State officials tweak rules on Capitol gatherings
The state Department of Administration has tweaked rules governing gatherings at the state Capitol.
Current DOA policy requires groups of four or more people to obtain a permit.
But DOA spokeswoman Stephanie Marquis said actual administrative rules contain no definition of a group. The agency has changed the rules to define a group as four or more people.
Gov. Scott Walker signed off on the changes on Thursday.
A handful of protesters have been gathering in the Capitol rotunda nearly every day for most of the last two years to sing anti-Walker songs. Police have issued them scores of citations for failing to comply with the DOA’s permit policies.
Rep. Chris Taylor, a Madison Democrat, held a news conference Thursday accusing DOA of violating the protesters’ right to express themselves.
