Federal court decisions in three cases in late June will directly impact the work of the Catholic Church in Mississippi.

On June 30, US District Court Judge Carlton Reeves blocked the implementation of H.B. 1523, also known as the Religious Accommodations Act, hours before it was to go into effect July 1.

Earlier that week, the US Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of a proposed law that would have required abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at local hospitals. Turning away the case means the last abortion clinic in Mississippi remains open.