(CN) — The state of Washington defeated a lawsuit brought by a church that challenged a 2018 law requiring health insurance plans that provide maternity coverage to also provide substantially equivalent abortion coverage. U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle in Tacoma on Tuesday issued summary judgment in favor of the state. Two years ago, the Ninth Circuit overturned Settle’s dismissal of the Cedar Park Assembly of God of Kirkland’s lawsuit. The judge rejected Cedar Park’s argument that the law, Senate Bill 6219, violates its First Amendment right to freely practice its religious beliefs because it coerces the church to facilitate abortion through offering a group health plan. Specifically, Settle didn’t agree that the statute amounted to impermissible "religious gerrymandering" by favoring secular conduct and proscribing more religious conduct than necessary to achieve its purpose. In fact, the judge said, SB 6219 doesn’t favor secular conduct. "The law does not, for example, exempt non-religious organizations while targeting religious organizations," according to Settle’s order. "There is no evidence that SB 6219 was enacted to burden or target religion." The church in suburban Seattle sued in 2019, claiming that state acted in concert with Planned Parenthood to draft and implement a law that […]
