Religious Liberty

March 1, 2012 The US Senate voted 51-48 this morning to kill the “Respect for Rights of Conscience Act,” also known as the “Blunt Amendment.”  This critically important legislation would have protected religious individuals and institutions from the Obama Administration’s “contraceptive mandate.” The President of the United States and a majority of US senators believe that Catholic …

US Senate Defeats “Blunt Amendment” Protecting Religious Liberty Read More »

February 21, 2012 Yesterday the House Judiciary Committee approved a state Religious Freedom Restoration Act that would protect the religious liberties of Kansans of faith.  The Kansas Catholic Conference testified on behalf of the bill at a hearing last week, as did Lieutenant Governor Jeff Colyer.  The legislation now awaits consideration by the full House of Representatives.

February 13, 2012 The US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ blog came out with further analysis of the recent changes made to the Obama Administration’s “contraceptive mandate.”  Take a look at “Six More Things Everyone Should Know About the HHS Mandate.” Also, please visit the Kansas Catholic Conference Religious Liberty webpage where you can take action against the contraceptive mandate.

February 11, 2012 Yesterday President Obama outlined changes to the controversial “contraceptive mandate.”  The details of the new policy are not exactly clear, but it does appear to still be the case that the religious individuals and employers will be required to comply with a policy that violates their consciences. It seems clear that the …

President’s Changes to HHS Mandate Insufficient Read More »

February 10, 2012 President Obama today held a press conference announcing changes to the highly controversial “contraceptive mandate” promulgated by his administration.  The details of the new policy are unclear, though it appears that significant problems remain and that individuals and institutions will still be required to finance products and procedures that violate their consciences. …

BREAKING NEWS: President Revises Contraceptive Mandate Read More »

January 31, 2012 The Obama Administration’s decision to force religious organizations to provide free contraceptives, sterilizations, and abortion-inducing drugs is being challenged in court by Belmont Abbey College, a Catholic college in North Carolina, and Colorado Christian University.  The ultimate decision could eventually rest with the US Supreme Court.

January 20, 2012 Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that Catholic institutions which had sought a religious exemption from the “contraceptive mandate” would have to comply with the requirement to provide contraception, sterilization, and abortifacient drugs through their health plans regardless of their moral objections.  Under the policy announced today, religious non-profits …

Obama Administration Rejects Calls for Religious Exemption to Contraceptive Mandate Read More »

January 12, 2012 In landmark decision hailed by defenders of religious freedom, the US Supreme Court has ruled that the First Amendment protects religious institutions in their hiring and firing practices.

October 3, 2011 The Lawrence City Commission has moved to make gender identity a specially protected class, like race or gender.  Under the ordinance, landlords, employers, and businesses will not be allowed to “discriminate” against people who reject the gender of their birth. Opponents of the ordinance pointed to the implications this policy would have …

Lawrence Protects “Gender Identity” Read More »

September 26, 2011 Kansas’ Catholic Bishops sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius today to register their strong disapproval of the new contraceptive mandate put in place by the Obama Administration last month.  In their letter to Secretary Sebelius, the bishops say that the mandate — which requires all health plans to cover prescription contraceptives, …

Kansas Bishops Object to Contraceptive Mandate Read More »