Four bills, including a UCP MLA's controversial private member's bill, will effectively die now if Premier Jason Kenney's government receives approval for its plan to not have the Legislative Assembly reconvene until late February.

Udo Schuklenk says screening out would-be doctors who would object to providing health care on conscience grounds would avoid debates over things like Alberta's Bill 207.

Canada is divided politically and so is Alberta, Bob Layton says.

A bill proposing Alberta health care providers be allowed to refuse medical services and referrals on moral grounds was voted down at a committee hearing Thursday night in Edmonton.

The bill, which has now passed first reading, was introduced in the legislature by Peace River United Conservative Party MLA Dan Williams.

If Bill 207 is passed, health care providers would be allowed to refuse service to any individual based on conscience.

The head of the organization that represents Alberta's physicians has reached out to the province's health minister to "state some concerns" about a conscience rights bill that passed first reading in the legislature last week.

A private member's bill meant to "commit health care providers'... [conscience] rights from the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in provincial law," passed first reading at the Alberta legislature on Thursday.