{"abstract":"The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is issuing a final rule to ensure that Department funds do not support morally coercive or discriminatory practices or policies in violation of federal law, pursuant to the Church Amendments (42 U.S.C. 300a-7), Public Health Service (PHS) Act Sec. 245 (42 U.S.C. 238n), and the Weldon Amendment (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, Public Law 110-161, Div. G, Sec. 508(d), 121 Stat. 1844, 2209). This final rule defines certain key terms. In order to ensure that recipients of Department funds know about their legal obligations under these federal health care conscience protection laws, the Department is requiring written certification by certain recipients that they will comply with all three statutes, as applicable. Finally, this final rule assigns responsibility for complaint handling and investigation among the Department's Office for Civil Rights and Department program offices.","action":"Final rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2008/12/19/E8-30134.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":88,"title":45}],"citation":"73 FR 78072","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"This rule is effective January 20, 2009.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":[],"dockets":[],"document_number":"E8-30134","effective_on":"2009-01-20","end_page":78101,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2008/12/19/E8-30134.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2008/12/19/E8-30134/ensuring-that-department-of-health-and-human-services-funds-do-not-support-coercive-or","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/E8-30134?publication_date=2008-12-19","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2008-12-19/E8-30134/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":30,"page_views":{"count":1969,"last_updated":"2026-10-23 10:15:04 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2008-12-19/pdf/E8-30134.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":null,"publication_date":"2008-12-19","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2008/12/19/E8-30134.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"0991-AB48":{"issue":"200810","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/0991-AB48/ensuring-that-department-of-health-and-human-services-funds-do-not-support-morally-coercive-or-discr","title":"Ensuring that Department of Health and Human Services Funds Do Not Support Morally Coercive or Discriminatory Policies or Practices In Violation of Federal Law","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=200810&RIN=0991-AB48&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Other Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["0991-AB48"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[],"comments_count":0,"agency_id":"HHS","comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=HHS-OS-2022-0008","supporting_documents_count":0,"docket_id":"HHS-OS-2022-0008","document_id":"HHS-OS-2022-0008-0011","regulation_id_number":null,"title":"HHS 2022 Archive","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2022-05-28T03:30:05Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":78072,"subtype":null,"title":"Ensuring That Department of Health and Human Services Funds Do Not Support Coercive or Discriminatory Policies or Practices in Violation of Federal Law","toc_doc":"Ensuring Department of Health and Human Services Funds Do Not Support Coercive or Discriminatory Policies or Practices in Violation of Federal Law","toc_subject":null,"topics":["Civil rights","Colleges and universities","Employment","Government contracts","Government employees","Grant programs","Health care","Health insurance","Health professions","Hospitals","Insurance companies","Laboratories","Medicaid","Medical and dental schools","Medical research","Medicare","Mental health programs","Nursing homes","Public health","Religious discrimination","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements","Scientists","State and local governments","Students"],"type":"Rule","volume":73}