Abortion Coverage: CA Churches to Be Exempt

Three churches in California are exercising their religious freedom—a federal court ruled—and no longer have to cover abortion services through health care plans for employees, as of Aug. 25.  U.S. District Court Chief Judge Kimberly Mueller of the Eastern District of California ruled in favor of the three churches—Foothill Church in Glendora, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino, and Shepherd of the Hills Church in Porter Ranch—which could potentially lead other religious groups and agencies to exclude such health care coverage by exercising religious freedom guaranteed under First Amendment to the U.S. Const …