New York Federal Judge Vacates Trump Administration “Conscience” Regulation

U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer issued an extraordinarily lengthy opinion on November 6, concluding that a regulation adopted by the Trump Administration’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) intended to protect from discrimination employees in the health care industry who refused to provide services because of their religious beliefs is invalid.   The case is State of New York v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2019 WL 5781789, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS … <Read More>


Louisiana Court Finds Governor Edwards’ Civil Rights Executive Order Unconstitutional

A trial judge in Louisiana ruled on December 14 that an Executive Order by Governor John Bel Edwards, forbidding anti-LGBT discrimination in the executive branch of the state government and by state contractors, violates the Louisiana constitution and laws. 19th Judicial District Judge Todd W. Hernandez, in the Parish of East Baton Rouge, said that this Order violates the separation of powers established by the Louisiana Constitution, is outside the governor’s authority to “faithfully execute … <Read More>