Prayer Group Waived Of New Statehouse Policy

Tuesday, January 3, 2012 at 6:29 AM

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - Just days after a new policy was implemented at the Indiana Statehouse limiting the number of people inside, a group has been given a waiver.

Indiana State Police announced last week they would only allow 3,000 people in the statehouse in Indianapolis, which irked protestors and Democrats.

Indiana State Police superintendent Paul Whitesell said the move was made to ensure public safety following mass protests inside the statehouse during the 2011 lawmaking session against right-to-work legislation.

Now, people attending Capitol Commission Indiana's prayer day Wednesday will be allowed to show a copy of an e-mail invitation to get into the statehouse for the prayer service as Indiana lawmakers begin the 2012 session Wednesday.

There are expected to be large crowds of anti-right to work union protestors Wednesday and throughout the session, but they’ll largely be restricted to a designated assembly area outside the statehouse.

Capitol Commission State Director Matt Barnes told the Associated Press his group isn't getting special treatment, noting that the prayer service is a scheduled Statehouse event.

The Indiana AFL-CIO fired back. Spokesman Jeff Harris said the state is now in the position to pick and choose who gets access to the Statehouse.

LINKS:

New Policy Limits Crowd Sizes At Ind. Statehouse