New York Backs Down on Forcing Nuns to Fund Abortions | Pro-Life & SCOTUS News: January 27, 2026

Welcome to the Napa Legal Podcast, where we discuss religious liberty from the perspective of faith-based nonprofits. In this week's episode, Frank DeVito and Joseph Clement explain new legal and policy updates involving New York's abortion mandate, the Church Autonomy Doctrine and COVID restrictions, and Illinois' abortion referral requirements.

In this episode, we discuss:

1:23 New York's recent settlement with a group of Catholic nuns, Dioceses, and other churches over the state's requirement for religious organizations to pay for abortions in Albany v. Harris after a decade of litigation.

11:57 A cert petition from a church that was fined over $1 million for violating restrictions imposed during COVID-19 asking the Supreme Court to expand the Church Autonomy Doctrine and overturn Smith.

22:59 A letter from HHS explaining how Illinois' abortion referral requirement for all doctors violates federal law.

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For our recent episode featuring Andrea Picciotti-Bayer, visit us here:

https://www.napalegalinstitute.org/podcast-episodes/religion-in-american-society-law-culture-and-freedom-with-guest-andrea-picciotti-bayer

For our episode with Fr. Tad Pacholczyk, visit us here: https://www.napalegalinstitute.org/podcast-episodes/religious-freedom-in-healthcare-with-fr-tad-pacholczyk

Topics: Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. v. Wisconsin Labor & Industry Review Commission, Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, abortion mandate, Free Exercise, Establishment of Religion, Establishment Clause, freedom of religion, religious liberty, ministerial exception, Tandon v. Newsom, abortion referral requirement, medical conscience rights.

The Napa Legal Podcast, January 27 2026.

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