Posted on 04/28/2022 5:47:59 PM PDT by marshmallow
Measure signed into law by GOP Gov. Henry McMaster
South Carolina GOP Gov. Henry McMaster has signed a bill into law that will protect churches from discrimination during emergencies.
The law will allow churches and other houses of worship and religious organization to remain open during a state of emergency, such as a pandemic. It deems religious services "an essential service" that "must be allowed to continue operations."
As businesses such as barber shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues were shut down in the spring of 2020 due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, McMaster said that closing churches would be a violation of the freedom of religion provision of the U.S. Constitution.
The bill reads the state "may not limit the ability of a religious organization to continue operating and to engage in religious services during a state of emergency to a greater extent than it limits operations or services of other organizations or businesses that provide essential services."
(Excerpt) Read more at justthenews.com ...
The intention is good, but it likely comes far too late for many houses of worship. Better late than never, I suppose.
Viva South Carolina!
The churches should have fought back. But being mainly leftist and statist in their leaderships, they didn’t … this includes Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish congregations.
However, I’m glad McMaster, who I didn’t like very much, has done this because the state might paradoxically give the churches a bit more backbone.
Who’s to say a future governor can’t just suspend the law? Many laws were suspended.
I love Texas. During our minor and stupid lock down liquor stores were deemed essential. Texas will go to war over that crap.
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