In a victory for religious and private schools, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan issued an executive order Monday afternoon that nullifies Montgomery County’s blanket ban on in-person schooling at nonpublic schools.

Montgomery County’s Health Officer Travis Gayles, an unelected official granted authority by Hogan’s past emergency declarations, on late Friday night had issued an order barring nonpublic schools from holding in-person instruction. Gayles had waved away state and federal guidance in his decision and refused to consider the extensive plans many schools had made to make reopening safe.