Charges against Hansens dropped

Wednesday, June 30, 2004 | 9:31 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- The Reno city attorney's office Tuesday dropped trespassing charges against Janine Hansen and her son, who were arrested at the municipal bus station while circulating initiative petitions.

Deputy City Attorney Lynn Branzell said the charges against Hansen and her son Zachary Triggs should be dismissed with prejudice, meaning they could not be refiled.

Municipal Judge Kenneth Howard agreed to drop the charges and advised Hansen and her son they could file a motion to seal the records.

Hansen and Triggs were circulating petitions to repeal the $833.5 million tax increase and to bar public employees from serving in the Legislature.

Hansen called this a "complete vindication" of their rights to circulate the petition in a public place.

The Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County, which operates the bus station, has a requirement that those who want to circulate petitions must sign a form giving certain information.

When Hansen refused, she and her son were arrested.

A. Stanyan Peck, attorney for the regional transportation commission, said that although the center was built with public tax dollars, the commission is not precluded from imposing restrictions.

Secretary of State Dean Heller, Nevada's chief election officer, has advised government officials they must allow those gathering these petitions access to the public sites, without requiring them to sign documents.

Earlier this month District Judge Kenneth Cory of Las Vegas allowed Nevadans for Sound Government an extra 30 days to circulate their petitions to gain the necessary signatures because of interference by state and local government officials.