It'll be a 'holiday' tree only inside the state Capitol this coming winter

Allowed inside the state Capitol in Olympia this coming winter: a "holiday" tree.

Not allowed: a Nativity scene, an atheist sign, a "Seinfeld"-inspired Festivus pole or any other displays sponsored by private organizations.

The department that oversees the Capitol grounds announced Monday an interim policy on displays, a response to the furor that erupted last year after an atheist group put up an anti-religion sign next to a Nativity scene in the Capitol.

The policy, which took effect immediately, prohibits any nongovernmental displays inside any building on the Capitol grounds. But it may allow such displays outside, on the campus grounds.

"We want to preserve everyone's right to free expression. We just want to make sure we manage things better than they went last year," said Steve Valandra, spokesman for the Department of General Administration.

The policy applies to any private organization or individual, not only religious — or atheist — groups.

So how come the tree, long sponsored by the Association of Washington Business, gets a green light? Because the state General Administration this year will be responsible for procuring the tree — the state has always decorated it — so it will be considered a government activity, Valandra said.

Private groups and individuals will be allowed to hand out fliers and other such materials as long as they don't disrupt government business.

The brouhaha over holiday Capitol displays last December began after the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a national group for atheists and agnostics, put up a sign in the Capitol rotunda that read, in part: "Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds." The sign was a reaction to a Nativity scene set up by a private citizen.

The issue gained widespread publicity after Fox News personality Bill O'Reilly chastised the state for allowing the atheist sign. Thousands of people flooded Gov. Chris Gregoire's office with calls.

The sign was stolen a few days after it was put in the rotunda, then was dropped off at a country-music radio station. Competing signs went up, and a pro-religion rally organized. A number of other groups applied to put up more displays.

The General Administration eventually declared a moratorium on new displays.

Dan Barker, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, said Monday that the new policy was "what we wanted all along. ... We were protesting the Nativity scene. None of us thought that should've been allowed."

His organization's request to put up another atheist sign this year was denied because of the interim policy put in place Monday. "We're happy not to put it [a sign] up this year if nobody's is up," Barker said.

Ron Wesselius, who put up the Nativity scene last year, and whose application to do so again also was turned down this year, said he had no comment since he hadn't read the policy.

The new policy is a stopgap measure and will be in place until the department comes up with its permanent rules on displays, which it hopes to have in place by the end of the year.

The new proposed rules will be open to public comment starting Sept. 2, with a public hearing Sept. 22.

The interim rules announced Monday were put into place because the department wasn't sure a permanent policy could be completed in time for the winter holiday season.

Janet I. Tu: 206-464-2272 or jtu@seattletimes.com