Visitors to the Capitol Required to Present Proof of Being Fully Vaccinated or Obtain Clearance from Empire State Plaza Rapid Testing Site 

Due to the evolving concerns regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19 virus) and the Omicron variant, the Office of General Services is implementing new visitor restrictions that will be in effect on Wednesday, January 5 at the Capitol and Legislative Office Building in Albany. These restrictions are to ensure the health and well-being of all employees and the public on the day of Governor Kathy Hochul’s 2022 State of the State Address and the first day of the 2022 Legislative Session. The Office of General Services will evaluate the implementation of these restrictions, capacity expectations, and ongoing developments regarding COVID-19 to determine any similar protocols for other days during the Legislative Session.   

Capitol 

Visitors will be allowed entry at 12 p.m. and are required to enter the Capitol from the Empire State Plaza concourse level. There will be limited capacity on the first floor of the Capitol due to social distancing requirements.   

All visitors to the Capitol, including representatives of the media without State-issued access cards, must present proof of full vaccination or obtain clearance from the COVID rapid testing site that will operate from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Meeting Rooms 1-5 at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center. No other test results will be accepted, and visitors who are not fully vaccinated will be required to present documentation from the testing site along with a valid ID.  

Individuals are considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19 when at least two weeks have passed after receiving either: 

• The second dose in a two-dose series (i.e., Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna); or 
• A single-dose vaccine (i.e., Johnson & Johnson/Janssen)    

Proof of vaccination may include: 

• Excelsior Pass 
• Excelsior Pass Plus 
• SMART Health Cards issued outside of New York State 
• Full-course vaccination through NYC COVID Safe app 
• A CDC Vaccination Card 
• Other official immunization record   

Authorized State employees will continue to access the Capital via all normal entrances, turnstiles, and portals.   

Use of the State Street and Washington Avenue entrances to the Capitol will be limited to employees with official building access. All other points of entry to the Empire State Plaza concourse level will be open to the public, including from the Plaza’s parking levels.  

Visitors are required to wear face masks in the Capitol and throughout the entire Empire State Plaza facility and associated buildings.   

Legislative Office Building   

The Legislative Office Building will be closed to visitors on Wednesday, January 5.   

The State Street entrance to the Legislative Office Building will be closed, and authorized employees will be required to access the building from the Empire State Plaza concourse or through a 24-hour access portal. All employees will need to provide their staff access cards.