SUPREME COURT NOTEBOOK

Justices act in other health law mandate cases WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday confirmed that its decision a day earlier extending religious rights to closely held corporations applies broadly to the contraceptive coverage requirement in the new health care law, not just the handful of methods the justices considered in their ruling. The justices did not comment in leaving in place lower court rulings in favor of businesses that object to covering all 20 methods of government-approved contraception. Hobby Lobby Inc. and a Pennsylvania furniture maker won their court challenges Monday in which they refused to pay for two emergency contraceptive pills and two intrauterine devices. Tuesday's orders apply to companies owned by Catholics who oppose all contraception. Cases were awaiting action pending resolution of the Hobby Lobby case. They are among roughly 50 lawsuits from profit-seeking corporations that object to the contraceptive coverage requirement in their health plans for employees. Contraception is among a range of preventive services that must be included in the health plans, at no extra cost to workers. The justices also ordered lower courts that ruled in favor of the Obama administration to reconsider those decisions in light of Monday's 5-4 decision. Two Michigan-based companies, Autocam Corp. and Eden Foods Inc., both lost their cases in the lower courts. The justices ordered the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider its decisions against the companies. Labor casessent back forfurther review WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court has asked appeals courts to take another look at two cases involving disputes decided by the National Labor Relations Board. The justices on Tuesday ordered the cases to be re-examined in light its recent decision on a president's power to fill administration posts while the Senate is on a break. The court last week ruled that three of President Barack Obama's recess appointments made to the board in 2012 were invalid because the Senate had not taken a long enough break and was still conducting business. But these cases involve challenges to a different recess appointee that Obama installed in 2010, when the Senate had adjourned for two weeks. The NLRB is likely to prevail when the cases are reconsidered by courts in Atlanta and Virginia. Published: Thu, Jul 03, 2014