Oregon restaurants sue Gov. Brown in federal court, seek relief from 2-week freeze

Say they are seeking to prevent 'economic devastation for industry'

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association and the Restaurant Law Center filed a joint complaint in federal court Friday for injunctive relief from the “Two-Week Freeze” mandated by the Governor, which prohibits indoor and outdoor dining in restaurants through Dec. 2.

"This action was taken to save many restaurants around the state, and to protect the livelihoods of thousands of food service workers who rely on restaurants and their customers," the organizations said in a news release announcing the lawsuit, which continues below:

Both restaurants and their employees continue to suffer from the devastating effects of ongoing regulatory orders in Oregon during this pandemic.

“The restaurant industry prefers engaging in partnerships with our leaders in government,” said Jason Brandt, President and CEO of ORLA. “The latest restaurant restrictions in Executive Order 20-65 published on November 17 lack equity and due process.

"We hope to engage in communication with Governor Kate Brown and her professional staff as soon as possible to work towards a resolution that has not been available to us at this stage. In the meantime, Oregon’s restaurant operators must continue to follow all orders executed by the Governor until a federal court addresses the serious legal concerns brought forth by the industry.”

“The number one priority of America’s restaurant industry is to provide a safe and healthy environment for guests and employees,” said Angelo Amador, Executive Director of the Restaurant Law Center. “The industry is following applicable federal, state and local operating guidelines, and, where necessary, adapted their business models and adopted countless new measures to ensure that diners and workers remain safe.

"A blanket ban on indoor and outdoor dining is wrong and we believe the latest executive order in Oregon is also illegal. We hope our Complaint will encourage the Governor and other officials to meet to develop a more reasonable and pragmatic approach that protects the livelihood of restaurant industry workers and restaurateurs across the state.”

Click here to read the Complaint.

About the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association
The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association is the leading business association for the foodservice and lodging industry in Oregon, which is comprised of approximately 10,000 foodservice locations and 2,000 lodging establishments with a workforce prior to COVID of 183,191.

About the Restaurant Law Center
The Restaurant Law Center is a public policy organization affiliated with the National Restaurant Association dedicated exclusively to defending the restaurant industry against government overreach at the local, state, and federal level by providing a voice for the industry in our judicial system.