The Lead

Pa. Capitol complex closed to public because of rising COVID-19 cases

By: John L. Micek - December 3, 2020 12:20 pm

The Pennsylvania Capitol building. (Capital-Star photo by Sarah Anne Hughes)

In case there was any doubt, there will be no Christmas inside the Capitol this year.

On Thursday, officials at the state Department of General Services, which manages the Pennsylvania state Capitol complex and its grounds, said they were shuttering it to public access until further notice, citing rising COVID-19 caseloads.

All operations for the Governor’s Office and General Assembly will continue, but access to the Capitol will be limited to employees and people with badge keycard credentials — a cohort that also includes lobbyists and journalists who are credential to cover the building.

“The cancelation of visits and events applies to all interior venues in the Capitol Complex and will affect rallies, school or group tours, choir performances, receptions, and other public gatherings. The Capitol Complex includes, but is not limited to, the Main Capitol Rotunda, East Wing Rotunda, Keystone Building Atrium, Forum Auditorium and The State Museum of Pennsylvania,” the agency said in a statement.

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John L. Micek

A 3-decade veteran of the news business, John L. Micek is the Pennsylvania Capital-Star's Editor-in-Chief. An award-winning political reporter, Micek’s career has taken him from small town meetings and Chicago City Hall to Congress and the Pennsylvania Capitol. His weekly column on U.S. politics is syndicated to 800 newspapers nationwide by Cagle Syndicate. He also contributes commentary and analysis to broadcast outlets in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Micek’s first novel, “Ordinary Angels,” was released in 2019 by Sunbury Press.