The owners of a Highland business have filed a federal lawsuit challenging the country's health care reform law because the mandate violates their Catholic faith.

The suit was filed on behalf of Korte & Luitjohan Contractors Inc. by the American Center for Law and Justice, an anti-abortion legal organization based in Washington, D.C.

The lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in East St. Louis this week, alleges the mandate violates constitutional and statutory rights by requiring the company to purchase health insurance for employees that includes coverage for contraceptives, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs.

Korte & Luitjohan provides a group health insurance plan for its 20 non-union employees. Cyril B. Korte and Jane E. Korte, who own a controlling interest in the company, contend the health care mandate violates their Catholic faith.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2010 and was upheld by the Supreme Court earlier this year.

"The HHS (Health and Human Services) mandate violates America's long-standing history of protecting conscience rights," said Edward White of the American Center for Law and Justice in a news release. "The mandate is unlawfully compelling employers such as our clients to do the following: abandon their faith to comply with the law, or follow their faith and pay significant annual penalties to the federal government. The mandate must be invalidated."

The suit contends the law violates the First Amendment. It also argues the mandate violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the Administrative Procedure Act.

Contact reporter Jamie Forsythe at 239-2562 or jforsythe1@bnd.com.