4 Pa. Code § 86.1 - Introduction

(a) The public areas of the Pennsylvania State Capitol Building and the Capitol Complex are under the jurisdiction of the Department. The public areas of the Capitol include the Rotunda and its balconies; the main corridors; the grand staircase; the ground floor entrances; the cafeteria, when open; the East Wing Rotunda and its balconies; the first floor exterior porches and staircases; all exterior building surfaces; and the Capitol grounds, defined as the property on which the Capitol building is situated. The Capitol Complex consists of that property which is delineated on the map in Appendix A. The public areas of the buildings within the Capitol Complex include the lobbies, elevators and common areas.

(b) The public areas of the Capitol Complex must be maintained as intact, attractive, safe and readily available to the thousands of individuals who visit and work there. The Capitol Complex also must be available to individuals who wish to exercise their constitutional rights to assemble and to communicate their views to government officials and the public. The Department has taken steps to secure parts of the Capitol Complex. The focus on these steps became more critical after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington and the aircraft crash in western Pennsylvania. There will be designated visitor entrances with security screening checkpoints. Capitol Police will conduct visitor screening using walk-through metal detectors, hand held metal detectors, X-ray machines, search procedures and CCTV monitors. The Department will post signs advising visitors of access requirements and rights.

(c) The policies and procedures in this chapter will be followed by the Department in its administration, operation and preservation of the public areas of the Capitol Complex. At no time will the application or administration of these policies and procedures be influenced or affected by considerations of age, sex, race, national origin, handicap, religion, partisan politics or the content of any written or oral communication or other expressive activity. Nothing in this chapter should be construed or applied in a manner that is inconsistent with Chapter 85 (relating to exercise of First Amendment rights on Commonwealth property), which is incorporated herein and made a part hereof.

Notes

4 Pa. Code § 86.1

The provisions of this § 86.1 amended September 6, 2002, effective 9/7/2002, 32 Pa.B. 4358.