Contact: DOA Communications, (608) 266-1741
DOACommunications@wisconsin.gov

MADISON – On Jan. 28, 2020, Vice President Mike Pence will attend an event at the Wisconsin State Capitol building. This visit will have a short-term impact on employees and the visiting public. Below is information to help answer the most common questions about the event’s impact. All security restrictions are occurring at the direction of the U.S. Secret Service.

Event Details and Impact on State Capitol

  • This event officially runs from noon to 1 p.m. on Jan. 28, 2020. The State Capitol will be the only building affected by the changes listed below. All other state buildings will continue operating as usual.
  • There will be short-term road closures along the motorcade route; however, those closures are expected to be brief. The motorcade route is determined by the U.S. Secret Service and closures are not able to be announced in advance.
  • The U.S. Secret Service is the lead agency and is being assisted by the Wisconsin State Capitol Police and several other law enforcement partners. All security restrictions are occurring at the direction of the U.S. Secret Service.

Entrance Changes and Hours

  • Beginning at 6 a.m. there will be one entrance to the Capitol open to building employees or those directly associated with the event. That entrance will be the ground floor doors on East Washington Avenue.
  • At 8 a.m. the ground floor doors on Wisconsin Avenue will be opened for public use.  Those two doors (East Washington and Wisconsin Avenue) will be the only open entrances to the Capitol.
  • Authorized media personnel will be using the entrance at the ground floor Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard doors.
  • At the conclusion of the event all entrances will be reopened and the building will return to normal daily operations.

Security Screening

  • All persons entering the Capitol building will be subject to security screening including the use of magnetometers (metal detectors), bag checks, and potentially a physical pat-down of your person.
  • In order to ensure the vice president’s security, the Secret Service has provided a list of prohibited items (see list below) that may not be brought into the Capitol. Please note, this includes a prohibition on all firearms, even for those who may typically legally carry a concealed weapon.
  • Any prohibited items confiscated will not be returned. This includes glass, thermal, or insulated containers (e.g., coffee mugs, water bottles), so please plan accordingly.

Magnetometer Checkpoint Prohibited Items

  • Aerosols
  • Ammunition
  • Animals other than service/guide animals
  • Backpacks
  • Bags exceeding size restrictions
  • Bicycles
  • Balloons
  • Coolers
  • Drones and other unmanned aircraft systems
  • Explosives
  • Firearms
  • Glass, thermal, or metal containers
  • Laser pointers
  • Mace/pepper spray
  • Packages
  • Selfie sticks
  • Structures
  • Signs exceeding the size restrictions (20′ x 3′ x 1/4″)
  • Support for signs and placards
  • Toy guns
  • Explosives
  • Recreational motorized mobility devices
  • Weapons of any kind
  • Any other items determined to be potential safety hazards
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