Church Lacks Standing To Challenge State's Insurance Coverage Mandate

In Cedar Park Assembly of God of Kirkland, Washington v. Kreidler, (WD WA, May 6, 2020), a Washington federal district court refused to grant a preliminary injunction to a church that objects to Washington's SB 6219 which requires all health insurance plans to cover all FDA-approved contraceptive products. The court concluded that the church lacks standing to pursue the claim, saying in part:

Cedar Park has failed to establish that any injury is fairly traceable to SB 6219. When Cedar Park needed to renew its health insurance plan on September 1, 2019, there was no product in the marketplace that complied with Cedar Park’s preferred requirements. Cedar Park has failed to establish that this absence of a product was because of SB 6219. In fact, Cedar Park’s previous plan did not conform to its beliefs despite SB 6219 not having legal effect when Cedar Park purchased that plan. Now, Providence offers what appears to be an acceptable product despite the continued applicability of SB 6219. Thus, Cedar Park has failed to establish an injury or an injury that is fairly traceable to SB 6219.