Today, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals dealt a victory to working women across the country by protecting employer-based coverage for birth control under the Affordable Care Act.

The ACA requires employers to provide insurance that covers contraception. The Trump administration issued new rules which would have made it easier for employers with religious or moral objections to opt out of this requirement. Legal battles ensued, and today the Ninth Circuit joined the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in blocking the enforcement of the rule, citing that the administration lacked the authority to issue it. You can read the full opinion here. 

California led this legal effort, working in coalition with fourteen other states where this ruling now applies. The federal government has asked the Supreme Court to review an earlier court decision blocking this rule nationwide. This fight is not over, but today marks a win for women’s health.

CWLC applauds the California Attorney General’s office for their leadership on this issue. We signed on to an amicus brief in this case to protect women’s reproductive rights, and we remain committed to these efforts.