First & Fourteenth has filed a complaint on behalf of the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne challenging a New York mandate that burdens religious exercise and denies equal treatment to Catholic long-term care ministries.
The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne are a member of the Catholic Benefits Association, an association of almost 10,000 Catholic employers that works to protect their ability to operate in accordance with Catholic teaching. Among the affected members are the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne and Rosary Hill Home, a skilled nursing facility in Hawthorne, New York. For more than 120 years, the Sisters have cared for indigent cancer patients and provide palliative care free of charge.
At issue is New York’s LGBTQ Long-Term Care Facility Residents’ Bill of Rights. The law requires facilities to assign rooms based on gender identity, use preferred pronouns even when a patient is not present, post notices affirming compliance, and provide training on the state’s requirements.
The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne are seeking declaratory and injunctive relief under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to prevent affected ministries from facing penalties, including fines, loss of licensure, and other sanctions. First & Fourteenth lawyers Martin Nussbaum, Andrew Nussbaum, Lincoln Davis Wilson, and Erin Gust represent the plaintiffs in the case.
Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g5xHj5Yg
Read Complaint Here: Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne v. Hochul