Burwell v Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc together with Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp v Burwell

Federal statutory rights – Free exercise of religion – Burden upon – Federal statute granting religious freedom rights to ‘persons’ and covering ‘any exercise of religion, whether or not compelled by, or central to, a system of religious beliefs’ – Federal regulation requiring owners of for-profit businesses to provide employee group insurance policies including coverage of four contraceptive drugs considered as abortifaceants – Christian owners of for-profit businesses asserting requirement to provide abortifaceants to be a burden upon free exercise of religious belief – Third Federal Circuit Court holding that for-profit corporation could not ‘engage in religious exercise’ under statute or First Amendment and that government mandate imposed no requirements on business owners in their personal capacity – Tenth Federal Circuit Court holding businesses to be ‘persons’ protected under statute – Whether closely held for-profit organization capable of exercising religious freedom rights – Whether statutory requirement to provide insurance violation of organizations’ religious freedom rights – Whether burden placed on for-profit organization furthering compelling government interest – Whether less restrictive alternatives available – Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (‘RFRA'), 42 USC §§2000bb–1(a), (b) as amended by Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (‘RLUIPA'), §2000cc–5(7)(A); Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (‘ACA'), 42 USC §300gg–13(a)(4)

Corporation · Economics · Establishment Clause · First amendment · Free Exercise Clause · Health care · Mandate · Medicaid · Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act · Political science · Religious organization · Sociology · Statute · Statutory law · Supreme court · American Constitutional Law and Politics · Law · Legal Cases and Commentary · Religion, Gender, and Enlightenment