May 11, 2021

The Honorable Gavin Newsom The Honorable Toni Atkins The Honorable Anthony Rendon Governor of California State Assembly State Capitol, First Floor State Capitol, Rm 205 State Capitol, Room 219 Sacramento, CA 95814 Sacramento, CA 95814 Sacramento, CA 95814

Re: California State Capitol - Public Access

Dear Governor Newsom, President Pro Tempore Atkins, and Speaker Rendon:

Over the past 4 months, California has made tremendous progress in our battle to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Consider how far we have come: - More than 32 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in California - More than 40% of Californians are fully vaccinated - California’s hospitalization rates are at a record low - California’s positivity rate is 1.2%, the lowest in the nation

We have navigated a moment of profound crisis and the light at the end of the tunnel has never been brighter. As a result of this terrific progress, pandemic era restrictions have begun to loosen all across our state. Businesses have re-opened their doors and welcomed back customers; we have enjoyed reconnecting with family, neighbors and friends; and we are returning to a semblance of pre-pandemic normalcy.

A notable – and increasingly troubling – exception is our State Capitol. Access to the Capitol Building remains limited well beneath other public spaces. For example, movie theaters in the Sacramento area can currently operate at 25% capacity, museums can currently operate at 25% capacity and shopping malls can operate at 50% capacity. Yet the State Capitol severely limits public access and participation to 0% of capacity except during hearings and Floor Session? This is both illogical and unacceptable.

This is the people’s house and we are elected representatives here to do the people’s work. Ensuring access to our proceedings is a vital part of our democracy – in ways that are both practical and symbolic. With that in mind, we urge you to act now to restore access to the people’s house for the people of California.

We request the following modifications by May 19th: - Remove the barricades around the Capitol building and the Capitol park. - Re-open the Capitol building and hearing rooms at levels that are consistent with CDPH public health guidance for comparable spaces. - In preparation for retiring the Blueprint for a Safer Economy and resuming ‘business as usual’ on June 15, publish guidelines for Capitol access that will be effective as of June 15.

We appreciate your service to our great state and look forward to your response. And, more importantly, we look forward to continuing to work with you to defeat this pandemic and build back California, stronger than before.

Thank you for your commitment to California.

Sincerely,

Steven Bradford Melissa Hurtado Senator, 35th S.D. Senator, 14th S.D.

Josh Newman Jordan Cunningham Senator, 29th S.D. Assemblymember, 35th A.D.

James Gallagher Adam Gray Assemblymember, 3rd A.D. Assemblymember, 21st A.D.

Tom Lackey Chad Mayes Assemblymember, 36th A.D. Assemblymember, 42nd A.D.

Cottie Petrie-Norris Suzette Martinez Valladares Assemblymember, 74th A.D. Assemblymember, 38th A.D.