Supreme Court Orders N.Y. to Reconsider Abortion Mandate

The Supreme Court on Monday ordered New York to reconsider whether the state can force religious organizations to pay for abortions.

The justices acted after the court unanimously ruled earlier in June that Wisconsin discriminated against a Catholic charity by forcing it to pay state unemployment taxes.

The New York case poses a similar issue because the state exempts religious employers if their purpose is to spread religious values and they primarily employ and serve people of their faith.

But religious groups that serve and employ people regardless of their beliefs don"t qualify for the exemption.

Eric Baxter, vice president and senior counsel at Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, hailed the ruling.

"New York wants to browbeat nuns into paying for abortions for the great crime of serving all those in need," he said in a statement.

"For the second time in four years, the Supreme Court has made clear that bully tactics like these have no place in our nation or our law. We are confident that these religious groups will finally be able to care for the most vulnerable consistent with their beliefs."

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