Nuns sue state over abortion coverage mandate

(JUST THE NEWS) – A group of New York nuns are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to block New York regulation requiring faith-based organizations to cover abortions in their employee health insurance plans.

In a filing Tuesday, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York joined a coalition of Anglican and Catholic nuns, churches and faith-based social ministries in petitioning justices to take up a case challenging a New York State Department of Financial Services’ policy that they argue violates their religious beliefs and constitutional rights. The 2017 rule prohibits insurers from excluding coverage for medically necessary abortions.

“New York’s abortion mandate is so extreme that not even Jesus, Mother Teresa, or Mahatma Gandhi would qualify for an exemption,” said Eric Baxter, vice president and senior counsel at Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a nonprofit legal group that has signed onto the legal challenge. “The Justices should exempt religious organizations once and for all so they can focus on caring for the most vulnerable.”