(AUGUSTA, ME)— The Legislative Council, the body that controls the State Capitol building, voted yesterday to open the Capitol to the public for the first time in more than a year. Also, beginning June 2, the House and Senate will hold their full meetings in their respective chambers while committee meetings will continue to be held online via Zoom.

Despite Governor Mills’ lifting of requirements that people wear masks indoors, a decision she made based on the latest guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Democrats on the Council chose to require that everyone inside the Capitol wear masks, regardless of their vaccination status.

This decision sends a contradictory and confusing message to the people of Maine, with one branch of government providing one guidance, while another branch takes the opposite approach.

Senate Republican Leader Jeff Timberlake: “The State needs to speak with one voice and its statements regarding the pandemic must be based on science. The Governor made her decision based on the latest science from the U.S. CDC and the Legislature should follow that same path.”

Assistant Senate Republican Leader Matt Pouliot: “Clear, concise guidance is a crucial tool in keeping the public informed about the safest protocols during a pandemic. This contradictory decision only spreads confusion and a lack of trust among Mainers.”