Judge Says L.A. County Acted “Arbitrarily” When it Banned Outdoor Dining
Los Angeles County’s outdoor dining ban was an arbitrary decision conducted without proper ‘risk-benefit’ analysis, a Superior Court judge ruled last week. Once the state’s regional stay-at-home order expires — which won’t happen until at least Dec. 27 — the county will have to allow outdoor dining unless it conducts “an appropriate risk-benefit analysis."
Judge James Chalfant expressed surprise that the county did not conduct a study to assess outdoor dining risks prior to the ban. Any activity carries some risk of infection, including outdoor dining, but Chalfant noted CDC guidelines call the risk of outdoor activities moderate to minimal.
Los Angeles County implemented the ban on outdoor dining on Nov. 25, affecting some 30,000 establishments. The California Restaurant Association sued.
Read more about the latest ruling at Fox11 News.
See also: The judge who ruled in favor of outdoor dining was wrong. Here’s why.
