Republican lawmakers in the Kansas House and Senate voted Wednesday to revoke the governor’s executive order limiting gatherings to fewer than 10 people. Republicans in the state had denounced the order by governor Laura Kelly, a Democrat, as an unconstitutional infringement on religious liberty due to the anticipated damper it would put on Easter Sunday services. The state has more than 1,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and nearly 40 deaths, and the governor’s order was intended to slow the spread of the virus. Kelly said the vote was “shockingly irresponsible.” Large church gatherings have resulted in the increased spread of COVID-19 among congregations across the country.
