Faith Groups Fighting Contraceptive Rule Hail Hobby Lobby Decision

With the Supreme Court’s ruling Monday that corporations can curb birth-control coverage for employees on religious grounds, attention now shifts to the dozens of legal challenges filed by faith-based nonprofits against the contraceptive mandate, The New York Times and The Washington Post write.

Catholic, Southern Baptist, and Orthodox Jewish leaders hailed the 5-4 decision allowing retail chain Hobby Lobby to opt out of aspects of the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that employees receive contraceptive coverage in workplace health plans. More than 50 religious schools, charities, and dioceses have also brought suit against the provision.

Lawyer Mark Rienzi of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which represents both corporate and nonprofit plaintiffs in such cases, said Monday’s ruling buttresses faith groups’ argument. But backers of the mandate noted that Justice Samuel Alito’s majority opinion suggests the White House’s accommodation with religious nonprofits—allowing them to designate a third party to pay for and provide contraceptive coverage—is a reasonable way to address such groups’ concerns about the rule.

“Today’s decision does not bode well for the nonprofit organizations” challenging the mandate, said Marcia D. Greenberger, co-president of the National Women’s Law Center.