Huge win for churches, ministries, businesses and the people of the great state of Oregon!
Bend, OR – Prepare the Way Ministries and Bend Community Church, along with churches, businesses and individuals across Oregon, applaud the decision out of the Baker County Circuit Court today declaring that Governor Kate Brown violated the Oregon Constitution in her emergency declarations and authoritarian executive orders. The Judge ruled that churches, businesses and individuals have been irreparably harmed by Gov. Brown’s unconstitutional orders. It is time that the free exercise of religion be respected and pastors across the state of Oregon be allowed to safely meet.
The decision was given at 11:45 AM, Monday May 18, when Judge Matthew Shirtcliff of the Baker County Circuit Court definitively declared Gov. Brown’s emergency orders as unconstitutional. He said that all of her executive orders regarding the emergency declarations are “Null and Void” effective immediately.
The case was argued Thursday, May 14 and Ray Hacke of the Pacific Justice Institute (PJI) and Kevin Mannix did an excellent job of presenting the clear facts of the case. The case was filed on May 6th in Baker County, Oregon, and has two key complaints. The first argues that Gov. Kate Brown overstepped her authority according to the Oregon Constitution, which says that the Governor must get approval from the legislature to extend a state of emergency beyond 30 days. Article 10 A of the Oregon Constitution requires the Governor get a 3/5th approval of the entire Legislature to extend any declared emergency beyond 30 days. Gov. Brown extended the current state of emergency until July 6 without approval from the Oregon Legislature. By doing so, she did not let state representatives from all over Oregon serve their constituents by voting on such measures. These measures have had a vastly negative affect not only churches, but also on businesses, private schools and many other organizations and individuals.
The second part of the complaint asserts that her actions violate churches’ rights under the Constitution to free exercise of religion. Many churches and ministries have been effectively shut down by this unconstitutional order, even though many counties east of the Cascades have not had any cases of COVID-19. Gov. Brown’s lawyers are attempting to claim that this complaint doesn’t apply, as she has allowed many counties to enter Phase 1 of the reopening process. However, Phase 1 still bans all gatherings larger than 25 with criminal prosecution; 97% of churches in Oregon are larger than that. She has continued her emergency declaration until at least July 6th, and if a vaccine or cure is not found, indefinitely.
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