A week prior, on April 7, Simmons issued an executive order instituting a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew, as well as an order that "all church buildings [be] closed for in-person and drive-in church services, until the State of Mississippi's Shelter In Place Executive Order No. 1466 is lifted by Governor Tate Reeves."
The order added that "churches are strongly encouraged to hold services via Facebook Live, Zoom, Free Conference Call, and any and all other social media, streaming, and telephonic platforms."
On April 8, attendees of a parking-lot service at Temple Baptist Church in Greenville were fined $500 for violating the order. The people ticketed were sitting in their cars, with their windows rolled up, listening to a sermon broadcast on via radio.
Two days after issuing the order, Simmons met with religious leaders in Greenville, and released a statement saying the ban on drive-in and in-person church services was Constitutionally sound.
"This is no infringement on the right to religion or right to worship," said Simmons. "Although it impacts on our traditional way of gathering to worship, it does not prevent us from worshipping. We need our pastors and worship leaders to be creative so that people's lives are not at risk. Please post your services on social media, Facebook Live, Zoom, and other platforms and help your neighboring churches do the same."
On April 11, police in Greenville blocked the parking lot of King James Bible Baptist Church, which was attempting to hold an Easter service.