Sacramento, Calif., Jun 1, 2004 / 22:00 pm
Bishop William K. Weigand of Sacramento, announced on Tuesday that Catholic Charities of Sacramento will appeal a decision by the California Supreme Court that Catholic Charities is not a “religious organization” under state law and therefore must provide coverage for contraceptives.
Lawyers for Catholic Charities and the diocese filed their petition with the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday, May 28.
The case, Catholic Charities of Sacramento, Inc. v. CA Department of Managed Health Care, was filed in July 2000 in response to a change in state law that required employers who provide a prescription drug benefit to also cover birth control.
Religious organizations were exempted from providing contraception coverage for their employees, but the law doesn't consider Catholic hospitals, universities or charities to be religious organizations.