News You Should Know: a Prayer Case, a Restaurant Punished, and That Awful New York Law

We’ve all heard about the New York abortion law by now. Our friends at National Review help break down exactly what it means. Plus, the Supreme Court declines to hear a case (but several Justices implied it could return), a restaurant is fined for asking a man why he entered the women’s restroom, and two Phoenix artists may face jail time for their religious beliefs. All of this from the Alliance Alert team.

ADF in the News

Fox News: Wedding invitation designers say they'll go to jail over case

Earlier this week, ADF was at the Arizona Supreme Court, arguing on behalf of the freedom of creative professionals like Breanna Koski and Joanna Duka to create art consistent with their faith. Co-owners of Brush & Nib Studio in Phoenix, Joanna and Breanna serve all customers, but cannot create art celebrating all events. For that, they risk jail time and steep fines thanks to Phoenix’s insistence that Joanna and Breanna use their artistic talents to create artwork celebrating same-sex marriage.

Religious Freedom

NBC News: Supreme Court won't hear case of HS football coach fired for on-field prayer

The U.S. Supreme Court recently declined to hear an appeal from a high school football coach who was fired for praying after games. For years, coach Joseph Kennedy prayed on the field during post-game handshakes, and welcomed players to join him if they were interested. When the school district fired Kennedy on the basis that he was violating school policy, he filed suit. Lower courts—including the Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit—have denied his freedom so far. ADF attorneys noted that although the Supreme Court denied the appeal, Justice Samuel Alito added a statement pointing out that the religious freedom claim was not before the Supreme Court, and that the case may return after certain facts are clarified.

Marriage and the Family

The Daily Signal: DC Restaurant Fined for Asking Man in Women’s Restroom to Show ID

Washington, D.C. is making an example out of a local restaurant after an employee questioned a man who had entered a women's restroom. An employee of Cuba Libre saw a man enter the women’s restroom and asked to see an ID. In response, the man claimed to be a woman and called the police. The restaurant was fined for this, but that raises an interesting question from Family Research Council president Tony Perkins.

Sanctity of Life

National Review: New York State Senate Passes Bill Permitting Abortions up to Birth

Earlier this week, New York State passed—and Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed—a law striking down any term limits for abortion, legally endangering unborn children all the way up to 40 weeks. Appealing to the primary holding in Roe v. Wade’s companion case Doe v. Bolton, the law hinges on the definition of "health" of a mother as including “all factors – physical, emotional, psychological, familial, and the woman’s age – relevant to the wellbeing of the patient." In addition to legalizing abortion up until the point of full-term birth, the law also voids key protections for unborn victims of violence against mothers, authorizes non-physicians to commit abortions, and compels all insurance providers to cover the deadly procedure.

Do you want updates on news like this delivered directly to your inbox? Sign up for the Alliance Alert!