ACLU, family planning group file suit against conscience rule

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, in coalition with other advocacy groups filed a lawsuit this week challenging the Trump administration’s rule allowing health care providers to refuse to provide care that conflicts with their religious beliefs. The coalition filing the lawsuit argues that the rule “encourages and authorizes discrimination by unlawfully granting a wide swath of institutions and individuals broad new rights to refuse to provide health care services and information.” Sterilizations and providing contraception are among of the activities most likely to be affected when the new rule takes effect on July 22. The latest lawsuit is one of several challenges currently pending in the courts. (The Hill story, 6/11/19)