Judge blocks birth control rules, but not nationwide

A U.S. judge in California on Sunday blocked Trump administration rules that would allow more employers to opt out of providing women with no-cost birth control from taking effect in 13 states and the District of Columbia.

Judge Haywood Gilliam granted a request for a preliminary injunction.

The plaintiffs sought to prevent the rules from taking effect as scheduled on Monday while a lawsuit against them moved forward.

But Gilliam limited the scope of the ruling to the plaintiffs, rejecting their request that he block the rules nationwide.

“Employers have no business interfering in women’s healthcare decisions,” California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in a statement Sunday.