Missouri Judge Dismisses Claim That State's Abortion Waiting Period Violates Religious Beliefs
U.S. Supreme Court Should Protect Student And Staff Access To Contraceptives At Notre Dame, Says Americans United
Americans United Files Brief In SCOTUS Contraception Accommodation Case
Americans United filed a brief in the U.S. Supreme Court today stating that the court should protect student and staff access to contraception at the University of Notre Dame. AU represents a student who has medical coverage through the Catholic university and stands to lose access to birth control should the school receive further exemptions to the ACA contraception mandate.
Spotlight On: Tennessee's Discriminatory Healthcare Bills
Today, we continue our coverage of bills that we expect to dominate the state legislatures by focusing on two related sets of bills in Tennessee. HB 566/SB 397 and HB 1840/SB 1556 would both allow individuals to withhold counseling services—an important, and sometimes lifesaving, healthcare service—from certain patients. And we know that those who would be most likely to be refused services are LGBT patients.
Religious Right Uses First Amendment As A Weapon In The Courts
The So-Called First Amendment Defense Act Reaches the States
Today, we continue our coverage of bills that we expect to dominate the state legislatures by focusing on bills already being discussed in four states—Virginia, Georgia, Washington, and Illinois—that are modeled after the federal First Amendment Defense Act (FADA) bill.
Spotlight On: Georgia and SB 129
Save The Day: Celebrating Real Religious Freedom
Saturday is Religious Freedom Day. While it’s not one of our most well-known or popular holidays, Religious Freedom Day shouldn’t be overlooked. Our country is in the middle of a campaign, spearheaded by far-right religious groups and their political allies, to redefine religious freedom. We cannot allow this to happen.
Spotlight On: Florida's HB 401
Today, we examine Florida’s HB 401. HB 401 would add a new section to Florida’s existing Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).
Worried About Legislation in Your State? Stay Informed Using PTN’s New State Bill Tracker
As state legislatures gather across the country to start their 2016 legislative sessions, Protect Thy Neighbor is gearing up to monitor and fight legislation that would allow individuals, businesses, and government employees to harm others in the name of religion. Now, you can follow along too by using PTN’s new legislative tracking page. Keep up with the latest news, bill information, and ways to take action in the states and on the federal level. We will update the status of the bills in our state tracker every Tuesday and Friday, and will also continue to provide you with latest legislative news as it occurs.
Members of Congress Sign Brief Arguing for Complete Exemption for Religious Non-profits from Contraception Mandate
More than 200 Members of Congress recently submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing in favor of the religious non-profit organizations in the soon-to-be-heard Zubik v. Burwell case.
Mind the Coverage Gap (A Look at Healthcare Sharing Ministries)
Civil Rights Advocates To Face Tough Times In State Legislatures
Barrier Method?
U.S. Supreme Court To Hear New Group Of Cases That Could Further Limit Americans' Access To Reproductive Health Care
Political allies of the Religious Right, like U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), are trying to convince the American public that the federal government wants to force nuns to buy birth control.
“You know, every American should know about the Little Sisters of the Poor,” Cruz said during an address at the Family Research Council’s Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C., in 2014. “You want to talk about values? Right now the federal government is suing the Little Sisters of the Poor to try to force Catholic nuns to pay for abortion-inducing drugs.”
Cruz’s comments came in reference to legal challenges filed by dozens of religiously affiliated non-profit organizations, including the Little Sisters of the Poor, that don’t want their employees to get access to birth control.
Circuit Court Rules That Catholic Healthcare System Does Not Count As A Church Under ERISA
The Third Circuit Court of Appeals has determined that St. Peter's Healthcare System, a Catholic non-profit healthcare entity, cannot take advantage of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) church-plan exemptions. Had the healthcare system gained the right to these exemptions, it would have put the pension plans of over 2,800 employees in jeopardy.
Legislative Preview: States Are Preparing for More RFRA Battles
As the states gear up to reconvene their legislative sessions after the New Year, we can expect to see many states pursuing Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) legislation. We often focus on states without state-level RFRAs that attempt to pass bills to create a new law; for example, last year both Indiana and Arkansas passed new RFRA legislation, and the sponsor of Georgia’s bill to create a RFRA has said he will introduce legislation in 2016. However, state legislative activity is not limited merely to creating new RFRA laws. Even in states that currently have RFRA laws, we anticipate that there will be increasing attempts to expand these state RFRAs.