Michael Stavola The Wichita Eagle WICHITA, Kan. — A U.S. District Court of Kansas judge issued a temporary restraining order on Saturday against part of Gov. Laura Kelly’s executive order that limited church gatherings to 10 or fewer people, a ruling that paves the way for in-person religious services without violating the law. The ruling is the latest in a saga about religious freedom that caught national attention after Kelly signed an order banning the gatherings, which had already been in effect amid the coronavirus pandemic, but added “churches or other religious facilities” to the list five days before Easter. The addition sparked a board of the state’s top legislators overriding the order and then the Kansas Supreme Court striking down the override . The Kansas court never ruled on the constitutionality of the order, which is what was brought up in a lawsuit filed Thursday by a couple of pastors and their two churches. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly on Wednesday. Kelly faces a federal lawsuit filed by two churches and their pastors over an order she issued limiting religious gatherings to 10 or fewer congregation members. (Photo/AP) Judge John Broomes heard arguments for about 75 minutes on Friday […]
