New York Ends Crusade to Make Catholic Nuns Pay for Abortions

New York has finally ended its nearly decade-long campaign to force Catholic nuns and other religious ministries to fund abortions.

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty announced on Tuesday that New York agreed to enter into a settlement with their clients after a lengthy court battle over a state abortion mandate that went to the Supreme Court twice. Plaintiffs in the case, Roman Catholic Diocese v. Harris, included a group of Catholic and Anglican nuns, Catholic dioceses, Christian churches, and faith-based social ministries.

“For nearly a decade, New York bureaucrats tried to strong-arm nuns into paying for abortions because they serve all those in need,” said Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket and an attorney for the religious groups. “At long last, the state has given up its disgraceful campaign. This victory confirms that the government cannot punish religious ministries for living out their faith by serving everyone.” 

In 2017, New York issued a regulation mandating that employer health insurance plans cover killing unborn babies through abortions. While the regulation narrowly exempts certain religious organizations whose purpose is spreading their religious values, it does not exempt religious organizations with broader missions, like serving the poor, and those that employ or serve people who are not of the same faith or no faith at all. In response, the religious groups challenged the regulation.

The case went all the way up to the Supreme Court in 2021, with the high court ultimately ordering lower courts to reconsider the case. The case reached the Supreme Court again in June 2025, and justices again sided with the religious groups and ordered the lower courts to reconsider the case, citing their decision that month in favor of Catholic Charities Bureau. In that case, the Supreme Court ruled that Wisconsin had discriminated against the organization by denying tax-exempt status and violated the First Amendment’s protection of religion.

Becket said the settlement officially brings the New York case to a close.

“The Supreme Court has made it abundantly clear that religious groups shouldn’t be bullied for staying true to their faith,” Windham added. “We are glad that New York finally agreed to settle this case and protect religious objectors from discrimination.” 

The case is Roman Catholic Diocese v. Harris, No. 24-319 in the Supreme Court of the United States.

Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on X @thekat_hamilton.