In his Executive Order 20-01, with an effective date of May 6, Kansas City Democrat Mayor Quinton Lucas ordered that houses of worship and some other “non-essential” operations record the names and contact information of any person who stays inside for 10 minutes or longer. The name and contact information was required so that the Kansas Department of Public Health could “quickly trace, test, and isolate individuals” if some who may have been exposed to someone who may have COVID-19 attended the “religious gatherings.” If the person refused to provide name and contact information, the person must be refused entry. Failure to abide by violations “of any provision of this Order constitutes an imminent threat, creates an immediate menace to public health, and shall be considered a violation of Section 50-155 of the City’s Code of Ordinances.”
Liberty Counsel broke the story after being contacted by concerned pastors. The story went viral quickly and now, as a result of the public outcry over this unconstitutional provision, Kansas City reversed the Fourth Amended Order and issued a Fifth Amended Order on May 4. Under the new order released yesterday, the recording of names and contact information is no longer mandatory. The Fifth Amended Order and now encourages religious groups to record names and contact information, but it is now voluntary.
Kansas City imposed a 10/10/10 rule on “religious gatherings” and some “non-essential” operations that would begin to have limited operations on May 6. The three tens stood for no more than 10 people inside or 10 percent of building capacity (whichever is greater) and record the names and contact information of any person who remained inside for 10 minutes or more. Essential operations were, and remain, exempt.
In this Fifth Amended Order, issued yesterday, the last 10 – the recording of names and contact information for attendees was made voluntary. The amended order now states: “Attendees are not required, however, to provide their names or contact information at any religious gathering.” The recording of names and contact information was also removed from the other “non-essential” operations. However, the Fifth Amended Order still imposes the 10/10 rule and no more than 50-person limit on outside religious gatherings, the latter of which is not imposed on any secular gathering.
In his Executive Order 20-01, with an effective date of May 6, Kansas City Democrat Mayor Quinton Lucas ordered that houses of worship and some other “non-essential” operations record the names and contact information of any person who stays inside for 10 minutes or longer. The name and contact information was required so that the Kansas Department of Public Health could “quickly trace, test, and isolate individuals” if some who may have been exposed to someone who may have COVID-19 attended the “religious gatherings.” If the person refused to provide name and contact information, the person must be refused entry. Failure to abide by violations “of any provision of this Order constitutes an imminent threat, creates an immediate menace to public health, and shall be considered a violation of Section 50-155 of the City’s Code of Ordinances.”
Liberty Counsel broke the story after being contacted by concerned pastors. The story went viral quickly and now, as a result of the public outcry over this unconstitutional provision, Kansas City reversed the Fourth Amended Order and issued a Fifth Amended Order on May 4. Under the new order released yesterday, the recording of names and contact information is no longer mandatory. The Fifth Amended Order and now encourages religious groups to record names and contact information, but it is now voluntary.
Kansas City imposed a 10/10/10 rule on “religious gatherings” and some “non-essential” operations that would begin to have limited operations on May 6. The three tens stood for no more than 10 people inside or 10 percent of building capacity (whichever is greater) and record the names and contact information of any person who remained inside for 10 minutes or more. Essential operations were, and remain, exempt.
In this Fifth Amended Order, issued yesterday, the last 10 – the recording of names and contact information for attendees was made voluntary. The amended order now states: “Attendees are not required, however, to provide their names or contact information at any religious gathering.” The recording of names and contact information was also removed from the other “non-essential” operations. However, the Fifth Amended Order still imposes the 10/10 rule and no more than 50-person limit on outside religious gatherings, the latter of which is not imposed on any secular gathering.
