Indiana law: House of Worship are “essential”

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Indiana’s Governor Eric Holcomb (R) has signed a new law determining that houses of worship provide essential services, and no restrictions may be placed on them during a declared emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senate Bill 263 prevents state and local officials from restricting access to religious services during emergencies, the Associated Press reports. The law also prohibits state and local officials from applying restrictions on churches that are not also applied to essential businesses such as grocery stores.

Moreover, houses of worship can conduct services without capacity limits or mask mandates, although their associated schools and daycare centers may be subject to such measures, AP said.

In a statement Friday, Greg Chafuen, an attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom, said: “Houses of worship and religious organizations provide soul-sustaining operations that are essential to our society and protected by the First Amendment.”

“While public officials have the authority and responsibility to protect public health and safety, the Supreme Court has made clear that the First Amendment ‘cannot be put away and forgotten’ even in a pandemic,” Chafuen affirmed.

In a separate statement, Indiana Sen. Eric Koch (Rep) said earlier this month: “I hope it’s another 500 years before we ever have another disaster … like what our state and nation have experienced this last year. But should that arise, this should protect that very enshrined right [to freedom of worship] in our Constitution.”

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