The California Department of Managed Health Care is forcing churches to pay for elective abortions in their health insurance plans. Its mandate forces all insurance plans to cover all abortions. The state doesn’t force churches to pay for contraceptive coverage but nonetheless requires them to pay for elective abortion coverage.

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Counsel Jeremiah Galus regarding a federal court’s decision Friday to dismiss Foothill Church v. Rouillard, a legal challenge by three churches seeking to halt a California mandate that forces all health insurance plans to cover elective abortions:

“Churches should be free to serve their communities according to their religious beliefs without unjust government edicts that force them to violate those beliefs. California has no right to dictate what pastors or churches believe on moral and cultural issues. Yet, with the stroke of a pen—and without consulting the public—the state mandated that churches must pay for the taking of innocent human life. If the state can force a church to pay for the very thing they counsel against, in violation of their constitutionally protected religious beliefs, then no American is secure. Because the court’s decision ignores the longstanding freedom of faith communities to act consistently with their religious mission, we are consulting with our clients about next steps.”

Full story at Alliance Defending Freedom.