JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., Dec. 21 -- The Missouri Department of Insurance issued the following news release:

A federal judge in St. Louis has issued a temporary restraining order that the Missouri Department of Insurance may not require health insurance companies to comply with certain provisions of Senate Bill 749.

The Missouri Insurance Coalition challenged the enforceability of provisions of Senate Bill 749 that require insurers to provide health plans that exclude coverage of contraceptives at a customer's request based on moral, ethical or religious beliefs or tenets. U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig granted the temporary restraining order, saying there "appears to be an irreconcilable conflict" between federal law and the new state law.

Senate Bill 749 was vetoed by Gov. Jay Nixon in July. The Missouri General Assembly overrode the Governor's veto in September during the annual Veto Session.

About the Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions & Professional Registration

The Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration (DIFP) is responsible for consumer protection through the regulation of financial industries and professionals. The department's seven divisions work to enforce state regulations both efficiently and effectively while encouraging a competitive environment for industries and professions to ensure consumers have access to quality products.

TNS 23SQ 121222-4150011 StaffFurigay