Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announced on Tuesday night that the unparalleled restriction against houses of worship will be lifted on Friday.
Gyms, fitness facilities, spas, massages services, water parks, museums, and some other businesses are also scheduled to reopen during phase 2 starting from Friday, Sisolak said.
Casinos will reopen on June 4.
Sisolak made the announcement during a planned press conference. He skipped the event and sent a prepared announcement instead because he had visited a workplace where one employee tested positive.
His office learned the testing result of the worker on Tuesday.
The governor’s announcement came after the Justice Department (DOJ) pointed out that he singled out the places of worship during phase one of reopening.
Hair and nail salons are also authorized to re-open without limitation on the number of patrons during phase one.
However, in-person worship services of 10 or more people are prohibited from late March. Only drive-up religious services with social distancing are permitted.
“We recognize your duty to protect the health and safety of the citizens of Nevada during this unprecedented time,” Dreiband and Trutanich wrote in the May 25 letter. “But ... churches and other faith-based organizations are currently subject to restrictions that other businesses and groups are not.”
“To protect constitutional values, we urge you to help preserve the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment by amending earlier Emergency Directives and remedying their unequal treatment of places of worship,” they said.