Wednesday, March 7, 2012

ATLANTA (AP) -- The Georgia Senate has approved legislation that would allow church-affiliated health care providers to opt out of providing contraception.

The bill was passed by a vote of 38-15, with objection from Senate Democrats, including several women senators. Similar bills filed recently in Idaho, Missouri and Arizona echo a separate proposal in the U.S. Congress that would exempt insurance plans from the contraception requirement if they have moral objections.

The legislation was filed in response to a recent Obama administration decision that seeks to guarantee employees of religion-affiliated institutions reproductive health coverage, which would include contraception. Opposition to the Obama rule led the administration to shift the burden from religious organizations to insurance companies.

(Copyright 2012, The Associated Press)