Okla. Attorney General Pruitt Files brief in support of Hobby Lobby’s religious liberty fight

OKLAHOMA CITY – Attorney General Scott Pruitt Tuesday filed a brief in support of Hobby Lobby in the Oklahoma company’s religious liberty challenge to the Affordable Care Act.

Hobby Lobby Stores Inc., located in Oklahoma City, is challenging the federal government’s requirement that employers offer health insurance coverage for services such as abortion inducing drugs that conflict with their religious beliefs.

The state’s amicus brief questions the district court’s earlier ruling in the case and defends the free exercise rights of the company’s owners, the Green Family.

“The actions of the (Federal Government) substantially burden the undisputed, sincere, and deeply held religious faith of these citizens of Oklahoma who are otherwise fully protected by the Constitution and laws of the State of Oklahoma, and forcibly require them to personally undertake actions that are contrary to the undisputed, sincere, and deeply held religious faith of these citizens,” the court filing states.

Oklahoma also is among seven states involved in a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in Nebraska that challenges the constitutionality of the federal government’s mandate, claiming the requirement would be an unprecedented invasion of First Amendment rights to free speech, free exercise of religion and free association.

“Any regulation that requires an employer to violate their lawful religious beliefs and practices goes directly against the ideals that our Founding Fathers set in place to protect Americans from an overbearing and intrusive government,” Pruitt said. “It conflicts with the most basic elements of freedom provided to all Americans to practice their lawful religion wherever, whenever and however they choose. For that reason, we have filed a brief in support of Hobby Lobby’s claim and ask the Court to find the regulation unconstitutional.”

For a copy of the amicus brief, go online to www.oag.ok.gov.