ST. LOUIS • A St. Louis business owner is suing the Obama administration over the requirement that employees' health insurance include coverage of contraception.

Frank O'Brien, who owns O'Brien Industrial Holdings, said the contraception rule violates his Catholic beliefs, according to the lawsuit filed in federal court today.

O'Brien is represented by the American Center for Law and Justice, a Washington-based pro-life legal group.

Lawyers for the center believe O'Brien's lawsuit is the first from a private business owner to challenge the federal law.

O'Brien Industrial Holdings has 87 employees who run businesses that produce ceramic materials.

Missouri already requires businesses that provide health insurance to include contraception coverage, but allows for religious exemptions.

Under the federal law, churches and other houses of worship are exempt from the law. Employees of hospitals and schools operated by religious groups can obtain contraceptive coverage directly from health insurance companies.

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