Texas Supreme Court Affirms Absolute Religious Services Clause

The Texas Supreme Court recently ruled in Perez v. City of San Antonio that the state's Religious Services Clause offers absolute and categorical protection against government prohibitions or limitations on religious services, regardless of the government's interest or tailoring of the restrictions. However, the court clarified that this protection is limited to religious services conducted in Texas by organizations established to propagate sincerely held religious beliefs and does not extend to all free exercise of religion or broader religious freedoms, leaving other protections like the Free Exercise Clause and Texas RFRA intact. Concurrently, the U.S. Supreme Court has directed a New York state court to reconsider its ruling on a challenge by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany against state regulations mandating abortion coverage in employer-sponsored health insurance, citing a recent ruling supporting a religious exemption in Wisconsin. The diocese argues New York's exemption is too narrow, excluding organizations serving broader communities, while the state maintains its law reasonably accommodates religious entities promoting shared values and protects employees' access to reproductive health care. This development reflects ongoing Supreme Court attention to religious freedom claims in the context of healthcare mandates and religious employer exemptions. These cases highlight the evolving judicial interpretation of religious rights and the balancing of religious protections with public policy interests.