Opinion ID: 2634513
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Restrictions' reasonableness

Text: At issue in this appeal are the RTC and UNLV policies concerning advance notice, identification of the petition's subject and the petition circulator, pre-authorization, physical placement of designated signature-gathering area, and the requirement that a petition circulator agree, in writing, to abide by certain guidelines. Neither written policy discriminates amongst signature gatherers based on the content of the petition or the viewpoint of the petition circulator. Therefore, we must decide whether the policies are reasonable in light of the RTC CitiCenter's transportation purposes and UNLV's educational purposes. [47] RTC contends that its guidelines were created in order to accommodate petition circulators while also ensuring the safety and security of RTC patrons and preserving efficient operations of its transportation system. It asserts that its policy was implemented to deal with several concerns. For instance, RTC asserts that requiring advance notice, specification of the requested information, and petition circulators' agreement to abide by the guidelines allow it to (1) verify that the petition is an authentic NRS Chapter 293 ballot measure, since no other expressive activity is permitted at RTC locations; (2) timely procure any additional security it feels might be necessary to curb potential disturbances arising from the contents of the petition; (3) prevent confusion and unnecessary confrontations with signature gatherers; (4) provide any additional employees, supervisors, signage, etc., that might be needed to direct patrons; and (5) coordinate areas with other groups. In addition, with respect to its designated-area provision, RTC asserts that its CitiCenter is a cramped area in which patrons are often pressed up to the curb edges, and through which patrons have to quickly cross in order to make connections, and notes the potential dangers of permitting groups of signature gatherers or their equipment to become obstacles to unwary or distracted patrons. UNLV similarly requires advance notice, although of an undetermined period, and that requestors fill out and sign a form with their names and contact information, indicating the type of activity involved. UNLV asserts that it asks for notice and the above information in order to (1) know who to contact if a problem arises, (2) confirm that the use is noncommercial, (3) keep track of who is on campus for a legitimate purpose, (4) make any arrangements for unusual events, and (5) explain and provide a map of the designated areas. NSG counters that the above restrictions impermissibly impede its ability to get signatures. According to NSG, the typical volunteer or paid per signature status of petition circulators makes it very difficult to make long-term plans and to coordinate signature-gathering times and locations, and the advance notice and form fill-out policies discourage would-be circulators from deciding, on any given day, to go out and collect signatures. NSG characterizes as unduly burdensome the RTC guidelines' provision stating that the area should be in an area avoidable by patrons and UNLV's placement of expressive-activity areas away from Ham Hall's exits, allegedly off UNLV property, given the fact that signatures often have to be directly solicited. Accordingly, NSG argues that it should not be required to agree to abide by the rules, because in doing so, it would in effect be agreeing to their validity. We conclude that, under the First Amendment, the above time, place, and manner regulations are permissible restrictions related to legitimate government safety and functional operating purposes. There is nothing inherently unreasonable in requiring a petition circulator to provide advance notice of his or her intended signature-gathering activities. Advance notice serves a variety of purposes, including enabling building operators to better accommodate multiple signature gatherers and individual petition circulators' particular needs, and to have a chance to make other employees aware of the intended signature-gathering activities so that they will be able to adjust their duties accordingly. Additionally, the RTC and UCCSN requirements that a signature gatherer provide his or her contact information before being allowed to use RTC and UCCSN property are reasonable. The information is for internal use and does not affect signature gatherers' choices to remain anonymous to the general public or appear to make them more susceptible to public harassment or retaliation. Rather, the requested information is reasonably related to RTC and UCCSN aims of accommodating all requestors and unusual circumstances while maintaining safe and efficient operations of their affairs. RTC's requirement that the subject matter of the petition be revealed is reasonably related to the advancement of its intent to maintain limited public forum status by permitting only NRS Chapter 293 petition circulators to engage in signature-gathering activities on its premises, in accordance with NRS 293.127565. [48] Although RTC asserts that it may use the information to act based on the content of the petition, for example, to provide additional security if deemed necessary, there is no indication that it uses the information in order to deny any signature gatherer access. Further, RTC and UNLV requirements that circulators obtain approval or authorization before using the premises is apparently based on completion of the above requirements, not on the content of the petition or the viewpoint of the petition circulator. Thus, those requirements are also reasonable means of controlling access to the limited public forums, thereby enforcing valid restrictions in light of appellants' principal operations. [49] Similar requirements have been upheld by other jurisdictions. [50] Although the exact location of UNLV's designated expressive-activities area during the Ham Hall incident is unclear, its desire to keep petition circulators from directly blocking the building's exits is reasonably related to its purpose of maintaining safety and order at the high-security event. Similarly, noting the congestion difficulties that the CitiCenter faces and the bus-transfer methods currently employed there, the RTC guideline provision establishing the designated area in a location avoidable by patrons is reasonably related the CitiCenter's purpose as a transportation facility. Finally, it follows that RTC's requirement that a requestor sign the request form, thereby agreeing to abide by its constitutionally permissible guidelines, is likewise reasonable. [51] As the above discussion demonstrates, none of the RTC and UCCSN time, place, and manner restrictions challenged by NSG discriminates amongst petition circulators based on the content of the petition or the viewpoint of the petition's promoter. Further, all of the restrictions are reasonable and all are related to RTC's and UCCSN's goals of promoting safety and efficiency in conducting, respectively, their legitimate transportation and education purposes. Finally, we note that there is no indication that either RTC or UCCSN policies were applied to NSG in a discriminatory manner. Accordingly, we move on to NSG's statutory-based arguments.
NSG argues that NRS 293.127565 grants petition circulators broader free speech rights than those protected by the First Amendment. [52] NRS 293.127565 provides: Use of public buildings to gather signatures on petitions; regulations. 1. At each building that is open to the general public and occupied by the government of this state or a political subdivision of this state or an agency thereof, other than a building of a public elementary or secondary school, an area must be made available for the use of any person to gather signatures on a petition at any time that the building is open to the public. The area must be reasonable and may be inside or outside of the building. Each public officer or employee in control of the operation of a building governed by this subsection shall designate and approve the area required by this subsection for the building. 2. Before a person may use an area designated pursuant to subsection 1, the person must notify the public officer or employee in control of the operation of the building governed by subsection 1 of the dates and times that the person intends to use the area to gather signatures on a petition. The public officer or employee may not deny the person the use of the area. 3. A person aggrieved by a decision made by a public officer or employee pursuant to subsection 1 may appeal the decision to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State shall review the decision to determine whether the public officer or employee designated a reasonable area as required by subsection 1. As discussed above, the government is not required to grant access to government premises for expressive-activity purposes when the premises have not traditionally been open for such purposes. Thus, to the extent that the statute permits petition circulators to access government-occupied premises that have not traditionally been accessible for expressive activities, NSG's assertion is correct. [53]