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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The "people's house" may be open to the public soon.
When speaking to reporters Monday, Massachusetts Senate President Karyn Spilka teased a possible re-opening of the State House and said she's optimistic it could happen as soon as next month.
The State House has been closed to the public ever since Governor Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency due to COVID back in March of 2020. The state of emergency was lifted back in June 2021, but the State House remained closed to the public.
Originally lawmakers hoped to reopen the State House sometime in the Fall of 2021, but a plan never came into fruition. As of January 2021, only lawmakers, staffers, and select employees are allowed to be in the building.
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Sen. Spilka said both the house and the senate have been working together on a reopening plan, and are still working out the potential COVID restrictions that would be put in place to allow for the State House to safely reopen.
"The House working group has been meeting with the Senate working group discussing ways to implement, potentially, a vaccination mandate requiring people to have vaccinations, wearing masks, and following State House protocol," Sen. Spilka said. "We are in the process of working that out."
Since the State House is still closed to the public, Governor Baker will deliver his State of the Commonwealth address on Tuesday, Jan. 25 at Hynes Convention Center. The speech begins at 7 p.m. and will be aired live on WBZ NewsRadio.
WBZ's Brooke McCarthy (@BrookeWBZ) reports.
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