skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

SD public defense duties shift from counties to state; SCOTUS appears skeptical of restricting government communications with social media companies; Trump lawyers say he can't make bond; new scholarships aim to connect class of 2024 to high-demand jobs.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The SCOTUS weighs government influence on social media, and who groups like the NRA can do business with. Biden signs an executive order to advance women's health research and the White House tells Israel it's responsible for the Gaza humanitarian crisis.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Midwest regenerative farmers are rethinking chicken production, Medicare Advantage is squeezing the finances of rural hospitals and California's extreme swing from floods to drought has some thinking it's time to turn rural farm parcels into floodplains.

Report Highlights Concerns in Religious Freedom Lawsuit

play audio
Play

Friday, August 21, 2020   

PHILADELPHIA -- Creating a religious exemption to anti-discrimination laws could have far-reaching, negative effects - that's the conclusion of a new report on a case soon to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The City of Philadelphia refused to renew its contract with Catholic Social Services, a child-welfare agency. It said the agency's policy of refusing to license same-sex couples as foster parents on religious grounds violates the city's nondiscrimination law.

CSS sued, saying denying a contract violates its rights to free exercise of religion and free speech. But Naomi Goldberg, policy and research director at the Movement Advancement Project, said creating a religious exemption for CSS could open the door to similar claims for a wide variety of services.

"The most broad way in which the court could rule," said Goldberg, "could essentially create a constitutional right to discriminate for individuals, for businesses and for taxpayer-funded entities."

Lower federal courts have ruled the city's policy is neutral and doesn't target CSS or its religious beliefs. The case has been scheduled for Supreme Court arguments on Nov. 4.

The report also said foster children could be harmed by creating a religious exemption for discrimination. Goldberg pointed out there are many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender children who need foster care.

"What we could end up with are agencies that receive taxpayer funding to care for kids in state care who might force children to undergo things like conversion therapy," said Goldberg, "or refuse to recognize their sexual orientation or gender identity."

She added there is a shortage of foster families and said refusing to place children with qualified couples or individuals for religious reasons alone makes that shortage worse.

Goldberg noted that any entity receiving public funds is expected to live up to the terms of its contract.

"Considering all qualified families without regard to their religion or sexual orientation is a contract term that's really important," said Goldberg. "It speaks to the welfare of children."

She said creating a religious exemption in government contracts would make it nearly impossible for state or local governments to set standards for provision of services.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Iowa families can apply for up to $7,600 a year for private school costs. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

An ethics committee in the Republican-led Iowa House has dismissed a complaint filed by a group of community activists against a state lawmaker for hi…


play sound

Each spring, hundreds of thousands of California high school seniors have to figure out if they can afford to go to college in the fall - and two new …

Health and Wellness

play sound

A health care workforce shortage in New Hampshire is leaving Alzheimer's patients and their families with few options for treatment. Patients facing …


South Dakota ranks 49th in the country for its contribution to indigent legal defense costs, according to a 2023 report from the Indigent Legal Services Task Force. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

South Dakota is creating an Office of Indigent Legal Services after House Bill 1057 passed the Legislature with nearly unanimous support this month…

Environment

play sound

A Knoxville-based environmental group is voicing concerns over what it sees as an increasing financial strain imposed on taxpayers by nuclear weapons …

Environment

play sound

A bipartisan law set to take effect this summer prohibits foreign adversaries from buying Hoosier farmland. The signature of Gov. Eric Holcomb was …

Social Issues

play sound

Today, people across Arizona are voting in the Presidential Preference Election, a chance for registered Democrats and Republicans to choose their …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021