The decision, written by Justice Clarence Thomas, said the administration had "the authority to provide exemptions from the regulatory contraceptive requirements for employers with religious and conscientious objections."

Two U.S. bishops said they welcomed the Court's ruling, noting that the decision "rightly acknowledged" the limit on state authority.

Religious liberty advocates believe that the latest Supreme Court decision will finally banish the hated 19th-century Blaine Amendments for good.

Could the ruling really mark the end of Blaine amendments?

Sister Helen Prejean, a long-time advocate of abolishing the death penalty, has said that the Supreme Court has "abdicated its legal and moral responsibilities" in allowing executions to proceed in various cases.

The court upheld a Montana scholarship program that allows state tax credits for private schooling.