New Jersey State Sen. Mike Doherty is asking Gov. Phil Murphy to reopen houses of worship amid the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Sen. Doherty started a petition Sunday calling for the move, saying religious services would be safe if reasonable precautions, including social distancing, were taken.

As of this morning, the petition had more than 700 signatures.

 

Churches across the U.S. have closed their doors during the pandemic, with many houses of worship switching to live streaming services.

Several states, including Florida and Texas, have deemed houses of worship essential services.