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SAN JUAN, Argentina — California churches defying safety regulations by holding large services during the COVID-19 pandemic will not have to pay fines of nearly $200,000, a state appeals court ruled. rice field.
San Jose's Calvary Chapel and its pastor were found guilty of contempt of court and fined in 2020 and his 2021. for violating state and county restrictions on indoor gatherings. The rule aims to prevent the close contract spread of a virus that has caused more than 10 million confirmed cases and more than 93,500 deaths since the pandemic began in mid-2020, according to state public health statistics.
But on Monday, California's Sixth District Court of Appeals ruled, citing a February 2021 U.S. Supreme Court decision in May 2020, Overturning those lower court rulings, Gov. Gavin Newsom's indoor services in a county where COVID-19 was surging violated religious freedom.
The new conservative majority court ruling comes less than a year after the High Court previously held that health and safety grounds justified the ban.
The Court of Appeals said the restrictions on indoor gatherings also apply to secular gatherings, but are more stringent for worship than for secular activities such as going to the grocery store.
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The ruling "is a great victory for freedom and justifies the courage this church has shown," its pastor, church attorney Robert Tyler, told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Despite the ruling, Santa Clara County accused the church of violating other COVID-19 rules not affected by the decision, such as requiring face masks during services. He said he would continue to impose a $2.3 million fine.
"Calvary did not dispute the facts of numerous serious violations at the height of the pandemic and before vaccinations were available," the county statement said. "We will continue to hold Calvary accountable for endangering the health and safety of our communities."