California district judge refuses to lift COVID-19 restrictions on houses of worship
Despite US Supreme Court decisions to strike down COVID-19 worship service restrictions in two recent cases, a federal judge again refused to lift worship restrictions in a case brought by California’s South Bay United Pentecostal Church, the Christian Post reports.
US District Court Judge Cynthia Bashant denied the church’s petition for a second time Monday, even after an appeals court ordered her to rehear the case in light of the two new SCOTUS rulings.
Based in Chula Vista, the South Bay church has engaged in protracted legal action against California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s limitations on in-person worship. According to state regulations, houses of worship may hold indoor services of up to 25% of their building’s capacity, to a maximum of 100 people: the South Bay church views these restrictions as a violation of their First Amendment right to freedom of worship, the Christian Post reports....