GENERAL LEGAL PRINCIPLES; STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION – General Principles

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The fundamental task in statutory construction is ascertaining the Legislature’s intent so as to effectuate the purpose of the law. When interpreting a statute, PERB begins with its plain meaning, affording the words their ordinary and usual meaning and giving meaning to every word of the statute, if possible, to avoid a construction that makes any word surplusage. If the terms of the statute are unambiguous, PERB assumes the Legislature meant what it said. (pp, 32-33.)