From Catholic World News
Invoking the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, a federal
district court judge has barred enforcement of the HHS mandate against
two New York-area Catholic high schools and two Catholic health care
systems. The Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Rockville
Centre, which are currently exempt from the mandate, also joined the
lawsuit.
The “plaintiffs have demonstrated that the Mandate … compels them to
perform acts that are contrary to their religion,” ruled Judge Brian
Cogan, whom President George W. Bush appointed to the bench.
“And there can be no doubt that the coercive pressure here is
substantial,” he added. “If plaintiffs do not comply with the Mandate,
they are subject to fines of $100 per day per affected beneficiary. If
they seek to cease providing health insurance altogether, they face an
annual fine of $2,000 per full-time employee. The only other option
available to plaintiffs is to violate their religious beliefs.”
The New York ruling is important because it is the first case in which a
federal court has granted a permanent injunction against the
enforcement of the HHS mandate. (Other non-profit groups have won
preliminary injunctions, barring enforcement until the case is settled.)
The Obama administration has the option to appeal the ruling.
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