Florida AG threatens Catholic school vaccine exemptions

United States — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier sent a letter on July 31, 2026 to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, urging Catholic schools to grant religious exemptions to student vaccination requirements or risk losing eligibility for state-funded scholarship and voucher programs. Uthmeier argued that Catholic doctrine does not require schools to compel vaccinations, citing the Catholic Catechism, Pope Leo XVI, and Vatican guidance. He referenced the immunization policies of the Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee and demanded a response by August 7. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said it is reviewing the letter and maintains that its schools operate in accord with the law and Church teaching. The dispute arises amid United States — Florida's expanded voucher program, which supports over 500,000 students, with about a quarter of the state's education budget allocated to vouchers. Governor Ron DeSantis has pushed to repeal vaccine mandates, but legislative efforts have failed. The Catholic bishops' conference has opposed such measures. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports mandatory immunizations with only medical exemptions, while the National Catholic Bioethics Center's position on fetal cell line vaccines is cited in the dispute.