Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s response to the coronavirus is better known for its faults than its virtues — as I wrote, she made the devastating mistake of sending COVID-19 directly into Michigan’s nursing homes. But one policy that deserves more praise is Whitmer’s decision to exempt churches and other religious organizations from state-enforced penalties assigned to those who violate the shutdown.

Whitmer decided to implement this exemption almost immediately after mandating a statewide shelter-in-place order, and she is one of the only governors to have done so.