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White House proposes rules on faith-based social services

The Obama administration released proposed rules August 5 designed to protect the religious freedom of people who receive social services from government-funded religious programs.

The regulations, involving nine federal agencies, would extend rules from a 2010 executive order so they last beyond this administration, said Melissa Rogers, director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

The rules include notifying social ser­vice beneficiaries that they cannot be discriminated against based on their religious beliefs and may request an alternative provider if they object to the religious nature of the current provider.