By JESSICA GRESKO

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is siding with the Trump administration in its effort to allow more employers to opt out of providing no-cost birth control to women as required by the Affordable Care Act.

The high court on Wednesday said the administration acted properly when it allowed more employers who cite a religious or moral objection to opt out of covering birth control.

The Obama-era health law said most employers must cover birth control as a preventive service, at no charge to women, in their insurance plans.

The government had estimated that the Trump administration rule changes would cause about 70,000 women, and at most 126,000 women, to lose contraception coverage in one year.


 

Also in Supreme Court news...

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is siding with two Catholic schools in a ruling that underscores that certain employees of religious schools, hospitals and social service centers can’t sue for employment discrimination.

The high court’s ruling on Wednesday was 7-2.

The justices had previously said in a unanimous 2012 decision that the Constitution prevents ministers from suing their churches for employment discrimination. But the court didn't specifically define at that time who counts as a minister. The new ruling makes that clear.


 

By MARK SHERMAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has ruled unanimously that states can require presidential electors to back their states’ popular vote winner in the Electoral College.

Justice Elena Kagan wrote for the court Monday in a decision flavored with references to the Broadway show “Hamilton” and the TV series “Veep.”

The ruling comes just under four months before the 2020 election, leaving in place laws in 32 states and the District of Columbia that bind electors to vote for their states' popular-vote winner. Electors almost always do so anyway.

So-called faithless electors have not been critical to the outcome of a presidential election, but that could change in a race decided by just a few electoral votes.

All contents © copyright 2020 Associated Press. All rights reserved

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