Opinion ID: 2828011
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Legal Standard in Limited Public Forum

Text: We have recognized that, in order to safeguard the purpose of a limited public forum, the government may restrict speech in that forum. See White, 900 F.2d at 1426. “In addition to time, place, and manner regulations, the state may 12 REZA V. PEARCE reserve the forum for its intended purposes, communicative or otherwise, as long as the regulation on speech is reasonable and not an effort to suppress expression merely because public officials oppose the speaker’s view.” Perry Educ. Ass’n, 460 U.S. at 46. See also Kindt v. Santa Monica Rent Control Bd., 67 F.3d 266, 271 (9th Cir. 1995) (“The fact remains that limitations on speech at those meetings must be reasonable and viewpoint neutral, but that is all they need to be.”). Although we conclude below that Senator Pearce’s restrictions on Reza, which attempted to preserve the ability of the Senate to hold uninterrupted legislative hearings, were viewpoint neutral, there are material issues of disputed fact concerning whether Reza actually disrupted the proceedings, and whether Senator Pearce had legitimate concerns that, if Reza were allowed into the Building in the future, he would interrupt legislative debate. These factual issues affect our analysis concerning the reasonableness of the restrictions placed on Reza.