Hobby Lobby Pledges To Defy Contraceptive Coverage Rules After Supreme Court Rejects Case

Submitted by JAC on Thu, 01/03/2013 - 12:00am

Following last week's Supreme Court decision to not issue an emergency injunction, Hooby Lobby will defy federal contraception coverage rules, incurring fines up to $1.3 million a day beginning January 1st.

Last week, an attorney for Hobby Lobby announced that the retail chain will defy the federal contraceptive coverage rules by refusing to include coverage of emergency contraception in its employee health plan, the Los Angeles Times reports. Hobby Lobby and its sister company, Mardel, face fines of up to $1.3 million per day as of Jan. 1 for not complying with the rules. The companies' conservative Christian owners object to covering EC because they believe it is the equivalent of an abortion.

The companies' announcement came shortly after the Supreme Court denied their request for an emergency injunction to block enforcement of the contraceptive coverage rules (Li, Los Angeles Times, 1/1). The court said it will not consider the case until lower courts have ruled (Haberkorn/Smith, Politico, 12/26/12).
"The company will continue to provide health insurance to all qualified employees," said plaintiffs' attorney Kyle Duncan of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. He added, "To remain true to their faith, it is not their intention, as a company, to pay for abortion-inducing drugs" (Brown, Salt Lake City Deseret News, 12/31/12).