Gov. Ralph Northam at a press conference in March announces his stay-at-home executive order for all Virginians to slow the spread of COVID-19. The governor has issued nearly two dozen orders since March related to the novel coronavirus. A religious discrimination case brought by Madison County Christians against Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam regarding church restrictions during the pandemic settled itself on Wednesday. An order endorsed Sept. 23 in Madison County Circuit Court by Judge David B. Franzén dismissed the complaint per a mutual agreement of the parties. Both sides acknowledged that per the current Phase 3 of the governor’s reopening plan, religious services of 250 or fewer people are no longer subject to mandatory restrictions other than executive order 63 regarding face coverings, according to the settlement. A ban on public or private gatherings larger than 250 people remains in effect in Virginia. Northam’s earlier executive orders limited church attendance to 50 percent capacity and initially no more than 10 people, essentially closing most churches. Some churches closed on their own and still continue to limit capacity or meet differently—outside or online —as the pandemic stretches into its seventh month. The order settling the Madison suit stated each party […]
