Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/20pdf/20a87_4g15.pdf
Page Number: 23

Cite as:  592 U. S. ____ (2020) 

1 

BREYER, J., dissenting 

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES 

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No. 20A87 
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ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN, 
NEW YORK v. ANDREW M. CUOMO, 
GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK 

ON APPLICATION FOR INJUNCTIVE RELIEF 

[November 25, 2020]

 JUSTICE  BREYER,  with  whom  JUSTICE  SOTOMAYOR  and 

JUSTICE KAGAN join, dissenting. 

New  York  regulations  designed  to  fight  the  rapidly
spreading—and,  in  many  cases,  fatal—COVID–19  virus
permit  the  Governor  to  identify  hot  spots  where  infection
rates have spiked and to designate those hot spots as red 
zones, the immediately surrounding areas as orange zones,
and the outlying areas as yellow zones.  Brief in Opposition 
in  No.  20A87,  p.  12.    The  regulations  impose  restrictions 
within these zones (with the strictest restrictions in the red
zones and the least strict restrictions in the yellow zones)
to curb transmission of the virus and prevent spread into
nearby areas.  Ibid.  In October, the Governor designated 
red,  orange,  and  yellow  zones  in  parts  of  Brooklyn  and 
Queens.  Brief in Opposition in Agudath Israel of America 
v. Cuomo, O. T. 2020, No. 20A90, pp. 10–11 (Brief in Oppo-
sition in No. 20A90).  Among other things, the restrictions
in these zones limit the number of persons who can be pre-
sent at one time at a gathering in a house of worship to: the
lesser  of  10  people  or  25%  of  maximum  capacity  in  a  red 
zone; the lesser of 25 people or 33% of maximum capacity 
in an orange zone; and 50% of maximum capacity in a yel-
low zone.  Id., at 8–9. 

Both  the  Roman  Catholic  Diocese  of  Brooklyn  and 
Agudath Israel of America (together with Agudath Israel of