Kansas Supreme Court strikes out a measure that allowed large church gatherings
The Kansas Supreme Court has ruled against a legislative effort to allow for houses of worship to hold large gatherings, upholding an earlier executive order from the governor. The state’s highest court concluded that the state Legislative Coordinating Council (LCC) did not have the authority to revoke Governor Laura Kelly’s order that banned gatherings of more than ten people.
“The LCC purported to revoke one executive order. We are asked to determine whether it acted within its lawful authority. We hold that it did not,” ruled the court.
The state supreme court stressed that their decision was not meant to address any other concerns with the executive order, including questions of alleged religious liberty violations. “Today’s decision does not decide the religious liberty dimensions of this dispute,” the judgement concluded.
Last week, Kelly announced that she was expanding a statewide ban on gatherings of more than ten people to include religious services, which had previously been exempted.
“As Holy Week gets underway — and with Kansas rapidly approaching its projected ‘peak’ infection rate in the coming weeks — the risk for a spike in COVID-19 cases through church gatherings is especially dangerous,” said Kelly. Soon after the expanded order took effect, the LCC overturned the measure, arguing that the limitation on houses of worship was constitutionally problematic.
Source: christianpost.com
