WASHINGTON — A Supreme Court justice has blocked the carrying out of portions of President Obama's health care law that would have forced some religion-affiliated organizations to provide health insurance for employees that includes birth control coverage.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor's decision came Tuesday night after a different effort by Catholic-affiliated groups that rushed to the federal courts to stop Wednesday's start of portions of the Affordable Care Act.

Justice Sotomayor acted on a request from an order of Catholic nuns in Colorado, whose request for a stay had been denied by the lower courts.

Justice Sotomayor is giving the government until Friday morning to respond to her decision.