LEGISLATIVE LEADERS say they are optimistic the State House will begin reopening to the public in February.

Senate President Karen Spilka made the announcement following a State House meeting between her, House Speaker Ron Mariano, and Gov. Charlie Baker, but cautioned that a number of details still need to be worked out by working groups from the two branches.

“We’re optimistic that hopefully next month it can be opened,” Spilka said.

The Senate president said visitors to the State House will have to show proof that they have been vaccinated, wear masks, and follow additional protocols. She said details of that process are still being worked out. She also said she didn’t know whether the State House will reopen to everyone all at once or open on a phased basis to various groups.

“That is still being discussed,” she said.

The State House has been closed to the public since March 2020, when the pandemic first shifted into high gear. The Legislature now operates mostly remotely and nearly all hearings are held virtually. Reporters can gain access to the State House with press credentials, but members of the public are not admitted.

The closure of the State House hasn’t deterred the Legislature from getting its work done, and many lawmakers say the ability to testify from home has allowed more members of the public to participate in the legislative process without driving for hours to get to Beacon Hill. But the lack of public access to the building and to lawmakers has become a recurring question posed when legislative leaders appear in public, and the closure for some has become symbolic of the Legislature’s opaqueness.