The West Virginia Capitol’s west entrance to the West Wing will be the main entrance to the building starting Jan. 8. All Capitol visitors will be required to enter through a security checkpoint.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Public access to the West Virginia Capitol’s main building will change in January, when the state’s Division of Protective Services adopts a policy requiring visitors to enter through a security checkpoint.
Starting Jan. 8, all visitors must enter the Capitol at the west entrance of the West Wing, where they will be screened for weapons and other items that state code has banned from campus. The Division of Protective Services will announce the change in security procedure today.
During legislative sessions, a second entrance will be opened, in the Capitol’s East Wing. It will be available for use starting Jan. 10, when legislators begin interim meetings ahead of the 60-day regular session.
All visitors, including school groups, contractors, vendors, protesters and lobbyists, will be required to enter through the checkpoints. The larger north and south entrances will not be accessible to the public.
During the screening process, each person will pass through a metal detector and must empty their pockets for inspection. Bags will be screened with an X-ray machine…
