California public health officials updated the state’s guidance for places of worship and cultural ceremonies Monday, removing capacity limits for both indoor and outdoor gatherings.
Since unveiling the tiered COVID-19 reopening system late last August, the state has faced pushback from religious groups and advocates over limits on indoor capacity at places of worship.
The state revised its guidelines on places of worship in February after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the state could not prevent indoor worship services, which it had done by prohibiting indoor worship gatherings for counties in the purple tier.
At that time, the high court allowed the state to limit indoor attendance to, at minimum, 25 percent of a building’s capacity.
However, a ruling from the court on Friday spurred the state to allow full capacity worship services in all four tiers, provided that participants follow distancing and masking requirements.
The updated guidance also strongly discourages full capacity for worship services, suggesting caps of 25 percent indoor capacity in the purple and red tiers and 50 percent in the orange and yellow tiers.
Paul Jonna, an attorney with the conservative nonprofit law firm the Thomas More Society, lauded the court decisions that moved the state to loosen its guidelines.
“This is a huge win that God has provided for all people of faith,” Jonna said in a statement.
The full updated guidance for places of worship, cultural ceremonies, weddings and funerals can be found at https://covid19.ca.gov/industry-guidance.
18 comments
we got gavin bin lying on the ropes now!!
#RecallGavinNewsom
But don’t sing, or they will come for you!
No just cough all over the place! Ha Ha. Sing like an opera singer! Not a good idea folks. I am a church member and refuse to hang out with the best of them! Personally I am going to wait until next year to resume all of my activities that are indoors except for essential shopping trips.
@ ilovepopcorn
Goody for you…
Gavin ignored the U.S. Constitution, science and basic economics. He ruled as one of the Pigs from Animal Farm, “Doing the Laundry” while telling everyone else to cower-in-place. And the Supreme Court has spoken to him for the 3rd time on this issue.
I signed the recall, but then escaped from his evil clutches. For the sake of California I hope that the recall is successful and voters replace the Wokistan Democrats with reasonable officials.
“The State”
I am sick and tired of “the State” dictating everything.
It’s just not CA.
Everything from the local dog catcher to the President wants to dictate every aspect of the citizen’s lives.
The Constitution was written so that the people would rule over themselves and the Republic.
Now the people are ruled by the State.
When will the people decide to take back the control as it’s supposed to be in our Great Republic.
This is the exception to that rule. PANDEMIC is a communicable disease. That would be great to let the people decide. However we have so many idiots that have created super spreads! I am not sick of authorities, I am just the opposite. Thank the Lord Jesus we have them. Keep on living the way to keep us all safe.
@ ilovepopcorn
You are an idiot for relying on somebody in charge to “protect you” they don’t care about anything but power but you keep singing their praises…bah bah bah did you understand that better?
Hallelujah!
Please understand that us people of faith were offended by this government clampdown which seemed aimed at us.
They claimed that it was dangerous that we would meet in church but they never said a word about all the riots protests during the summer being dangerous spreaders of covid.
Tattoo parlors, marijuana clinics, liquor stores we’re all allowed to be open, the people of faith could not gather to pray.
For once in a long time I have a little more faith in our judicial system. Thank you !
I’ve been getting to like the open air services.
If the church continues to enforce mask-wearing, I shall stay outside at the open-air service. I would prefer not to, but I also would prefer the church not be an extension of the state, i.e., mandating mask-wearing, and requiring musicians to wear masks with openings so they can play brass instruments and woodwinds. .
That makes sense.
The beginning of the end for the little dictator & his medical minions?
The dictator is afraid of being recalled…notice when the threat is a reality our state suddenly opens up! recallnewsom2020!!
So happy to hear! So…when will the high and mighty California teacher’s union decide to allow ALL SCHOOLS to go back to full time in person instruction?? The state is not on the same page regarding schools. What a mess! Some schools remain online, some half time in person and some are full time. Come on now. Our students have suffered enough!!! If churches can be at full capacity with all the elderly who are at higher risk than students, then students should go back full time.
The Biden administration has already arranged for replacement voters in the form of illegal immigrants. Inflation, taxes, energy, and housing expenses will go up. Wages will go down, so at least there’s that.
Bmdl: Common sense rules anyway. Yes I thank the Lord for all the rules and regulations concerning COVID-19 protocols. You cannot allow ignorance to prevail. If I were you I would read more books.
Just in time before there was a rush in these https://bit.ly/3x13ib6
Comments are closed.