North Dakota (trfnews.i234.me) – In a major ruling with national implications, U.S. District Court Judge Peter Welte has blocked federal mandates requiring Catholic organizations to provide or fund gender-affirming care, siding with the Catholic Benefits Association.
The lawsuit challenged two federal rules—one from the Department of Health and Human Services under the Affordable Care Act and another from the EEOC under Title VII—both aimed at protecting transgender rights. These rules would have required Catholic employers to cover medical treatments such as hormone therapy or surgeries for transgender individuals.
Judge Welte found the rules violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, stating they force Catholic groups to choose between their beliefs and legal consequences. He ruled the exemption process was too vague and failed to adequately protect religious liberty.
This ruling follows a similar April decision by Judge Daniel Traynor and further undercuts federal enforcement of gender identity protections.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.