Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., responds to the proposed health care bill S3813/A5510 and the effects it could have on religious organizations who provide health care to their employees.

Today, the Catholic Bishops of New Jersey continue to support affordable health care for all with special attention given to the poor and marginalized.  The Catholic Church, however, a long-time voice calling for universal health care, would be punished by the State of New Jersey by legislation described as “intended to improve health care for citizenry.”

S3813/A5510 would amend the Law Against Discrimination (LAD) and, therefore, is an “anti-discrimination” bill, not really a health care bill.  As such, S3813/A5510 appears to be a “backdoor” attempt to force religious organizations that provide and administer health insurance benefits to violate their deeply held religious beliefs.