Bill Text: NJ SCR29 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges President Obama to protect the freedom of religious institutions from government intervention.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-14 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee [SCR29 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-SCR29-Introduced.html
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 29
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
216th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2014 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH PENNACCHIO
District 26 (Essex, Morris and Passaic)
Senator JOSEPH M. KYRILLOS, JR.
District 13 (Monmouth)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Oroho
SYNOPSIS
Urges President Obama to protect the freedom of religious institutions from government intervention.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
A Concurrent Resolution urging President Obama to protect the freedom of religious institutions from government intervention.
Whereas, On January 20, 2012, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reaffirmed a rule that most private health care plans must cover sterilization and contraception; and
Whereas, This requirement forces many religious groups, including the Catholic Church, that provide vital services to our country through religious institutions such as charities, schools and institutions of higher education, and hospitals, to violate the teachings of their faiths; and
Whereas, The rule is an affront to the religious liberty of every citizen of the United States, as enshrined in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution; and
Whereas, On February 10, 2012, President Obama announced an adjustment to his administration's rule, so that religious employers who object to offering contraceptive services would not be required to cover employees' contraceptive services, but that the insurers offering plans to these employers would be required to offer to the employees contraceptive services under separate coverage; and
Whereas, While the President claims that religious employers who object to offering contraceptive services would not be required to pay for these services; such a claim is disingenuous, because the cost of these services must be accounted for somewhere, and ultimately will be absorbed by the employer and employees, many of whom will not avail themselves of the services; and
Whereas, Under the President's rule, religious institutions are forced to pay for insurance plans, which in turn use that money to pay for contraceptives and contraceptive education, services which are contrary to the teachings of the religious institutions themselves; and
Whereas, Currently, many states exempt religious institutions from any requirement that employers or insurance providers offer contraceptive services to employees; and
Whereas, The President has the power to continue this exemption at the national level and not require that employees of religious institutions be offered contraceptive services at no immediate cost or on any other basis; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey (the General Assembly concurring):
1. The Legislature of the State of New Jersey respectfully urges the President of the United States to protect the freedom of religious institutions from government intervention.
2. Duly authenticated copies of this concurrent resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the General Assembly, shall be transmitted to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and to the President of the United States.
STATEMENT
This concurrent resolution respectfully urges the President of the United States to protect the freedom of religious institutions from government intervention. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently reaffirmed a rule that will require most health insurers to cover sterilization and contraception. This requirement forces many religious groups, including the Catholic Church, that provide vital services to our country through religious institutions such as charities, schools and institutions of higher education, and hospitals, to violate the teachings of their faiths. This is an affront to the religious liberty of every citizen of the United States, as enshrined in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
