Montana Attorney General Opinion 16-273

Opinion No. 273. Vocational Rehabilitation-Appropri- ations-Maintenance-Tuition. HELD: The word "maintenance," as used in the 1935 appropriation for the Bureau of Civilian Rehabilitation, includes tUition, fees and supplies, as well as living expenses of persons tak- ing the vocational rehabilitation courses contemplated by the statutes. May 5, 1936. Mr. Leif Fredericks Supervisor, Vocational Rehabilitation The Capitol The Twenty-fourth Legislative As- sembly (H. B. No. 532, Laws of 1935), appropriated $18,000 for the Bureau of Civilian Rehabilitation, as follows: For Salaries not fixed by law _______________________________ . ________ $5,300.00 For Expenses __________________________ 3,700.00 For payment of Maintenance of Vocational Trainees ______ 9,000.00 You desire to know whether school expenses such as tuition and supplies may be paid out of the funds provided for "maintenance of vocational train- ees." In view of the fact that Sections 3044-3051, R. C. M. 1921, as amended by Chapter 20, Laws of 1929, and Chapter 1, Laws of 1927, contemplate and provide for "vocational rehabili- tation", which requires attendance in various schools, the word "mainten- ance" as used in the 1935 appropria- tion must necessarily include tuition, supplies and all other school expenses, as well as actual living expenses. In fact, unless it did, the whole purpose of vocational rehabilitation, which was intended for those persons of physical defects or infirmity, who are financially unable to attain that ob- jective (Section 1, Chapter 1, Laws of 1927), would fail. The term "main- tenance" is one of broad significance and in the circumstances and connec- tion used, it includes tuition, fees and supplies, as well as living expenses of persons taking the vocational re- habilitation courses contemplated by the statutes.