WASHINGTON (AP) — A divided appeals court panel is siding with Ohio business owners who challenged the birth control mandate under the new federal health care law.
The business owners are two brothers who say the mandate to provide contraceptive coverage would make them violate their Roman Catholic beliefs.
The ruling Friday by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is one of many on the birth control issue, which likely will be resolved by the Supreme Court.
The appeals court panel says the mandate limits the right of free exercise of religion.
The brothers are Francis and Philip M. Gilardi. They say they don’t want to provide contraceptives like the Plan B pill for their employees. The Gilardis own Freshway Foods and Freshway Logistics of Sidney, Ohio.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
U.S. Court of Appeals opinion on Obamacare birth control mandate by tpmdocs
