In Our Lady's Inn v. City of St. Louis, (ED MO, Sept. 30, 2018), a Missouri federal district court enjoined enforcement against plaintiffs of a St. Louis ordinance enacted last year that prohibits discrimination in housing and employment because of a person's reproductive health decisions or pregnancy. Plaintiffs were a non-profit agency that provides housing to pregnant, low-income women who seek an alternative to abortion; a group of Catholic elementary schools; and a closely held company whose principal owner adheres to Catholic teachings on birth control.
Construing exemptive language of the ordinance narrowly, the court concluded that the ordinance would require businesses to provide health insurance for reproductive services, and that the ordinance would thus be invalid under Missouri's RFRA. The court went on to invalidate the employment and housing discrimination provisions, finding that they violate the expressive association rights of the women's shelter and the Catholic schools. The Thomas More Society issued a press release announcing the decision.
