Still no timeline to reopen Oregon Capitol to the public
Despite eased mask recommendations and increasing vaccination rates, don’t expect the Oregon Capitol to reopen to the public anytime soon.
The building was closed in spring 2020 amid rising cases of COVID-19 and has remained closed through multiple special sessions as well as the entire 2021 legislative session to date. The public can still observe the legislative process, as all legislative meetings are live-streamed, and lawmakers take testimony using virtual platforms.
Legislative leaders are awaiting updated guidance from the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Occupational Safety and Health, which regulate workplaces.
According to the “Capitol Operations Safety Plan” released in January by House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, and Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, the Capitol will not open its doors to the public until Marion County, where the building is located, enters the lower-risk category in the state’s risk level framework.
Read more: https://www.bendbulletin.com/coronavirus/still-no-timeline-to-reopen-oregon-capitol-to-the-public/article_edd4574b-9f02-5ce2-bd0f-f0d8bf6ed469.html
