In a unanimous and striking move on Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court directed New York’s highest court to revisit its controversial decision upholding a state mandate that compels religious employers to include abortion coverage in their health insurance plans. The unsigned order in Diocese of Albany v. Harris marks a significant win for religious liberty advocates, as the justices cited their recent ruling in Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin—a landmark decision that reaffirmed the robust protections of the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause.
At the heart of the case is a coalition of Catholic and Anglican nuns, dioceses, and faith-based ministries who argue that New York’s 2017 mandate violates their deeply held beliefs by forcing them to subsidize procedures they consider morally abhorrent.
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