Federal Court Upholds Law Eliminating Religious Exemptions for Childhood Vaccines
A Connecticut law eliminating religious exemptions for childhood vaccines is constitutional and legal, according to a federal appeals court.
In a Friday ruling, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit dismissed the claim that refusal to accept religious exemptions for vaccinations was unconstitutional.
“[I]t is not enough for a law to simply affect religious practice; the law or the process of its enactment must demonstrate ‘hostility’ to religion,” stated the court. “[E]xempting a student from the vaccination requirement because of a medical condition and exempting a student who declines to be vaccinated for religious reasons are not comparable in relation to the State’s interest.”
The court also said that the accommodations for religious objectors nullified arguments that the law was hostile to religion, citing a provision in the law allowing children already enrolled in K-12 to maintain their religious exemptions.
The ruling explained that the Connecticut legislature introduced the bill in 2021 to address a one percent rise in child religious exemptions during the preceding seven years. The court also noted that the proposed exemption elimination received overwhelming public opposition (95 percent), with the supportive minority representing various public health agencies and associations. (Read more from “Federal Court Upholds Law Eliminating Religious Exemptions for Childhood Vaccines” HERE)
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