Under a new policy, visitors to the Capitol “are permitted to hand-carry a paper-based poster board or placard type sign up to 11×17 inches in the Capitol corridors and lobby.”
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé student Ida Meyer holds a sign during a walkout to protest Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s education funding veto on Thursday, April 4, 2024.
The nonpartisan Legislative Affairs Agency administers the state Capitol. Its director, Jessica Geary, told lawmakers that the policy came about because “during this past session, we had an incident with some protesters that carried signs into the Capitol and held them up and were somewhat disruptive during one of the committee hearings.”
“NEA-Alaska believes that the voices of Alaskans should be heard on matters of great importance, particularly when it comes to decisions that impact our students. However, we understand and take seriously the security concerns of those who have chosen to serve as elected officials,” he said by email.
LAA attorney Emily Nauman said that in order to comply with the First Amendment, the policy has to be “content-neutral” — signs can’t be limited based on what they say. Nauman said that in a committee room, enforcement of the rule is up to the chair of the relevant committee.
Alaska State Capitol Capitol Protest Education Vetoes Emily Nauman Jesse Kiehl Jessica Geary Legislative Affairs Agency Legislative Council National Education Association Tom Klaameyer
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