Church Sues Washington State for Forcing It to Pay for Abortion Coverage

A church is suing the state of Washington over a law forcing the church to pay for abortion coverage as part of the employee health plan it offers.

Cedar Park Church, a family of churches across the Evergreen State that also operates Christian schools, purchased group health insurance for its employees in keeping with its moral and legal obligations. Under SB 6219, a state law passed last year, any group health plan that includes maternity coverage, as Cedar Park’s does, must also include abortion coverage. The penalties for noncompliance include fines and imprisonment.

On Friday, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), an Arizona-based nonprofit legal organization, filed suit on behalf of Cedar Park in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. The lawsuit challenges both the constitutionality and the legality of SB 6219.

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