The State Capitol Building Will Close to Public Until Further Notice
Senate President Peter Courtney and House Speaker Tina Kotek released the following statement about operations at the Capitol building in response to the
coronavirus pandemic:
“In light of the developing coronavirus pandemic, we have made the decision
to close the Capitol to the public and all non-essential personnel, effective
Wednesday, March 18 until further notice. This is a difficult decision. The
Capitol is the people’s building. Keeping it open and accessible will always be
important to us.
“Last week we curtailed operations at the Capitol, reducing staff to
essential personnel and canceling meetings and tours. However, following CDC
and OHA guidelines, it is clear that we need to close the building to the
public. We hope this measure demonstrates the seriousness of this situation and
the importance of social distancing to slow down the spread of the coronavirus.
“This closure does not change our plans for a forthcoming special session
to address the statewide impact of coronavirus on families, workers and
businesses. We are currently working with Legislative Administration, the
Governor’s office and others to assess how we can move forward with a special
session in the coming weeks in order to provide needed relief. Public health
will have to be balanced with public participation by implementing social
distancing, taking remote testimony, limiting staffing and enhancing cleaning.”
Oregonians can still
reach their legislators by email and phone. Contact information, along with
building announcements, newsletters and more can be found at www.oregonlegislature.gov/.
