http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/alito-religious-freedom-supreme-court_us_5772aa69e4b0f168323b12d0The Supreme Court on Tuesday shunned a religious challenge to Washington state regulations requiring all licensed pharmacists to dispense emergency contraceptives when presented with a valid prescription.
In a one-line order, the court declined to review the rules, which also allow pharmacies to deny delivery of the drugs if a pharmacist has a religious objection, but permit another pharmacist to step in and provide the medication.
An appeals court ruled last summer that the regulations did not violate religious beliefs of pharmacy owners and individual pharmacists under the First Amendment?s free exercise clause. The court noted the regulations were written neutrally and didn?t single out pharmacists who had a specific belief.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to leave that ruling in place, but Justice Samuel Alito, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Clarence Thomas, protested that the high court?s position sends ?an ominous sign? for religious liberty.
?There are strong reasons to doubt whether the regulations were adopted for ? or that they actually serve ? any legitimate purpose,? Alito wrote. ?And there is much evidence that the impetus for the adoption of the regulations was hostility to pharmacists whose religious beliefs regarding abortion and contraception are out of step with prevailing opinion in the State.?
Under longstanding practice, it takes four votes at the Supreme Court to agree to hear a case, so it?s likely Alito?s darts were aimed at fellow conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy, who occasionally sides with the liberal wing, as in Monday?s watershed ruling in favor of abortion rights.
