Capitol and grounds exhibit and event guidelines [May 31, 2016]

CAPITOL AND GROUNDS
Exhibit and Event
Guidelines
Georgia Building Authority Support Services
One Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30334 404-657-7407

CAPITOL AND GROUNDS PROCEDURES MANUAL

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Table of Contents
1 OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................... 3
2 PUBLIC USE OF CAPITOL............................................................................................... 3 2.1 General Guidelines ...................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Use of Interior Public Areas .......................................................................................... 5 2.3 License Agreement ...................................................................................................... 6 2.4 Film Industry Use........................................................................................................ 6 2.5 Use of Liberty Plaza..................................................................................................... 6
3 RESERVING SPACE AT THE CAPITOL ............................................................................. 7
Awareness Statement ......................................................................................... Appendix A

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Liberty Plaza, Atlanta GA

CAPITOL AND GROUNDS PROCEDURES MANUAL

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SECTION 1 OVERVIEW
The Georgia State Capitol building is the State's legislative center and an architecturally and historically significant facility located in downtown Atlanta. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
These guidelines are provided to govern the temporary use of the public spaces of the State Capitol building and grounds. The Board of Regents maintains the Georgia Capitol Museum located inside the Capitol and conducts tours of the Capitol.
Permitted temporary uses of the public spaces within the Capitol are conditioned upon acceptance and compliance with these guidelines and payment of applicable fees. A person who refuses to adhere to these conditions is subject to criminal penalties provided by law and to immediate removal from the Capitol building and grounds.
Sponsoring organizations who are authorized, in accordance with this policy, to use the public spaces within the Capitol release the State of Georgia, GBA, its members, officers, agents, and employees against any and all damages, claims, or other liabilities due to personal injury or death, or damage to or loss of property to others, arising out of the temporary use of any State facility, except to the extent of the sole negligence of the GBA.
The Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS) or the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) are the law enforcement entities responsible for security of the Capitol building and grounds. DPS or the GBI may suspend or modify the use of the Capitol building and grounds and adopt temporary guidelines as needed.
GBA retains the statutory authority to waive or modify any or all of the Guidelines contained herein on a case by case basis as deemed necessary by GBA.
Failure to follow these guidelines, or the instructions given by either Georgia Building Authority or law enforcement personnel, will result in the immediate removal of any exhibit or event from the Capitol building and grounds. Failure to follow these guidelines or instructions given by Georgia Building Authority or law enforcement personnel may result in the denial of future applications to use the Capitol building and grounds.
SECTION 2 USE OF THE CAPITOL BUILDING AND GROUNDS
2.1 General Guidelines
The interior public spaces of the Georgia Capitol, which is defined as the South Wing and Rotunda, and Liberty Plaza, which is designated as the only outside venue, may be temporarily used as locations for organized events, exhibits, news conferences and occasions for a public or governmental purpose subject to the following rules and restrictions:
1. Official public business by the agencies of the State and branches of State Government shall take precedence over any other requested use of public areas of the Capitol.
2. Priority is given on a first-come, first-served basis, taking into consideration governmental activities and scheduled guided tours. GBA may determine priority in the temporary use of the public areas of the Capitol.
3. Organizations and persons desiring to use the public areas should apply to GBA at least 10 days in advance of the event. Event requests more than 365 days in advance shall be denied.
4. No more than one event or display will be scheduled for the same time on the same day.

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5. No event or exhibit shall be scheduled for more than 5 consecutive business days, or for more than 10 business days in any one calendar year.

6. Payments due for an event shall be paid 10 days before the event is scheduled to take place. Failure of payment shall cause cancellation of the event.

7. Posting, hanging, or affixing signs, banners, flags, announcements, documents, or decorations on any exterior or interior surface of the Capitol is prohibited. All event items and materials are to be removed. All areas must be returned to their pre-event condition.

8. It is illegal for any person, firm, group, organization, or other entity to beg, panhandle, solicit, charge for admission, or to sell goods, wares, or any other objects or services within the State Capitol or grounds. Exhibits must legibly identify to a reasonable observer their ownership or sponsorship by either a governmental or private organization or persons.

9. Every effort must be made to avoid placing cords and wires in walking areas. In the event this is not possible, all exposed cords or wires shall be securely covered in the walking areas by the organization.

10. The State of Georgia is not responsible for damage to or loss or theft of exhibits during the period of their installation, display, or removal. The exhibitor acknowledges that no special security is provided to exhibits by DPS.

11. Event organizer is responsible for property damage caused by their activities during an event or exhibit.

12. Defacing or damaging any Capitol property is punishable by law.

13. If open flames are to be used in connection with an outdoor event, GBA must approve in advance.

14. In case of natural disaster, unforeseen emergencies, or threats endangering public safety or health, DPS and/or GBA reserves the right to cancel (prior to or during) events inside the Capitol building or on the Capitol grounds.

15. Sound or noise which is audible to a person of normal hearing ability more than 250 feet from the point of origin is prohibited in outdoor public areas.

16. Buses and vans may park on Washington Street in the far right lane.

17. No one shall climb upon the statues, memorials, or other features.

18. No one shall encroach upon the grass and gardens of the Capitol grounds. The only exception is the grass area located at Liberty Plaza.

19. Camping or sleeping on the Capitol grounds is not allowed.

20. Limited public parking is available in and around the Capitol Hill area.

21. Requests to modify or change the exterior lighting surrounding the Capitol Building and its dome as part of the recognition of a special event, exhibit or occasion will not be approved.

22. No alcohol is allowed in the Capitol buildings or on the grounds.

23. Organized events, exhibits, news conferences, and occasions for public or governmental purposes that take place after normal business hours shall be approved by DPS.

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CAPITOL AND GROUNDS PROCEDURES MANUAL
2.2 Use of Interior Public Areas of the Capitol Building

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In addition to the General Guidelines, the following rules apply specifically to the temporary use of interior public areas of the Capitol building:
1. Organized events and exhibits will be scheduled only during regular hours of operation (Monday through Friday). The available locations and times are below:
South Wing
Events/Exhibits
(8:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.) or (1:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m.)
Musical Performances
(12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m.)
Rotunda
Events/Exhibits
(1:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m.)
(The regular operating hours may be modified based upon budget, staffing, safety, or weather considerations.)
2. The Capitol is closed on all observed holidays as declared by the Governor.
3. Entrances to the Capitol are monitored by DPS. Access to the indoor public areas of the Capitol is conditioned upon consent to search and inspection.
4. The indoor public areas of the Capitol available for events or exhibits are limited to the second floor in the Rotunda or in the adjacent South wing as space allows.
5. A maximum of 113 chairs and 12 tables are permitted in the South Wing.
6. Smoking is prohibited in State facilities.
7. Moving of GBA furnishings (tables, chairs, podiums, etc.) is not permitted without prior written approval from GBA.
8. Moving paintings and museum exhibits is not permitted without prior written approval from the Board of Regents, University System of Georgia.
9. Helium balloons are not allowed in the indoor public areas of the Capitol.
10. The use of sticks/poles is not allowed inside the State Capitol building. Use includes, but is not limited to, attachment to cardboard signs, placards, and flags.
11. Except for service animals, animals are not allowed in the indoor public areas of the Capitol without approval from GBA.
12. No open flames, including candles, or ignited materials are permitted.
13. Requests for an event to be held in the interior public areas of the Capitol after normal business hours as provided in paragraph 1 of this section 2.1 will not be honored unless such event is: a) being held or hosted by a constitutional officer of the State of Georgia; and b) the purpose for such event is of statewide significance and non-partisan based. As

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chair of the GBA, the Governor retains the discretion to determine whether or not the above-referenced conditions, a and b, are met.

14. "Lying in State" ceremonies are held in the Capitol rotunda and the honor is granted by the Governor.

15. GBA has equipment (i.e., microphone, podium, chairs and tables) for use at exhibits or events. Fees are charged for any equipment, utilities, and labor used for setup/removal. Arrangements for equipment should be made at the time of application. All non-GBA AV equipment must be pre-approved by the GBA. No device intended for the artificial amplification of sound shall be allowed within the capitol interior spaces unless preapproved by GBA and operated only at the sound level allowed by GBA.

16. Persons or organizations using GBA equipment will be responsible for full payment no later than 10 days prior to the event or availability cannot be guaranteed.

17. Persons or organizations using GBA equipment will be responsible for any damage to or loss of these items.

2.3 License Agreement

Some activities may require separate written license agreement(s)

2.4 Film Industry Use

The public areas of the Capitol may be used on a temporary basis for filming by either the motion picture or television industries. Such use is subject to the provisions of 2.1 and 2.2 herein above, and subject to the following additional rules and restrictions:
1. Any use of the public spaces of the Capitol for filming will be subject to those terms and conditions documented in a separate written license agreement entered into between the Georgia Building Authority and the company responsible for the film project.
2. In addition to other fees which may be charged by GBA (including but not limited to parking fees, facility cleaning fees, and costs associated with work orders), the base fee for issuance of the license and the use of the public spaces of the Capitol shall not be less than $25,000.00 per calendar day.
3. GBA reserves the right to prohibit the presence of beverages containing alcohol, including but not limited to distilled spirits, liquor, beer and wine, within the Capitol as such beverages may be associated with or used in the filming of any movie or television production.
4. GBA reserves the right to review any screenplay, scene description, script pages, and costume or wardrobe descriptions prior to issuance of a license to use the public areas of the Capitol for filming.

2.5 Use of Liberty Plaza

In addition to the General Guidelines contained in 2.1 herein above, the following rules apply to the temporary uses of Liberty Plaza, located on the east side of the State Capitol. In the event of any conflict between the General Guidelines and the following guidelines, the guidelines of this provision 2.5 will control.
1. Liberty Plaza is designated as the Capitol public area for all outdoor events or exhibits. Liberty Plaza is for public use and cannot be reserved for a private or commercial event.

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2. Liberty Plaza is open to the public Monday through Friday, from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. excluding state holidays.

3. During normal business hours organized events will be required to be approved by GBA.

4. Requests for an event to be held in Liberty Plaza after normal business hours as provided in paragraph 2 of this section 2.5 will not be approved unless such event is: a) being held or hosted by a constitutional officer of the State of Georgia; and b) the purpose for such event is of statewide significance and non-partisan based. As the chair of GBA, the Governor retains the discretion to determine whether or not the abovereferenced conditions, a and b, are met.

5. GBA does not provide AV or equipment for Liberty Plaza. Any equipment or AV being provided by the requestor must be submitted and approved by GBA.

6. Groups that are larger than the State Fire Marshal Occupancy of 3,400 shall obtain a lane or street closure.

7. If the event is going to impact streets located adjacent to Liberty Plaza, then the applicant must obtain a lane or street closure from the Special Operations Division of the Atlanta Police Department.
8. An organization or persons temporarily using the area may provide electrical generators at their own expense.
9. A temporary structure may be anchored to the grass areas with sand bags only.
10. Equipment or structures temporarily erected by an organization or persons, as part of an event, shall be removed daily by the time scheduled for the closing of Liberty Plaza. Structures are required to comply with the requirements as set forth by the Fire Marshal's Office.
11. The ringing of the Liberty Bell will only take place on occasions of state or national significance as determined by the Governor.
12. If a sound system is being used during a Liberty Plaza event then the speakers placed on the stage shall face straight ahead and be pointed at the Liberty Plaza flags. Speakers placed on either side of the Capitol Avenue entrance must face the pedestrian bridge. The decibel level created by the sound system shall not exceed 65 decibels measured from the east steps of the State Capitol building. Sound in excess of 65 decibels will be reduced or shut off.
13. The event sponsor must supply one porta toilet per every hundred guests attending their event. Events for one hour or less are excluded from providing toilets on a case by case basis. At least 5% of the porta toilets (but no less than 1) must be accessible to people with disabilities. Events not adhering to the porta toilet guidelines will be cancelled.
14. Porta toilets can be placed on Parking Deck B (painted hatched area) which is adjacent to Liberty Plaza. When facing the flags, the designated area is located immediately to your right after passing underneath the pedestrian bridge. Height restrictions under the bridge are 6'5" and may require unloading before the bridge and moving the porta toilets to the designated area. Event sponsor will be responsible for any damage or clean-up related to the use of porta toilets form the time of delivery to pick up. Porta toilets cannot remain onsite overnight.

SECTION 3 RESERVING PUBLIC AREA SPACE AT THE CAPITOL

Requests for reserving use of space in the public areas of the Capitol, including Liberty Plaza, for events or exhibits must be made to:

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Events Coordinator Georgia Building Authority One Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, SW Atlanta, Georgia 30334 404.657.7407
A sponsoring organization who submits a request to reserve a public area or space of the Capitol for an event or exhibit shall submit the following to the Events Coordinator:

1. The "Event Request Form" is available at www.gba.ga.gov/forms and requires the following information: a) Name/address/telephone number of contact person(s) b) Name of organization c) Description of planned event or exhibit d) Date/time and duration requested for event or exhibit e) Area requested for use f) Equipment needed (tables, chairs, public address system) g) Food or beverage information h) Number of estimated attendees

2. Requests for exhibit space shall include a photograph of the proposed exhibit, preferably as it will be displayed. A scale drawing or sketch may be substituted if a photograph is not available. The dimensions of the space required should be indicated, as well as the manner in which the exhibit will be mounted or displayed.

3. A signed Awareness Statement (see attached Appendix A).

4. Failure to provide completed form (and photograph or sketch for exhibit space) will result in a request not being approved.

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APPENDIX A
5. A signed/completed Awareness Statement (See Appendix A).

Georgia State Patrol Special Operations Division P. O. Box 1456 Atlanta, Georgia 30371-2303

Capitol Police Division 404-656-4831 (voice) 404-657-8539 (facsimile) 404-656-7281 (emergency communications)

Awareness Statement Guidelines and Restrictions for the Use of the State Capitol and other State Buildings

To ensure a safe, secure event in public spaces of state buildings, sponsors, organizations, and persons (herein referred to as "requestor(s)") should be aware of certain legal guidelines and restrictions governing the use of state buildings including the State Capitol Building. Specific questions or concerns should be directed to either the Georgia Building Authority (GBA) or the Capitol Police Division unit of the Georgia State Patrol (GSP). Requestor(s) are required to review and sign the Awareness Statement. An original, signed Awareness Statement must be returned to the Georgia Building Authority with the completed request for the use of state building(s).
Guidelines and restrictions for the use of the State Capitol and other state buildings are as follows:
Entrance to the State Capitol is contingent upon consent to search and metal detector screening (applies also to certain other state buildings as well). Interference with or circumvention of any security measure(s) is a serious offense and will be prosecuted.
Public access hours for state buildings are generally 8:00 am until 5:00 pm Monday through Friday and closed on State Holidays (times may vary; confirm specifics with GBA or GSP). Public access to state buildings at other than these hours is prohibited.
The Georgia State Patrol and Georgia Bureau of Investigation are authorized and empowered to: deny entrance into or upon any property or building of the state when the person's activities are intended to disrupt or interfere with the normal activities and functions carried on in such property or building or have the potential of violating the security of the personnel therein; deny entrance of any person displaying any sign, banner, placard, poster, or similar device; remove any person from any such property or building when the person's activities interfere with or disrupt the activities and the operations carried on in such property or building or constitute a safety hazard to the property or building or the inhabitants thereof. The authority and power provided in this Code section and Code Section 50-16-15 shall also extend to any property or building utilized by the state or any agency thereof. (OCGA 50-16-14).
The use of the State Capitol and grounds is limited to departments of state government and to state and national political organizations and for no other purposes unless specifically authorized by law, and it is illegal for any person to disrupt state employees in the performance of their official duties (OCGA 50-9-9(a)). It is illegal for any person, firm, group, organization, or other entity to beg, panhandle, solicit, or to sell goods, wares, or any other objects or services within any buildings or on the grounds, sidewalks, or other ways owned by or under the control of the state, its agencies, authorities, commissions, boards, bureaus, or other state entities (OCGA 50-9-9(b)).
In accordance with OCGA 16-11-34.1:
o It is illegal for any person recklessly or knowingly to commit any act which may reasonably be expected to prevent or disrupt a session or meeting of the Senate or House of Representatives, a joint session thereof, or any meeting of any standing or interim committee, commission, or caucus of members thereof (OCGA 16-11-34.1(a)).

Sponsor Initial Here

Awareness Statement 3-2008.Doc Page 2 of 3 pages
o It is illegal for any person to enter, occupy, or remain within the state capitol building or any building housing committee offices, committee rooms, or offices of members, officials, or employees of the General Assembly or either house thereof while in the possession of any firearm (exception as provided in 16-11-126 through 16, 11-127.2), knife designed for the purpose of offense and defense, explosive or incendiary devise or compound, bludgeon, metal knuckles, or any other dangerous or deadly weapon, instrument, or devise (OCGA 16-1134.1(b)).
o It is illegal for any person to obstruct any street, sidewalk, hallway, office or other passageway in that area designated as Capitol Square by Code Section 50-2-28 or to fail or refuse to remove such obstruction after receiving a reasonable official request or the order of a peace officer to do so (OCGA 16-11-34.1(c)).
o It is illegal for any person willfully and knowingly to enter or to remain upon the floor of the Senate or the floor of the House of Representatives or within any cloakroom, lobby, or anteroom adjacent to such floor unless such person is authorized to enter or remain upon the floor or within such area (OCGA 16-11-34.1(d)).
o It is illegal for any person willfully and knowingly to enter or to remain in the gallery of the Senate or the gallery of the House of Representatives in violation of rules governing admission to such gallery adopted by the Senate or the House of Representatives or pursuant to authorization given by such body (OCGA 16-11-34.1(e)).
o It is illegal for any person willfully and knowingly to enter or to remain in any room, chamber, office, or hallway within the state capitol building or any building housing committee offices, committee rooms, or offices of members, officials, or employees of the General Assembly or either house thereof with intent to disrupt the orderly conduct of official business or to utter loud, threatening, or abusive language or engage in any disorderly or disruptive conduct in such buildings or areas (OCGA 16-11-34.1(f)).
o It is illegal for any person to parade, demonstrate, or picket within the state capitol building or any building housing committee offices, committee rooms, or offices of members, officials, or employees of the General Assembly or either house or to the utter loud, threatening, or abusive language or engage in any disorderly or disruptive conduct in such buildings or areas (OCGA 16-11-34.1(g)).
Any person violating code section 16-11-34.1 for the first time shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, any person violating code section 16-11-34.1 for the second time shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of high and aggravated nature, any person violating code section 16-11-34.1 for the third or any subsequent time shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than nor more than three years (OCGA 16-11-34.1(h)).
It is illegal for any person to interfere with or obstruct the passage into or from government property (OCGA 16-7-24(b)).
Sponsor Initial Here

Awareness Statement 3-2008.Doc Page 3 of 3 pages

On behalf of the requestor(s) named herein, I have reviewed and understand the foregoing guidelines. The requestor(s) agrees to abide by these guidelines and restrictions.

Organization's Printed Name

Sponsor's Printed Name

Sponsor's Signature on Behalf of Requesting Organization

Date

Sponsor Initial Here