to it, so long as it is not made a cover to legislation incongruous in itself, and which by no fair intendment can be considered as having a necessary or proper connection.’ ”

In the case of Anderson v. Grand Valley Irrigation District, 35 Colo. 525, the title attempted to cover all conceivable phases pertaining to procedure involved in irrigation districts; it was held that the first clause in the title “An act to provide for the formation and government of irrigation districts” is broad and comprehensive enough to include all other provisions found in the act, and that the remainder of the title might be entirely disregarded as surplusage.

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Bluebook (online)
51 Colo. 323, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/trozzo-v-people-colo-1911.