The District of Columbia and Mayor Muriel Bowser have agreed to pay $220,000 as part of a legal settlement with Capitol Hill Baptist Church. The church sued the city over in-person worship restrictions during the pandemic.
Last September, the DC government banned outdoor worship services that had more than 100 people in attendance.
As explained in the settlement, “The District agrees that it will not enforce any current or future COVID-19 restrictions to prohibit CHBC from gathering as one congregation in the District of Columbia.”
“The District further agrees that, should it decide that new restrictions on religious gatherings are necessary during the current, or any future, COVID-19 (or variant thereof) public health emergency, it will not impose restrictions on CHBC that are more restrictive than the restrictions on comparable secular activities, as defined by the Supreme Court.”
Hiram Sasser, executive general counsel for the First Liberty Institute, said in a statement that Capitol Hill Baptist “is relieved and grateful that this ordeal is behind them.” adding, “All Capitol Hill Baptist Church ever asked is for equal treatment under the law so they could meet together safely as a church.”
The settlement could be taken as an admission that DC officials went out of their way to restrict worship services.