beliefs or moral convictions. (b) Subsection (a) does not apply to conduct forbidden by paragraph (18) of section 471(a) of such Act. 4. Funds withheld for violation The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall withhold from a State 15 percent of the Federal funds the State receives for a program that provides child welfare services under part B or part E of title IV of the Social Security Act if the State violates section 3 when administering or disbursing funds under such program. 5. Private right of action (a) A child welfare service provider aggrieved by a violation of section 3 may assert that violation as a claim or defense in a judicial proceeding and obtain all appropriate relief, including declaratory relief, injunctive relief, and compensatory damages, with respect to that violation. (b) A child welfare service provider that prevails in an action by establishing a violation of section 3 is entitled to recover reasonable attorneys' fees and costs. (c) By accepting or expending Federal funds in connection with a program that provides child welfare services under part B or part E of title IV of the Social Security Act, a State waives its sovereign immunity for any claim or defense that is raised under this section. 6. Severability If any provision of this Act, or any application of such provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act and the application of the provision to any other person or circumstance shall not be affected. 7. Effective date (a) The amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the 1st day of the 1st fiscal year beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this Act, and the withholding of funds authorized by section 4 shall apply to payments under parts B and E of such Act for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date. (b) If legislation (other than legislation appropriating funds) is required for a governmental entity to bring itself into compliance with this Act, the governmental entity shall not be regarded as