News - June 2016 RSS Feed

TALLAHASSEE, FL - Today, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-3 decision, has overturned a Texas law that aims to protect the health and safety of women who undergo abortion.

In the early morning hours of June 12, 2016, the worst mass shooting in the United States occurred in Florida. Orlando, a diverse city that sees millions of visitors from around the state, country and world each year, has been the target of unthinkable and reprehensible violence. The murdered and injured, their families, and indeed our entire nation are victims of this tragedy.

At the end of June, our Church will once again focus on religious liberty during the Fortnight for Freedom, which will take place June 21 to July 4. This year's theme -- Witnesses to Freedom -- recognizes the lives of more than 14 women and men of faith, from all over the world, who bear witness to authentic freedom in Christ.

On Thursday, June 2, Planned Parenthood filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of HB 1411 passed earlier this year by the Florida legislature and signed into law by Governor Rick Scott on March 25. FCCB supports the law which requires abortionists to have admitting privileges or a transfer agreement with a nearby hospital, ensuring women seeking abortions receive the same level of care as those who undergo comparable procedures at outpatient surgical facilities. While this provision of the bill is not being challenged, the complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Tallahassee, seeks a ruling and an injunction on three other parts of the law:

On June 2, 2016, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau unveiled a proposal for a new federal rule on payday and car title lending. The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops joined with the Florida Alliance for Consumer Protection and other advocates to praise the proposed rule as a good start to addressing unscrupulous lending practices. However, additional work needs to be done to ensure the rule truly protects communities from predatory lenders.