Supreme Court Recap: Could Court Issue Narrow RFRA Ruling?

Written by Don Byrd
While we wait for the Supreme Court to release the audio and transcript of today’s oral argument in the Hobby Lobby case (see earlier previews and thoughts here, here and here), I have been reading some recaps of those who were able to be in the chamber today. Some highlights are below…

Supreme Court Argument Next Week Puts Spotlight on RFRA

Written by Don Byrd
On Tuesday, the US Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in 2 cases regarding the contraception coverage mandate for employers providing health insurance. The plaintiff companies argue the requirement forces their owners to violate their religious beliefs. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act, they claim, prohibits the government from placing such a burden, even on for-profit companies.

As this Associated Press preview demonstrates, expressing the owners’ faith through company policy is not new for Hobby Lobby.

“What Happened in Arizona?”

Written by Don Byrd
In the newest issue of the BJC’s Report From the Capital, General Counsel K. Hollyn Hollman discusses highly controversial religious freedom legislation vetoed by the Arizona Governor because it raised discrimination concerns. The proposal and the ensuing media storm cast an unfortunate shadow on RFRA legislation.

In her column, Hollman offers reasons why the Arizona bill escalated from a proposal to strengthen religious liberty protection into a culture war clash. In this climate, she suggests, proposals like the Arizona law are likely to cause more harm than good to the cause of religious liberty.

Read the full post for an excerpt…

Salvation Army Settles Religious Discrimination Lawsuit

Written by Don Byrd
The Salvation Army has agreed to pay more than $450,000 to a pair of former employees and institute a program to notify employees in federally funded programs of their religious freedom rights.The employees complained about being required to disclose their religious affiliations despite working in publicly funded areas of the organization, and were later forced out of their jobs for questioning those policies, according to the complaint.