Opinion ID: 1269735
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: California courts properly apply intermediate scrutiny to content neutral restrictions on free speech on private property.

Text: A content-neutral time, place, and manner restriction must be narrowly tailored to serve a significant governmental interest, and leave open ample alternative channels for the communication of the information. Ward v. Rock Against Racism, 491 U.S. 781, 791, 109 S.Ct. 2746, 105 L.Ed.2d 661 (1989). A statute is narrowly tailored if it targets and eliminates no more than the exact source of the `evil' it seeks to remedy. Frisby v. Schultz, 487 U.S. 474, 485, 108 S.Ct. 2495, 101 L.Ed.2d 420 (1988). Whether a regulation leaves open ample alternative channels for communication of the information requires analyzing if the message could not be communicated in other ways and the barriers to conveying the intended message. Clark v. Cmty for Creative Non-Violence, 468 U.S. 288, 294, 104 S.Ct. 3065, 82 L.Ed.2d 221 (1984). [A]n incidental burden on speech is no greater than is essential, and therefore is permissible under [ United States v. ] O'Brien [, 391 U.S. 367, 377, 88 S.Ct. 1673, 20 L.Ed.2d 672 (1968)], so long as the neutral regulation promotes a substantial government interest that would be achieved less effectively absent the regulation. United States v. Albertini, 472 U.S. 675, 689, 105 S.Ct. 2897, 86 L.Ed.2d 536 (1985). The validity of such regulations does not turn on a judge's agreement with the responsible decisionmaker concerning the most appropriate method for promoting significant government interests. Id. There is no federal right to engage in First Amendment activity that is unrelated to the business of a privately owned shopping center. Hudgens v. NLRB, 424 U.S. 507, 518, 96 S.Ct. 1029, 47 L.Ed.2d 196 (1976); Lloyd Corp. v. Tanner, 407 U.S. 551, 570, 92 S.Ct. 2219, 33 L.Ed.2d 131 (1972). California has chosen to provide additional protection for expressive activity in private shopping malls under article I, section 2 of the California Constitution. Fashion Valley Mall, LLC v. NLRB, 42 Cal.4th 850, 69 Cal.Rptr.3d 288, 172 P.3d 742, 749-50 (2007). California courts have concluded, however, that shopping malls may impose reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions upon speech. Robins v. Pruneyard Shopping Ctr., 23 Cal.3d 899, 153 Cal.Rptr. 854, 592 P.2d 341, 347 (1979); see also Fashion Valley Mall, 69 Cal. Rptr.3d 288, 172 P.3d at 754 (reaffirming that [s]hopping malls may enact and enforce reasonable regulations of the time, place, and manner of such free expression to assure that these activities do not interfere with the normal business operations of the mall ...). California law allows content-neutral regulation of speech by municipalities and private actors if the regulations are narrowly tailored to protect a proper municipal or private interest. See In re Hoffman, 67 Cal.2d 845, 64 Cal.Rptr. 97, 434 P.2d 353, 355-56 (1967) (discussing balancing use of property for municipal or private purposes and the First Amendment). Because California courts apply the exact same scrutiny to time, place, and manner restrictions on First Amendment activity as federal courts, the NLRB is entitled to rely upon a California court's determination that restrictions similar to those imposed by Macerich are proper methods of protecting private property rights under state law.