Dayton Valley church appeals virus attendance cap to Supreme Court

RENO, Nev. (AP) - A rural Nevada church is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to suspend the state’s 50-person cap on religious gatherings.

Leaders of Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley are seeking an emergency injunction while an appellate court considers their claim that the COVID-19 restrictions treating casinos and others more leniently violates their constitutional right to exercise their beliefs.

The church says Gov. Steve Sisolak’s June 4 directive allowing casinos, restaurants and amusement parks to reopen at 50% of capacity while maintaining the hard cap for church services “simply turns the First Amendment on its head.”

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied a similar emergency request last week.