Gov. Roy Cooper violated the state constitution when he ordered restrictions on bars during the pandemic, the state Court of Appeals has ruled.
Private bars were ordered closed during COVID-19 because cooper and state officials decided the virus would be more easily spread in such businesses, while other restaurants and bars were allowed to remain open. The “science and data” offered by the state did not support the conclusion that bars were more dangerous, the courts said.
The president of the N.C. Bar and Tavern Owners Association, which brought the lawsuit, said in a statement that the rule unfairly targeted private bars, while similar businesses were allowed to stay open. That led to many private clubs closing permanently, Zack Medford said in the statement to media outlets.
“Today’s ruling makes it clear that the governor was wrong and now the state needs to make it right,” he said.
The Court of Appeals decision means that affected bar owners can sue the state for damages.
