A federal judge in Philadelphia blocked the Trump administration’s rules to allow most businesses to opt out of abortifacient/contraceptive coverage for their employees on religious and moral grounds. The rules were scheduled to go into effect on Jan. 14, but U.S. District Judge Wendy Beetlestone issued a nationwide injunction to prevent enforcement of the rules.
The injunction applies to all 50 states and Washington, D.C., which means the new rules are now on hold and the Obama administration’s Affordable Care Act contraceptive mandate remains in effect.
According to The Washington Post, Beetlestone’s ruling came less than 24 hours after a federal district court judge in California blocked the rules in 13 states and the District of Columbia.
The states’ decisions do not permanently block Trump’s rules but prevent them from taking effect while lawsuits are underway.