Florida AG James Uthmeier Urges Catholic Schools to Allow Vaccine Exemptions

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier sent a letter to the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops demanding that Catholic schools receiving state voucher funds grant religious exemptions to their vaccine requirements. He warned that failure to comply could jeopardize the schools' eligibility for state scholarship programs that support more than 500,000 students.

Uthmeier cited Catholic doctrine, the Catechism, Pope Leo and scripture to argue that vaccines derived from fetal tissue should not be compulsory for students whose parents have sincere religious objections. The conference said it is reviewing the letter, while Governor Ron DeSantis and other Republican leaders, also Catholics, have previously pushed to expand vaccine exemptions, though legislative attempts have not succeeded.