LANSING (WKZO) -- The Michigan Catholic Conference is suing the U.S. Department of Health and Human services over a birth control mandate.  That mandate requires many faith-based employers to offer abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization and artificial contraception in their health benefit plans.

The nine-count lawsuit asserts violations of the First Amendment's Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses, the Administrative Procedures Act, and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The Catholic Conference's lawsuit was filed Monday as several dozen Catholic entities across the country filed similar lawsuits citing, among others, the HHS mandate's excessive entanglement into the internal governance of religious organizations.