Governor Laura Kelly has announced the enactment of Executive Order No. 20-18, intended to bring religious institutions and funerals in line with a previous order limiting gatherings to 10 or fewer people. 

Originally, religious insitutions and funerals were exempt under the previous order. However, with Holy Week here and Easter approaching, Gov. Kelly announced the limitations during her daily press briefing on Tuesday. Kelly said in a Facebook post that the decision was not an easy one, and one that she did not have to make. But with the COVID-19 crisis still ongoing and the number of cases in Kansas now above 900, Kelly said the entire state will need to continue adjusting to circumstances to protect Kansans.

The new order supersedes all less restrictive orders given by local health departments. Aside from religious gatherings, all previous exemptions are still included under the new order.