did not comply with the law. On October 6, 2017, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a new rule with an updated religious exemption that protected religious nonprofit organizations. Federal Judge Wendy Beetlestone issued an injunction, temporarily preventing the enforcement of that exemption. The state of Pennsylvania also sued the federal government to take away the exemption. Pennsylvania asked a judge to order that the Little Sisters of the Poor must comply with the federal mandate or pay a penalty of tens of millions of dollars. The state alleged that the religious organization violated the Constitution, federal anti-discrimination law, and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). On July 8, 2020, in Little Sisters of the Poor Saints Peter and Paul Home v. Pennsylvania, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services had the authority under the ACA to allow the religious and moral exemptions, and that the rules for the exemptions are free from procedural defects, meaning that the Little Sisters of the Poor need not provide contraception nor abortion coverage in their employees' health plans. See also Zubik v. Burwell — a case before the U.S. Supreme Court on the contraceptive mandate, involving the Little Sisters of the Poor References External links Video of the Motherhouse at La Tour Saint Joseph Little Sisters of the Poor, national U.S. site Little Sisters of the Poor, national UK site Thamel, Pete. "From a Gaffe, Some Good for Little Sisters of the Poor", New York Times, September 8, 2011 Leroy, Alexandre. History of the Little Sisters of the Poor Catholic female orders and societies Catholic religious institutes established in the 19th century 19th-century establishments in France