Deal’s office reverses course on plan to wall off first-floor entrance

Deal spokesman Brian Robinson said state officers blocked the entry after "a few unnerving incidents of people roaming around in here" but reversed course over concerns that it might pose hurdles for disabled visitors. He said the entrance will likely be restricted again in late March, though disabled visitors will still be able to access the area by pressing a buzzer and waiting for an escort.

The plans infuriated state Rep. Rusty Kidd, who uses a motorized wheelchair to traverse the building. He took to the well of the House this week to blast the changes.

"I've got batteries to get me around the building, but most handicapped people in wheelchairs don't have batteries to get them around the building," said Kidd, I-Milledgeville. "They've got to push themselves around the building. Now one more hurdle has been created to make the state's building less accessible to the citizens of Georgia who have a disability."