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City of Brookings\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(D OR, March 27, 2024), an Oregon federal district court held that a zoning ordinance that limits the number of days that a church can serve free meals to people in need violates the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. St. Timothy's has been offering free lunchtime meals since 2009 and sees this as fundamental to their Episcopalian faith. Most recently meals have been served three to four times per week. In 2021, the city amended its zoning code to require a conditional use permit for \"benevolent meal services\" in residential districts and limited such services to two times per week. Finding that the city has burdened the church's religious exercise without a compelling interest in violation of RLUIPA, the court said in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E[P]rotecting the public welfare, maintaining peace and order, and preventing crime are all certainly compelling government interests in a broad, general sense. However, the City has not articulated how the specific provisions of the Ordinance that limit meal service to two days per week ... serve to protect public welfare, maintain peace and order, or prevent crime in practical application. The Court can find no logical, causal relationship between the limitation and these interests....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHere, the City has long permitted, and arguably even supported benevolent meal services at St. Timothy's, without limitation as to the number of days such meals could be provided. This undisputed fact is fatal to their argument that the Ordinance's restrictions are intended to promote public welfare, peace, and order, and to deter crime....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E... [T]he City has not shown that it considered and rejected the efficacy of less restrictive measures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/7734924257200842858"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/7734924257200842858"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/restricting-frequency-of-church-free.html","title":"Restricting Frequency of Church Free Meal Services Violates RLUIPA"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-2784041649619360650"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-28T07:05:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-28T07:05:00.199-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Financial Institutions"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Religious discrimination"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Tennessee"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Tennessee Passes Law Banning Religious and Ideological Discrimination by Banks and Insurance Companies"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Tennessee legislature this week gave \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/wapp.capitol.tn.gov\/apps\/BillInfo\/Default.aspx?BillNumber=HB2100\"\u003Efinal approval\u003C\/a\u003E to HB 2100 (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/legiscan.com\/TN\/text\/HB2100\/2023\"\u003Efull text\u003C\/a\u003E) which prohibits banks and insurance companies from denying or cancelling services based on a customer's religious beliefs, practices or affiliations or the customer's political opinions, speech or affiliations. The bill also bans financial institutions and insurance companies from discriminating against customers based on a number of other factors such as firearm ownership, failure to meet environmental standards, or support of the government in combatting illegal immigration, drug trafficking or human trafficking. However, the bill permits financial institutions or insurance companies that claim a religious purpose to provide or deny service based on a customer's religious beliefs, exercise, or affiliation. The bill now goes to Governor Bill Lee for his signature. ADF issued a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/adfmedia.org\/press-release\/tn-lawmakers-approve-landmark-de-banking-bill-send-governors-desk\"\u003Epress release\u003C\/a\u003E on the passage of the legislation.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/2784041649619360650"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/2784041649619360650"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/tennessee-passes-law-banning-religious.html","title":"Tennessee Passes Law Banning Religious and Ideological Discrimination by Banks and Insurance Companies"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-5280682698005915757"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-28T07:00:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-28T07:00:00.307-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Colorado"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Free speech"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Same-sex marriage"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"District Court Enters Final Order in Wedding Website Designer Case"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EAs \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2023\/06\/supreme-court-web-designers-free-speech.html\"\u003Epreviously reported\u003C\/a\u003E, last year the U.S. Supreme Court in \u003Ci\u003E303 Creative LLC v. Elenis \u003C\/i\u003Eheld that the 1st Amendment's free speech protection bars Colorado from using its public accommodation anti-discrimination law to require a wedding website designer to design websites for same-sex weddings in violation of her religious beliefs. Now in the case on remand,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/cases.justia.com\/federal\/district-courts\/colorado\/codce\/1:2016cv02372\/165816\/125\/0.pdf?ts=1711555126\"\u003E303 Creative LLC v. Elenis\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(D CO, March 26, 2024), the Colorado federal district court entered a final Order in the case which provides in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EORDERED that the First Amendment’s Free Speech Clause prohibits Colorado from enforcing CADA’s Communication Clause to prevent plaintiffs from posting the following statement on her website or from making materially similar statements on her website and directly to prospective clients:\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EI firmly believe that God is calling me to this work. Why? I am personally convicted that He wants me – during these uncertain times for those who believe in biblical marriage – to shine His light and not stay silent. He is calling me to stand up for my faith, to explain His true story about marriage, and to use the talents and business He gave me to publicly proclaim and celebrate His design for marriage as a life-long union between one man and one woman.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EThese same religious convictions that motivate me also prevent me from creating websites promoting and celebrating ideas or messages that violate my beliefs. So I will not be able to create websites for same-sex marriages or any other marriage that is not between one man and one woman. Doing that would compromise my Christian witness and tell a story about marriage that contradicts God’s true story of marriage – the very story He is calling me to promote.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EIt is further ORDERED that defendants, their officers, agents, servants, employees, attorneys, and those acting in active concert or participation with them who receive actual notice of this order are permanently enjoined from enforcing:\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003Ea. CADA’s Accommodations Clause to compel plaintiffs to create custom websites celebrating or depicting same-sex weddings or otherwise to create or depict original, expressive, graphic or website designs inconsistent with her beliefs regarding same-sex marriage; and\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003Eb. CADA’s Communication Clause to prevent plaintiffs from posting the above statement on her website and from making materially similar statements on her website and directly to prospective clients.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/5280682698005915757"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/5280682698005915757"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/district-court-enters-final-order-in.html","title":"District Court Enters Final Order in Wedding Website Designer Case"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-8500599946416538367"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-27T07:10:00.006-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-27T07:10:00.126-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"California"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Grooming rules"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Prisons"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Title VII"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"DOJ Sues California Prisons for Failing to Accommodate Officers' Religious Beard Requirements"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Department of Justice this week filed suit in a California federal district court seeking to enjoin the California correctional system from requiring its peace officers to be clean shaven in contravention of their sincerely held religious beliefs.\u0026nbsp; The problem arose for Muslim and Sikh correctional employees when they were required to meet the conditions for wearing tight-fitting respirators.\u0026nbsp; The complaint (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/crt\/media\/1345166\/dl?inline\"\u003Efull text\u003C\/a\u003E) in \u003Ci\u003EUnited States v. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, \u003C\/i\u003E(ED CA, filed 3\/25\/2024), contends that the Department of Corrections has not attempted to accommodate the peace officers' concerns by offering them positions in the Department that do not require wearing of respirators or by offering alternative respirators that could be worn with beards.\u0026nbsp; The complaint alleges in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Charging Parties allege that CDCR has discriminated against them on the basis of religion in violation of Title VII, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e(a)(2), by: a. Failing to provide a religious accommodation;\u0026nbsp; b. failing to adequately engage in the interactive process with the Charging Parties, including by failing to make good faith efforts to consider whether alternative accommodations will eliminate the conflict between the Charging Parties’ religious beliefs and CDCR’s clean\u0026nbsp; shaven policy; and c. failing to demonstrate that implementing the alternative accommodations proposed by the Charging Parties would pose an undue hardship.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Department of Justice issued a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/justice-department-seeks-court-order-stop-california-department-corrections-requiring\"\u003Epress release\u003C\/a\u003E announcing the filing of the lawsuit. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.aol.com\/feds-californias-facial-hair-ban-232334586.html\"\u003EAP reports\u003C\/a\u003E on the lawsuit.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/8500599946416538367"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/8500599946416538367"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/doj-sues-california-prisons-for-failing.html","title":"DOJ Sues California Prisons for Failing to Accommodate Officers' Religious Beard Requirements"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-2662270021498088453"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-27T07:05:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-27T07:05:00.137-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Adoption"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Foster children"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Government contracts"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Idaho"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Licensing"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Religious discrimination"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"New Idaho Law Bars Adverse Action Because of Religious Conduct in Adoption, Foster Care, Licensing and State Contracting "},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EOn Monday, Idaho Governor Brad Little \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/legislature.idaho.gov\/sessioninfo\/2024\/legislation\/H0578\/\"\u003Esigned \u003C\/a\u003EHouse Bill 578 (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/legislature.idaho.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/sessioninfo\/2024\/legislation\/H0578.pdf\"\u003Efull text\u003C\/a\u003E) which prohibits state and local governments from treating adversely any adoption or foster care agency that declines to provide services because of a sincerely held religious belief. The new law also provides:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe state government shall not take any discriminatory action against a person who the state grants custody of a foster or adoptive child wholly or partially on the basis that the person guides, instructs, or raises a child, or intends to guide, instruct, or raise a child, based on or in a manner consistent with a sincerely held religious belief. The state government may consider whether a person shares the same religious or faith tradition as a foster or adoptive child when considering placement of the child in order to prioritize placement with a person of the same religious or faith tradition.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new law goes on to provide that the state cannot deny licensing or the award of a contract to a person because the person believes, maintains policies and procedures, or acts in accordance with a sincerely held religious belief. ADF issued a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/adfmedia.org\/press-release\/idaho-governor-signs-bill-protect-faith-based-adoption-foster-care\"\u003Epress release\u003C\/a\u003E announcing the governor's signing of the bill.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/2662270021498088453"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/2662270021498088453"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/new-idaho-law-bars-adverse-action.html","title":"New Idaho Law Bars Adverse Action Because of Religious Conduct in Adoption, Foster Care, Licensing and State Contracting "}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-5845135858214862825"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-27T07:00:00.002-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-27T07:00:00.143-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"California"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Free exercise"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Religious exemption"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Vaccination"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"California's Removal of Personal Belief Exemption from School Immunization Requirement Is Upheld"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;In \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/cases.justia.com\/federal\/district-courts\/california\/casdce\/3:2023cv02012\/771220\/15\/0.pdf?ts=1711468684\"\u003ERoyce v. Bonta\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(SD CA, March 25, 2024), a California federal district court upheld the constitutionality of a law enacted by California in response to a 2015 measles outbreak. The law removed the personal belief exemption, but retained the medical exemption, from the requirement that school children enrolled in public and private schools be immunized against nine specific diseases.\u0026nbsp; The law also gives immigrant and homeless children a grace period in which to prove compliance with the immunization requirement. The court rejected parents free exercise challenge to the law, concluding that the law is neutral and generally applicable, saying in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn considering California’s interest in the health and safety of students and the public at large, the risk posed by SB 277’s enumerated exemptions does not qualify as comparable to the risk posed by a personal belief exemption....\u0026nbsp; Accordingly, SB 277 is generally applicable....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere is a legitimate State interest in protecting the health and safety of students and the public at large, and SB 277’s repeal of California’s prior personal belief exemption is rationally related to furthering that interest.\u0026nbsp; Because Plaintiffs fail to allege facts from which an inference can be drawn to hold otherwise, SB 277 survives rational basis review.\u0026nbsp; Accordingly, Plaintiffs’ Free Exercise claim fails as a matter of law.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/5845135858214862825"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/5845135858214862825"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/californias-removal-of-personal-belief.html","title":"California's Removal of Personal Belief Exemption from School Immunization Requirement Is Upheld"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-444204391289593829"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-26T09:02:00.002-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-26T14:20:08.669-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Abortion"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"US Supreme Court"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Supreme Court Hears Oral ArgumentsToday On Abortion Pill Restrictions"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments today in two related cases-- \u003Ci\u003EFDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003EDanco Laboratories, LLC v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/i\u003EAt issue is the FDA's actions in 2016 and 2021 regarding the administration and distribution of the abortion pill mifepristone. (See\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2023\/12\/supreme-court-grants-review-of-fdas.html\"\u003E prior posting\u003C\/a\u003E.) Links to briefs and pleadings in the cases can be found on the SCOTUSblog case pages (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.scotusblog.com\/case-files\/cases\/danco-laboratories-l-l-c-v-alliance-for-hippocratic-medicine\/\" style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003EDanco\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ci\u003E, \u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.scotusblog.com\/case-files\/cases\/food-and-drug-administration-v-alliance-for-hippocratic-medicine-2\/\" style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003EAlliance\u003C\/a\u003E).\u0026nbsp; Live audio broadcast of the arguments beginning at 10:00 AM EDT can be \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/oral_arguments\/live.aspx\"\u003Eaccessed here\u003C\/a\u003E. SCOTUS blog has \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.scotusblog.com\/2024\/03\/abortion-access-again-before-supreme-court\/\"\u003Efurther background\u003C\/a\u003E on the issues being argued today. This posting will be updated to link to the transcript and recording of the arguments when they become available later today.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUPDATE: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/oral_arguments\/audio\/2023\/23-235\"\u003EHere is a link\u003C\/a\u003E to the transcript and audio of this morning's oral arguments. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/supreme-court\/supreme-court-weighs-challenge-abortion-pills-widespread-availability-rcna144903\"\u003ENBC News\u003C\/a\u003E reports on the oral arguments.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/444204391289593829"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/444204391289593829"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/supreme-court-hears-oral-argumentstoday.html","title":"Supreme Court Hears Oral ArgumentsToday On Abortion Pill Restrictions"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-5416225313725818747"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-26T07:10:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-26T07:10:00.144-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Jewish"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Jewish divorce"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marriage"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ohio"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Interference With Contractual Relationship Created by Jewish Marriage Contract Is Not Actionable"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EIn \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.ohio.gov\/rod\/docs\/pdf\/12\/2024\/2024-Ohio-1090.pdf\"\u003ES.E. v. Edelstein\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E, (OH App., March 25, 2024), an Ohio state appellate court affirmed the dismissal of a suit for intentional interference with a contractual relationship brought by an Orthodox Jewish wife (Kimberly) against her father-in-law (Max) who disapproved of her marriage to his son (Elliott). The court held that the suit essentially sought damages for alienation of affections and breach of promise to marry which were barred as causes of action by \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/codes.ohio.gov\/ohio-revised-code\/section-2305.29\"\u003EOhio Revised Code 2305.29\u003C\/a\u003E. The court said in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the complaint, it was alleged that Max had intentionally interfered with the ketubah, the supposed \"contract\" at issue in this case, by engaging in a continuous \"campaign to undermine\" Kimberly and Eliott's contractual relationship (i.e., their marriage) for nearly 20 years.\u0026nbsp; The complaint alleged that this included Max being \"emotionally abusive\" towards Kimberly, as well as Max making \"negative and derogatory statements\" about Kimberly.\u0026nbsp; This, according to the complaint, included Max criticizing Kimberly's \"status as a convert to Judaism\" and by frequently stating that Kimberly's and Eliott's children \"were not Jewish.\"\u0026nbsp; The complaint also alleged that Max, \"with the intent to destroy the contractual relationship between\" Kimberly and Eliott, routinely disparaged Kimberly to \"persuade\" Eliott to \"terminate his contractual relationship with [her].\"...\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E[T]he complaint raises amatory claims of a breach of a promise to marry and alienation of affections against Max couched in terms of an intentional interference with a contractual relationship ..., loss of consortium... , loss of parental consortium ..., intentional infliction of emotional distress ...,, and malice.....\u0026nbsp; As stated previously, pursuant to R.C. 2305.29, neither Max, nor any other person, could be held liable in civil damages.... for any breach of a promise to marry or alienation of affection.\u0026nbsp; This holds true despite those claims being pled within the complaint in other, generally more suitable terms....\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJust as a rose is a rose by any other name, a non-actionable claim does not become actionable simply by masquerading as one that is....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/5416225313725818747"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/5416225313725818747"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/interference-with-contractual.html","title":"Interference With Contractual Relationship Created by Jewish Marriage Contract Is Not Actionable"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-4975015171570952673"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-26T07:05:00.002-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-26T16:49:26.711-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"COVID-19"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Free exercise"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Reasonable accommodation"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Religious exemption"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Title VII"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Vaccination"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Denial of Religious Exemption from Vaccine Mandate Did Not Violate Title VII or Constitution"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EIn \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/cases.justia.com\/federal\/district-courts\/washington\/wawdce\/2:2022cv01798\/317641\/85\/0.pdf?ts=1711210109\"\u003EWhite v. University of Washington\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(WD WA, March 22, 2024), a Washington federal district court rejected Title VII as well as constitutional challenges brought by a healthcare worker who was denied a religious exemption from Washington's Covid vaccine mandate. In discussing Plaintiff's Title VII claim of failure to reasonably accommodate, the court said in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith respect to COVID-19 in particular, guidance from the EEOC indicates that “increasing ‘the risk of the spread of COVID-19 to other employees or to the public’” is a ground for finding undue hardship on employers asked to grant religious exemptions to COVID-19 vaccination mandates....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;The Ninth Circuit also has found on a motion to dismiss that undue hardship is established as a matter of law where a religious accommodation would require an employer to violate state or federal law.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe court also rejected plaintiff's due process, equal protection and free exercise claims, saying in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPlaintiff has made no allegations regarding what her religious beliefs are, let alone how they were burdened by Defendants’ adherence to Proclamation 21-14.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/4975015171570952673"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/4975015171570952673"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/denial-of-religious-exemption-from.html","title":"Denial of Religious Exemption from Vaccine Mandate Did Not Violate Title VII or Constitution"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-4895898554151139951"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-26T07:00:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-26T07:00:00.228-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"New York"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Property tax"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ripeness"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"RLUIPA"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Denial of Church's Property Tax Exemption Did Not Violate RLUIPA"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EIn \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/cases.justia.com\/federal\/district-courts\/new-york\/nywdce\/1:2023cv00405\/145627\/25\/0.pdf?ts=1711209819\"\u003ESandstrom v. Wendell\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003C\/i\u003E (WD NY, March 22, 2024), a New York federal district court rejected RLUIPA challenges to local tax officials' denial of a tax exemptions for two properties owned and converted to religious use by the Church of the Holy Redemption. Plaintiff, pastor of the church, argued that his religious exercise was substantially burdened by the denial. Tax officials contended that the Church did not qualify for a tax exemption. The court held in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E[D]espite Plaintiff’s attempts to recharacterize his claims as amounting to a zoning challenge, ... Plaintiff has not plausibly alleged any burden on his religious beliefs apart from having to apply for tax-exempt status or being required to pay taxes.\u0026nbsp; At its core, Plaintiff is seeking a federal court ruling on a local tax matter, which is specifically circumscribed by the Tax Injunction Act and principles of comity....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHere, Plaintiff has not alleged that he submitted a meaningful application to challenge the controversy or gave Defendants an opportunity to commit to a position intended to be “final.”\u0026nbsp; Plaintiff does not allege that he completed the necessary requirements to challenge the properties’ status, commenced any appeal of the determination, or that such efforts would be futile, weighing against a finding that the claims are ripe....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/4895898554151139951"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/4895898554151139951"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/denial-of-churchs-property-tax.html","title":"Denial of Church's Property Tax Exemption Did Not Violate RLUIPA"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-1924852507279466278"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-25T13:48:00.004-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-25T13:48:46.599-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Divorce"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Jewish divorce"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Marriage"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"New York"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Religious Marriage Without Marriage License and Later Annulled by Religious Court Is Still Recognized By New York"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;In \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/nycourts.gov\/reporter\/3dseries\/2024\/2024_24090.htm\"\u003ET.I. v. R.I.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E, (NY Sup Ct Kings Cty, March 20, 2024), a New York state trial court held that the state would recognize a couple's marriage that was performed in a Jewish religious ceremony even though the couple did not obtain a civil marriage license and the marriage was annulled eight years later by a religious tribunal.\u0026nbsp; In a long-running dispute between the parties, there had been a prior divorce action which the parties discontinued and there had been protection orders in favor of the wife against the husband issued by the Family Court and Criminal Court. Now the husband, claiming that no marriage between them existed any longer, sought to have the wife's divorce action dismissed so that the court could not issue orders for him to pay child support, spousal maintenance or equitable distribution of property. According to the court:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe husband contends that the rabbinical court invalidated the parties' religious marriage on two Jewish religious concepts: 1) based upon \"concealment\" because the wife did not disclose her alleged mental health history to him prior to the religious solemnization ceremony; and 2) because the person who conducted the solemnization ceremony was not, although unknown to the parties, authorized to do so by at least some portion of the religious community....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENothing related to the wife's request for a civil divorce requires this Court to address or assess the religious issues that the husband brought before the rabbinical court or that may have been part of the rabbinical court's determination and, as such, the husband's theory that the issue of whether the wife can seek a divorce of any marriage recognized by the State of New York is not prohibited by the First Amendment. Here, the determination of whether a marriage recognized by the State of New York exists between the parties separate and apart from any religious marriage rests not upon religious doctrine but upon neutral principles of law.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAny religious determinations and any ramification of religious doctrine made by the rabbinical court as to the parties' religious marriage are separate and apart from the Supreme Court's jurisdiction over whether, based on neutral principles of law, there exists here a marriage recognized by the State between the parties....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/1924852507279466278"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/1924852507279466278"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/religious-marriage-without-marriage.html","title":"Religious Marriage Without Marriage License and Later Annulled by Religious Court Is Still Recognized By New York"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-2899454607881025713"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-25T07:00:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-25T07:00:00.139-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Articles of interest"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Recent Articles of Interest"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EFrom SSRN:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EPatrick E. Reidy, C.S.C., \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/papers.ssrn.com\/sol3\/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4744217\"\u003EChurching NIMBYs: Creating Affordable Housing on Church Property\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(Yale Law Journal, Vol. 133, No. 4, 2024).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003ENelson Tebbe, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/papers.ssrn.com\/sol3\/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4733209\"\u003EDoes Dobbs Reinforce Democracy?\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(Iowa Law Review, Vol. 108, No. 2363, 2023).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EGalym Zhussipbek, Assyltay Tasbolat \u0026amp; Zhanar Nagayeva, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/papers.ssrn.com\/sol3\/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4721210\"\u003EInterdisciplinary Approach to Overcoming the Persistence of Patriarchal Islamic Interpretations: Gender Equality, the Development of Empathy and Children’s Rights, and Insights from the Reformist Eurasian Scholars of Early Twentieth Century\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E (February 8, 2024).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EElicabeth Sepper, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/papers.ssrn.com\/sol3\/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4723159\"\u003EThe Return of Boy Scouts of America v. Dale\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(St. Louis University Law Journal, Vol. 68, 2024).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003ELinda C. McClain, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/papers.ssrn.com\/sol3\/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4745476\"\u003EDo Public Accommodations Laws Compel “What Shall Be Orthodox”?: The Role of Barnette in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(68 Saint Louis University Law Journal, 2024).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EAndrew M. Koppelman, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/papers.ssrn.com\/sol3\/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4769457\"\u003EThe Supreme Court’s Gay Rights-Religious Liberty Contortions\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp; (Northwestern Public Law Research Paper No. 24-05 (2024)).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EReva B. Siegel \u0026amp; Mary Ziegler, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/papers.ssrn.com\/sol3\/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4761751\"\u003EComstockery: How Government Censorship Gave Birth to the Law of Sexual and Reproductive Freedom, and May Again Threaten It\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(Yale Law Journal, Forthcoming).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003ERachel F.\u0026nbsp;Moran, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/papers.ssrn.com\/sol3\/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4768185\"\u003EAffirmative Action, Religious Liberty, and The Freedom to Discriminate\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(Canopy Forum On the Interactions of Law \u0026amp; Religion, March 2024).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELewis A. Grossman, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/papers.ssrn.com\/sol3\/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4765290\" style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003ECriminalizing Transgender Care\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E(March 19, 2024).\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EMichael L. Smith, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/papers.ssrn.com\/sol3\/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4738339\"\u003ESocial Media Regulation in the Wake of 303 Creative v. Elenis\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E(February 25, 2024).\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAdam Jay Hirsch,\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/papers.ssrn.com\/sol3\/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4762037\"\u003EBeyond Privity of Blood: Intestacy and Charity\u003C\/a\u003E, (UC Law Journal vol. 76, no. 2 (2025) (formerly Hastings Law Journal), Forthcoming).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #505050; font-family: inherit;\"\u003EFrom \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/libguides.heinonline.org\/current-index-to-legal-periodicals\/smartcilp\"\u003ESmartCILP\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #505050;\"\u003EAntony Barone Kolenc, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.avemarialaw.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/v21.Kolenc.final23.pdf\"\u003EVeritatis Splendor and State Accommodation of Religious Freedom\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #505050;\"\u003E21 Ave Maria Law Review 55-63 (2023).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EStephen L. Mikochik, \u003Ci style=\"color: #505050;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.avemarialaw.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/v21.Mikochik.final10.pdf\"\u003EJohn Locke and John Paul II on the Nature of Work\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #505050;\"\u003E21 Ave Maria Law Review 64-70 (2023).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EMarianna Orlandi, \u003Ci style=\"color: #505050;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.avemarialaw.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/v21.Orlandi.final72.pdf\"\u003EThe Age of No-Fault Divorce, the Jeweler's Shop, and the Need for Natural Marriage\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #505050;\"\u003E21 Ave Maria Law Review 71-95 (2023).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003ERonald J. Rychlak, \u003Ci style=\"color: #505050;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.avemarialaw.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/v.21.Rychlak.final78.pdf\"\u003EJohn Paul II, the United Nations, and the Quest for Freedom\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #505050;\"\u003E21 Ave Maria Law Review 96-107 (2023).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EStephen McLoughlin, \u003Ci style=\"color: #505050;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/digitalcommons.law.byu.edu\/lawreview\/vol49\/iss1\/8\/\"\u003EDon't Say Gay or God: How Federal Law Threatens Student Religious Rights and Fails to Protect LGBTQ Students\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #505050;\"\u003E49 BYU Law Review 117-176 (2023).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/2899454607881025713"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/2899454607881025713"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/recent-articles-of-interest_01538953881.html","title":"Recent Articles of Interest"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-960815995749414882"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-23T23:04:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-23T23:04:17.226-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Arbitration"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Jewish divorce"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"New Jersey"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rabbinical Courts"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Court Enforces Arbitration Award Requiring Husband to Furnish Jewish Bill of Divorce"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EIn \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.njcourts.gov\/system\/files\/court-opinions\/2024\/a2160-22.pdf\"\u003ES.I. v. M.I.\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(NJ App., March 22, 2024), a New Jersey state appellate court held that a husband was required to comply with an arbitration agreement he had signed that required him to accept Rabbi David Twersky's decision on his obligation to give his wife a \u003Ci\u003Eget\u003C\/i\u003E (Jewish bill of divorce). The rabbi ordered giving of a \u003Ci\u003Eget\u003C\/i\u003E, but the husband refused to comply. The trial court declined to confirm the arbitration award because it concluded that it could not order a party to carry out a religious act.\u0026nbsp; The court of appeals reversed, saying in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHere, confirmation of the award can be granted under neutral principles of law and without interpretation of religious doctrine.\u0026nbsp; We therefore conclude the Establishment Clause is not violated because the parties' arbitration agreement regarding a get serves the \"purpose of enforcing the parties' contractual obligations\" and \"encouraging divorce litigants to resolve disputes by negotiating and entering\" into marital agreements....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdditionally, enforcement does not infringe on the Free Exercise Clause as the parties voluntarily entered into the MOU arbitration provision and agreement....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EConfirmation of the award strictly required a determination of defendant's contractual obligation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/960815995749414882"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/960815995749414882"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/court-enforces-arbitration-award.html","title":"Court Enforces Arbitration Award Requiring Husband to Furnish Jewish Bill of Divorce"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-1949197066643753383"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-22T07:05:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-22T07:05:00.140-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Indiana"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parental rights"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Released time program"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"New Indiana Law Strengthens Parents' Right to Have Children Attend Released-Time Religious Instruction"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003ELast week, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/legiscan.com\/IN\/bill\/HB1137\/2024\"\u003Esigned\u003C\/a\u003E House Bill 1137 (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/legiscan.com\/IN\/text\/HB1137\/2024\"\u003Efull text\u003C\/a\u003E) which strengthens parents' rights to have their children attend up to two hours per week of released-time religious instruction. Previously Indiana law permitted, but did not require, a public school to honor parents' requests for their children to attend up to two hours per week of religious instruction provided by a church or other religious educational organization. As amended, the law now \u003Ci\u003Erequires\u003C\/i\u003E the principal to allow attendance at up to two hours of religious instruction when a parent has requested it. The law calls for the principal, the parent and the religious school to work cooperatively in finding the least disruptive time for the religious instruction. ADF issued a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/adfmedia.org\/press-release\/governor-signs-bill-protect-student-release-time-religious-instruction\"\u003Epress release\u003C\/a\u003E on the new legislation.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/1949197066643753383"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/1949197066643753383"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/new-indiana-law-strengthens-parents.html","title":"New Indiana Law Strengthens Parents' Right to Have Children Attend Released-Time Religious Instruction"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-2136507520940881658"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-22T07:00:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-22T07:00:00.145-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Church autonomy"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gender discrimination"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Title VII"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"7th Circuit: Refusal to Dismiss Under Church Autonomy Doctrine Is Not Appealable Interlocutory Order"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;In \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/media.ca7.uscourts.gov\/cgi-bin\/OpinionsWeb\/processWebInputExternal.pl?Submit=Display\u0026amp;Path=Y2024\/D03-18\/C:21-2683:J:St__Eve:aut:T:fnOp:N:3183216:S:0\"\u003EGarrick v. Moody Bible Institute\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(7th Cir., March 18, 2024), the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, held that that an order refusing to dismiss a Title VII employment discrimination case under the church autonomy doctrine is not an appealable interlocutory order. The suit was brought by a former communications instructor who claimed sex discrimination.\u0026nbsp; According to the Bible Institute, the instructor's firing resulted from her disagreement with the Institute's doctrine that only men should serve as clergy. Plaintiff contended that this was merely a pretext for sex discrimination. In denying appealability, the court said in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E... Moody’s argument that it will experience irreparable harm without immediate review and reversal of the district court’s order is unavailing. Religious autonomy to shape and control doctrine will not be threatened. Within its discretion to manage discovery, the district court should limit discovery to instances of discriminatory treatment in situations not implicated by Moody’s complementarian beliefs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJudge Brennan dissented, arguing that the interlocutory dismissal order should be appealable. Americans United issued a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.au.org\/the-latest\/press\/victory-janay-garrick-moody-bible-institute-sex-discrimination\/\"\u003Epress release\u003C\/a\u003E announcing the decision.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/2136507520940881658"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/2136507520940881658"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/7th-circuit-refusal-to-dismiss-under.html","title":"7th Circuit: Refusal to Dismiss Under Church Autonomy Doctrine Is Not Appealable Interlocutory Order"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-7163000729730331670"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-21T07:10:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-21T07:10:00.135-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Free exercise"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Free speech"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Satanic Temple"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"School Policies"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Tennessee"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Satanic Temple Sues School Board Over Discriminatory Rental Fees for Satan Club"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Satanic Temple filed suit this week in a Tennessee federal district court complaining that the Memphis-Shelby County School Board is placing hurdles in the way of its renting space for use by an After-School Satan Club. The complaint (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/ffrf.org\/uploads\/files\/FINAL%20Complaint%20TST%20v.%20SCBOE..pdf\"\u003Efull text\u003C\/a\u003E) in \u003Ci\u003EThe Satanic Temple, Inc. v. Shelby County Board of Education,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(WD TN, filed 3\/19\/2024), alleges in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E160. ... MSCS has demonstrated a widespread custom and practice of unnecessarily delaying approval or denial of the Satanic Temple’s rental applications....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E169. ... MSCS is unconstitutionally discriminating against the Satanic Temple on the basis of its disfavored viewpoint and the content of its speech by charging the Temple a discriminatory hourly rental rate for its monthly ASSC meetings and ... an arbitrary and exorbitant security fee while not charging the same rates or security fees to the Good News Club....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E170. ... MSCS’s discriminatory actions are ... arising from disagreement with, and hostility toward, the viewpoint and\/or content of the Satanic Temple’s speech, as well as hostility towards the Satanic Temple’s religion by school board members, MSCS administrators, MSCS officials, community members and others....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E196. The Satanic Temple’s before- and-after school clubs are a vital part of its religiously motivated mission to provide a safe, inclusive, and welcoming club for students whose parents are members of the Satanic Temple, as well as other students who may not feel welcomed or comfortable at other available before- or after-school religious clubs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E197. MSCS’s widespread custom and practice of discriminating against the Satanic Temple and attempting to constructively block and deter the ASSC from meeting ... substantially burdens the Satanic Temple’s exercise of its sincerely held non-theistic religious belief.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFreedom From Religion foundation issued a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/ffrf.org\/news\/news-releases\/item\/43528-ffrf-sues-memphis-schools-on-behalf-of-the-satanic-temple\"\u003Epress release\u003C\/a\u003E announcing the filing of the lawsuit.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/7163000729730331670"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/7163000729730331670"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/satanic-temple-sues-school-board-over.html","title":"Satanic Temple Sues School Board Over Discriminatory Rental Fees for Satan Club"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-1539180393530800594"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-21T07:05:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-21T07:05:00.136-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Food"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Islam"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Prisoner cases"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Reasonable accommodation"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"West Virginia"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"4th Circuit: Inmate's Claim for Religious Diet Should Move Forward"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EIn \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ca4.uscourts.gov\/opinions\/236334.P.pdf\"\u003EPendleton v. Jividen\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003C\/i\u003E(4th Cir., March 20, 2024), the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals held that a West Virginia federal district court should not have dismissed a RLUIPA religious diet claim brought by an inmate who follows the Sufi Original Traditions of Islam. Those Traditions allow him to only eat fruit, vegetables and certain fish. The court said in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2014 ... prison officials introduced a new diet program for those with religious dietary restrictions. Under that program, a single “religious special diet” is served—one designed to meet the needs of all faiths by following the rules of the most diet-restrictive ones. With all forms of meat off the table, the diet uses soy as its primary protein source....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlthough Pendleton’s religious beliefs do not forbid consumption of soy as such, the complaint alleges that Pendleton experiences vomiting, abdominal pain, constipation, and other digestive issues when he does so. And this, the complaint asserts, is of “religious significance” to Pendleton because his inability to properly digest soy renders such foods \"Haram\" for him....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDefendants insist that Pendleton could obtain a meat-free and soy-free diet by obtaining test results showing he has a medically significant allergy to soy. And, the defendants continue, because Pendleton has refused to submit to allergy testing ... he has not plausibly alleged a substantial burden on his religious practice. That argument fails too. Pendleton need not produce documentation of his alleged soy allergy to survive a motion to dismiss.... Even if Pendleton took an allergy test and that test was negative, it would not eliminate his religiously based objections to eating soy.\u0026nbsp; For that reason, Pendleton has plausibly alleged a substantial burden on his religious practices, and the district court erred in concluding otherwise.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/1539180393530800594"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/1539180393530800594"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/4th-circuit-inmates-claim-for-religious.html","title":"4th Circuit: Inmate's Claim for Religious Diet Should Move Forward"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-1007021169572601401"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-21T07:00:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-21T07:00:00.402-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Arizona"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Baptist"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Christian"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Food"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Free exercise"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"RLUIPA"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Christian Food Ministry Sues to End City's Attempts to Close It Down"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;Last week, a Yuma County, Arizona Baptist church filed suit in an Arizona federal district court challenging actions the city of San Luis has taken to close down the church's food distribution ministry which it has operated for 23 years. The complaint (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/firstliberty.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Gethsemani-Complaint-3.14.24_Redacted.pdf\"\u003Efull text\u003C\/a\u003E) in \u003Ci\u003EGethsemani Baptist Church v. City of San Luis,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(D AZ, filed 3\/13\/2024), says that with the election of a new mayor in 2022, the city ended its prior support for the food ministry and used zoning rules to attempt to end its operations. The city contends that the growth of the church's Food Ministry has changed it sufficiently that it may no longer rely on its prior treatment as a legal non-conforming use. The church alleges that the city's actions violate RLUIPA, the Free Exercise Clause, and Arizona's Free Exercise of Religion Act. First Liberty issued a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/firstliberty.org\/media\/church-files-lawsuit-against-the-city-of-san-luis-for-blocking-food-distribution-to-impoverished-families\/\"\u003Epress release\u003C\/a\u003E announcing the filling of the lawsuit.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/1007021169572601401"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/1007021169572601401"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/christian-food-ministry-sues-to-end.html","title":"Christian Food Ministry Sues to End City's Attempts to Close It Down"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-7055105943040591273"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-20T07:10:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-20T07:10:00.142-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Abortion"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Montana"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"State constitutions"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Montana Supreme Court Says AG Wrongly Rejected Language of Reproductive Rights Initiative"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EIn \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/juddocumentservice.mt.gov\/getDocByCTrackId?DocId=466532\"\u003EMontanans Securing Reproductive Rights v. Knudson\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003C\/i\u003E(MT Sup. Ct., March 18, 2024), the Montana Supreme Court held that the state Attorney General was incorrect in in concluding that a proposed reproductive rights ballot initiative violates the separate vote requirement of the Montana Constitution. It also held that the Attorney General lacked authority to append a fiscal statement to the initiative. The court ordered the Attorney General to prepare a ballot statement for the initiative and forward it to the Secretary of State.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJustice McKinnon filed a concurring opinion. Justice Rice filed a dissenting opinion, saying in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI believe it is clear that the provisions of CI-14 are not readily understood, have effects that are concealed, and would result in voter confusion this review is designed to prevent.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(See \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/01\/montana-ag-says-abortion-rights.html\"\u003Eprior related posting\u003C\/a\u003E.) \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/montanafreepress.org\/2024\/03\/18\/montana-supreme-court-allows-abortion-ballot-proposal-to-proceed\/\"\u003EMontana Free Press\u003C\/a\u003E reports on the decision. \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: xx-small;\"\u003E[Thanks to Thomas Rutledge for the lead.]\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/7055105943040591273"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/7055105943040591273"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/montana-supreme-court-says-ag-wrongly.html","title":"Montana Supreme Court Says AG Wrongly Rejected Language of Reproductive Rights Initiative"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-9063331347594264079"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-20T07:10:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-20T07:10:00.143-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Antisemitism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Indiana"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Indiana Governor Vetoes Antisemitism Bill for Omitting Examples in Widely-Adopted Definition"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EAs \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/indiana-legislature-passes-bill-barring.html\"\u003Epreviously reported\u003C\/a\u003E, earlier this month the Indiana legislature passed \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/iga.in.gov\/pdf-documents\/123\/2024\/house\/bills\/HB1002\/HB1002.04.ENRS.pdf\"\u003EHouse Enrolled Act 1002\u003C\/a\u003E which would amend the state Education Code to specifically protect against antisemitism in public schools and colleges. The bill adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/holocaustremembrance.com\/resources\/working-definition-antisemitism\"\u003EWorking Definition of Antisemitism\u003C\/a\u003E, but, in a controversial compromise, excludes examples given by IHRA that, among other things, indicate when criticism of Israel amounts to antisemitism. As reported by \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jns.org\/jewish-groups-applaud-indiana-governors-veto-of-antisemitism-bill\/?_se=YWFyb25hcmhvZGVzQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ%3D%3D\u0026amp;utm_campaign=Evening+Syndicate+Monday+3182024\u0026amp;utm_medium=email\u0026amp;utm_source=brevo\"\u003EJNS\u003C\/a\u003E, that exclusion led Jewish groups to encourage Governor Eric Holcomb to veto the bill, which he did on Monday. His veto message (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.in.gov\/gov\/files\/HEA_1002.pdf\"\u003Efull text\u003C\/a\u003E) said in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile I applaud the General Assembly's effort to address and define antisemitism, I cannot agree with the outcome. The language that emerged in the final days of the session fails to incorporate the entire International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (\"IHRA\") definition and its important contemporary examples. Additionally, the confusing language included in the bill could be read to \u003Ci\u003Eexclude\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;those examples....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, I also refuse to leave a void as to Indiana's stance on antisemitism. That is why I am happy to share that I have also signed a proclamation reiterating that Indiana condemns all forms of antisemitism and ensures we join numerous states and countries by supporting the entire IHRA definition with its inextricable examples....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Governor's lengthy (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.in.gov\/gov\/files\/03182024_proc.pdf\"\u003Efull text\u003C\/a\u003E) says in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhereas, the Working Definition provides a clear, comprehensive and non-legally binding definition that can be used to determine contemporary manifestations of antisemitism....\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe State of Indiana condemns antisemitism and stands in solidarity with the Jewish community in the face of this pernicious and insidious hatred.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile the Proclamation makes clear that its embrace of the IHRA Working Definition includes its examples, the Proclamation makes no explicit mention of criticism of Israel.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/9063331347594264079"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/9063331347594264079"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/indiana-governor-vetoes-antisemitism.html","title":"Indiana Governor Vetoes Antisemitism Bill for Omitting Examples in Widely-Adopted Definition"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-421056687333559213"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-20T07:00:00.003-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-20T07:00:00.453-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Conscientious objection"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Contraceptives"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gender discrimination"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Minnesota"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Public accommodation law"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Pharmacist Violated Sex Discrimination Ban in Refusing to Fill Prescription for Emergency Contraceptive"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;In \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.courthousenews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Anderson-Contraception-Order.pdf\"\u003EAnderson v. Aitkin Pharmacy Services, LLC\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(MN App., March 18, 2024), a Minnesota state appellate court held that a pharmacist violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act that prohibits intentionally refusing to do business with a person because of the person's sex. The pharmacist refused to dispense plaintiff's prescription for the emergency contraceptive ella because of his conscientious objection to dispensing any medication that prevents the implantation of a fertilized egg. The statute defines sex discrimination as including discrimination because of pregnancy. The court said in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBadeaux refused to dispense Anderson’s valid prescription because Badeaux believed she may have been pregnant.\u0026nbsp; Thus, pregnancy was a substantial causative factor in Badeaux’s refusal to dispense ella....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBadeaux did not assert a constitutional defense in district court and does not argue that the MHRA actually violates his constitutional rights.\u0026nbsp; Instead, he argues on appeal that the sex-discrimination language in the MHRA should be interpreted to avoid a constitutional conflict.... But we do not apply the constitutional-avoidance canon to a party’s proposed interpretation of a statute if the interpretation is contrary to the plain language of the statute.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe court however refused to reverse the jury's finding that the Pharmacy, as opposed to the individual pharmacist, did not violate the sex discrimination ban. The court said in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe evidence shows that Aitkin Pharmacy wanted to fill all valid prescriptions and had a pharmacist on staff who was willing to dispense emergency contraception.\u0026nbsp; The evidence also shows that, when Badeaux called Anderson on January 21, he communicated both that he was unwilling to dispense ella and that there was another pharmacist scheduled to work who was willing to dispense her prescription.... [T]here is a reasonable theory of the evidence to support the verdict that Aitkin Pharmacy did not intentionally refuse to do business with Anderson...\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe court also concluded that, because of erroneous jury instructions, plaintiff should have been granted a new trial on her claim that the pharmacy violated the state's public accommodation law that bans denial of the full and equal enjoyment of goods and services in places of public accommodation because of sex. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.courthousenews.com\/minnesota-appellate-court-revives-womans-fight-for-emergency-contraception\/\"\u003ECourthouse News Service\u003C\/a\u003E reports on the decision. \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: xx-small;\"\u003E[Thanks to Thomas Rutledge for the lead.]\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/421056687333559213"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/421056687333559213"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/pharmacist-violated-sex-discrimination.html","title":"Pharmacist Violated Sex Discrimination Ban in Refusing to Fill Prescription for Emergency Contraceptive"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-3437896432229747210"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-19T07:05:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-19T07:05:00.135-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Conscientious objection"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"European Convention on Human Rights"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"European Court of Human Rights"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Turkey"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"European Court: Turkey Violated Rights of Conscientious Objector"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EIn \u003Ci\u003EKanatli v. Turkey, \u003C\/i\u003E(ECHR, March 12, 2024) (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/hudoc.echr.coe.int\/fre#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-231540%22]}\"\u003Efull text of\u0026nbsp;opinion in French\u003C\/a\u003E), the European Court of Human Rights in a Chamber Judgment held that Turkey had violated Article 9 (freedom of thought, conscience and religion) of the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/70.coe.int\/pdf\/convention_eng.pdf\"\u003EEuropean Convention on Human Rights\u003C\/a\u003E when it convicted a military reservist who had subsequently become a conscientious objector for refusing to serve a one-day reserve duty call-up. The reservist, who had become an activist on the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection, was convicted of violating Turkey's Mobilization Act and fined the equivalent of 167 Euros. He refused to pay the fine and was therefore sentenced to ten days in prison. An \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.documentcloud.org\/documents\/24485536-judgment-kanatli-v-turkiye-impossibility-for-a-conscientious-objector-to-opt-for-alternative-service-instead-of-military-service?responsive=1\u0026amp;title=1\"\u003EEnglish language press release\u003C\/a\u003E from the Court summarizes its holding, saying in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe relevant national legislation – which provided for compulsory military service in the armed forces, including as a reservist – made no provision for potential conscientious objectors to perform an alternative form of service....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Court had previously found that a system which provided for no alternative service or any effective and accessible procedure for the examination of a claim of conscientious objection could not be seen as having struck a fair balance between the general interest of society and that of conscientious objectors. No convincing arguments having been put forward by the Government, the Court saw no reason to depart from its case-law in the present case....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Court held that Türkiye was to pay the applicant 9,000 euros (EUR) in respect of non-pecuniary damage and EUR 2,363 in respect of costs and expenses.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/3437896432229747210"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/3437896432229747210"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/european-court-turkey-violated-rights.html","title":"European Court: Turkey Violated Rights of Conscientious Objector"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-4807966805468132680"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-19T07:00:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-19T07:00:00.323-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Abortion"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Catholic"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"FDA"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Prayer"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"US Supreme Court"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Catholic Bishops Mobilize Special Prayer Efforts for Supreme Court's Decision on Abortion Pill Availability"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EOn March 26, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in \u003Ci\u003EFood and Drug Administration v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and a companion case \u003Ci\u003EDanco Laboratories, LLC v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine.\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.scotusblog.com\/case-files\/cases\/food-and-drug-administration-v-alliance-for-hippocratic-medicine-2\/\"\u003ESCOTUSblog case page\u003C\/a\u003E.) At issue are challenges to the Food and Drug Administration's relaxation of restrictions on the administration and use of the abortion drug mifepristone. (See \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2023\/12\/supreme-court-grants-review-of-fdas.html\"\u003Eprior posting\u003C\/a\u003E.) On March 14, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a letter (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.usccb.org\/resources\/nationwide-invitation-to-prayer.pdf\"\u003Efull text\u003C\/a\u003E) calling for the recitation of a special prayer beginning the day before oral arguments and daily until the date in June when the case is decided.\u0026nbsp; The letter reads in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities is inviting Catholics to join a focused effort of prayer for the end of abortion and the protection of women and preborn children, beginning on March 25, the eve of the oral arguments, and the anniversary of St. John Paul II’s landmark, pro-life encyclical, The Gospel of Life (Evangelium vitae). In particular, we will invoke the intercession of St. Joseph, Defender of Life....\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/thetablet.org\/as-abortion-pill-case-approaches-supreme-court-bishops-call-for-prayers-to-end-abortion\/\"\u003EThe Tablet\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.catholicworldreport.com\/2024\/03\/18\/u-s-bishops-call-for-focused-effort-of-prayer-ahead-of-supreme-court-abortion-pill-hearings\/\"\u003ECatholic World Report\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;both report on the Bishops' Nationwide Invitation to Prayer.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/4807966805468132680"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/4807966805468132680"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/catholic-bishops-mobilize-special.html","title":"Catholic Bishops Mobilize Special Prayer Efforts for Supreme Court's Decision on Abortion Pill Availability"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-8336569442847370009"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-18T12:37:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-18T12:37:59.898-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Child custody"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Free speech"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Indiana"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Transgender"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"US Supreme Court"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Certiorari Denied in Case of Anorexic Transgender Teen Placed Under State's Care"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThe U.S. Supreme Court today denied review in \u003Ci\u003EM.C. v. Indiana Department of Child Services\u003C\/i\u003E, (Docket No. 23-450, \u003Ci\u003Ecertiorari\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;denied, 3\/18\/2024) (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/orders\/courtorders\/031824zor_ed9f.pdf\"\u003EOrder List\u003C\/a\u003E). In the case, an Indiana state appellate court upheld the removal to state custody of a 16-year-old transgender child who was suffering from anorexia. The teen's parents, because of their Christian religious beliefs, refused to accept their child's transgender identity. The appellate court also upheld an order barring the parents from discussing the child's transgender identity during visitation.\u0026nbsp; (See \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2022\/10\/states-removal-of-16-year-old.html\"\u003Eprior posting\u003C\/a\u003E.)\u0026nbsp; \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-us\/lifestyle\/parenting\/supreme-court-rejects-appeal-from-parents-who-lost-custody-of-trans-teen\/ar-BB1k65Yf\"\u003EUSA Today\u003C\/a\u003E reports on the Supreme Court's action.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/8336569442847370009"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/8336569442847370009"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/certiorari-denied-in-case-of-anorexic.html","title":"Certiorari Denied in Case of Anorexic Transgender Teen Placed Under State's Care"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206391.post-8407921271897664049"},"published":{"$t":"2024-03-18T07:10:00.002-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-03-18T07:10:00.258-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Church services"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Free exercise"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Michigan"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Air Pollution Did Not Violate City Residents' Free Exercise Rights"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EIn \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/cases.justia.com\/federal\/district-courts\/michigan\/miwdce\/1:2023cv00580\/108429\/133\/0.pdf?ts=1710605038\"\u003EDancer v. United States\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(WD MI, March 15, 2024), residents of Kalamazoo, Michigan sued a variety of governmental and private parties alleging injuries from airborne pollution, chemical discharges and odors from a nearby paper mill. Among the 34 separate claims in the lawsuit was a claim that the city's failure to deal with air quality problems caused pollution and odors that interfered with plaintiffs' ability to attend congregational worship services. The Michigan federal district court said in part:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe city’s alleged failure to improve the air quality of its residents does not give rise to a free exercise claim because that failure impacts city residents without regard to their religion.... Ordinarily, a policy or practice that is “neutral, generally applicable, and ‘incidentally burdens religions practices’” does not give rise to a free exercise claim.... Those are the circumstances here.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/8407921271897664049"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/12206391\/posts\/default\/8407921271897664049"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/religionclause.blogspot.com\/2024\/03\/air-pollution-did-not-violate-city.html","title":"Air Pollution Did Not Violate City Residents' Free Exercise Rights"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Howard Friedman"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14382656960754783109"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"24","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhtAx9Yprxb4Kv4GraQrOn-vybr7C2kTczcyYPTlAV0BasP0dS-ht-GrpXNy_YCTLZYe-jySZNFiVgrFLn1-XiqB39-iFYBNDFym6gkA3Uo5tHOOEYAWGOZDyBWb462Xk4\/s113\/130813-175600.jpg"}}]}]}});