The House States’ Rights Committee easily passed House Bill 2648, by Rep. Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, that would ban state and local governments from closing places of worship during emergencies, including the Chinese coronavirus pandemic.

The Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act dictates that anything closing places of worship would be considered a substantial burden on people’s freedom of religion.

He said he filed the bill after witnessing how many religious organizations were unable to meet for several weeks due to government restrictions on the size of gatherings or emergency orders that did not deem places of worship as essential.

“Our country was founded on the premise of religious freedom for all, but we have seen and continue to see situations across the country where Americans’ right to worship has been trampled and ignored by overreaching bureaucracy,” Echols said. “A person’s sincerely held faith is an integral part of their life, especially how they cope with difficulties, and forcing places of worship to close for weeks or months at a time during a state of emergency or crisis is un-American and goes against the very core of our nation.”