Until a few months ago, same-day surgery nurses at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey never had to be present at or assist with abortion procedures. But in September, the hospital implemented a new policy that allegedly requires nurses to aid abortions — or potentially lose their jobs.

Now, a group of 12 nurses have filed a lawsuit against the hospital, saying the policy violates federal and state laws that make it illegal for the management of publicly-funded facilities to require employees to perform or participate in any way in abortion procedures.

The nurses also say the hospital’s new requirements force them to act against their religious convictions:

They told CBS 2’s Don Dahler what the hospital is doing is against their religion, and against the law.

Fe Vinoya of West Orange has been a nurse for 10 years. She said when her employer told her she would have to start training on how to help with abortions, she decided instead to join a lawsuit.

“As a Christian, I don’t believe in abortion. I think it’s murder,” Vinoya said.

Hospital administrators maintain that they have done nothing wrong — and insist they will be vindicated in court.

The entire episode underscores the need for the House-passed Protect Life Act, which has yet to hit the Senate floor. Nancy Pelosi might say that a vote for the PLA was a vote to let women “die on the floor” sans required intervention from a health care provider — but Protect Life actually just ensures no Obamacare funding goes to abortion and, most importantly, reinstates and reinforces conscience protections for health care providers. Without it, cases like this one might crop up more frequently under Obamacare.