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- Oct 23, 2017
Take Action: Urge HHS to Remove Language Defining Life as "Beginning at Conception"
You likely heard that the Trump Administration recently launched an attack on birth control under the guise of religious liberty. But you may have missed another, less publicized threat to reproductive health care. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a draft of its Strategic Plan for the next five years. Through this Plan, the Department aims to reframe its mission by defining life as "beginning at conception" and explicitly prioritizing the religious a
- May 4, 2017
Trump backed down. We never will.
Yesterday we told you of our plans to challenge President Trump's Executive Order if it sanctioned discrimination against women, LGBTQ people, and religious minorities. And we weren't the only ones with plans to do so. We were part of a broad and powerful opposition that was ready to fight - and that was too much of a threat. This morning, Trump signed a "religious freedom" order that takes a significant step back from the version that leaked in February. However, though the
- May 3, 2017
We're preparing to sue the Trump Administration.
This is big. President Donald Trump is expected to sign a sweeping Executive Order tomorrow that would allow people and organizations claiming religious objections to discriminate against women, LGBTQ people, and religious minorities. And if it looks like what we expect, we're going to fight it. That's right. We're gearing up to sue the Trump Administration. Legal Voice has long been a leader in demanding equality in health care, employment, and public accommodations, and in
- Jun 28, 2016
Victory for Washington Patients in Decade-Long Battle Over Pharmacy Rule
Today, the United States Supreme Court vindicated our 11 years of advocacy for Washington patients by refusing to hear Stormans v. Wiesman, in which an Olympia-based pharmacy and two pharmacists alleged that the Washington State rule requiring all pharmacies to fill lawful prescriptions was unconstitutional. The Court’s refusal to hear this case affirms the Ninth Circuit decision protecting patients’ rights to timely access to prescriptions—including emergency contraception—r
- Jan 8, 2016
Legal Voice Joins Allies in Pushing Back Against Hospital Merger in Oregon
Today, Legal Voice joined 12 of our allies in urging Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum not to fast track a merger between Providence Health & Services and St. Joseph Health. The proposed transaction involves nearly 50 hospitals in six states (Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Montana, California, and Texas). The two Catholic health systems have requested a waiver from the standard process for reviewing hospital merger transactions. We have called on the AG’s office to deny th
- Jul 9, 2015
WA Supreme Court Strikes Down DOH Rules on Hospital Ownership Changes
Today, in Washington State Hospital Association v. Washington State Department of Health, the WA Supreme Court held that the 2013 expansion of rules that require Department of Health approval for certain types of hospital ownership changes exceeded the agency’s authority. The “certificate of need” (CON) review process is triggered by the “sale, purchase, or lease” of a hospital, and the rule at issue defined that term more broadly, to include other transactions changing contr
- Nov 20, 2014
Back in Court: Our Decade-Long Fight for Patients' Access to Pharmacy Care
After nearly a decade, our case involving pharmacists' refusal to fill contraception prescriptions, Stormans v. Wiesman (formerly Stormans v. Selecky), is finally being heard on its merits before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Tomorrow, we will defend the rules requiring pharmacies to fill legal prescriptions without discrimination and without delay. At stake is more than just Washington's pharmacy rules, but potentially the rights of corporations to evade compliance wit
- Jun 30, 2014
U.S. Supreme Court Strikes a Blow to Women's Access to Contraceptive Coverage
We are extremely disappointed that today, the United States Supreme Court has given employers license to disregard an important requirement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—that private insurance plans cover contraceptives without a co-pay. Today's decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. allows employers to assert religious objections to opt out of providing this coverage, thus allowing them to stand between women and the essential health care they deserve.
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