A federal appeals court has partially revived lawsuits brought by a Christian health care provider and a Catholic parish, challenging portions of Michigan’s anti-discrimination laws under the claim that they violate their constitutional rights.
The plaintiffs argue that the laws prevent them from making public statements opposing same-sex relationships or transgender activity and from hiring employees who share their religious values in this regard.
A three-judge panel at the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a 37-page ruling on Sept. 20 that allows the plaintiffs to proceed with their constitutional challenges, finding that they plausibly established standing. The court ruled that the Christian health care provider and parish faced a credible threat of enforcement for their public statements and hiring practices but affirmed a lower court’s dismissal of challenges to the Equal Accommodations Act and the claims brought by a third Catholic school….