Fortenberry behind medical conscience bill

OMAHA, Neb.: Nebraska Republican Rep. Jeff Fortenberry has helped write a bill that would let those with conscience and religious objections opt out of some requirements in the federal health care overhaul such as covering the cost of birth control.
Fortenberry is an original co-sponsor of the bill by Tennessee Rep. Diane Black, a fellow Republican. The legislation, known as the Health Care Conscience Rights Act, would allow health care providers and small business owners to opt out of some requirements and would allow health care workers not to participate abortion procedures.
Fortenberry says the bill “simply restores the basic rights in health care that were widely accepted before the implementation of the new health care law.”
Fortenberry introduced similar legislation in 2011. -AP