Florida Catholics slap down state AG by rejecting religious vaccine exemptions
The bishops' snub comes as the state continues to attack vaccines.
Florida's attorney general, James Uthmeier, faced a strong rebuke from the state's Catholic bishops after he threatened to cut funding from Catholic schools unless they agreed to more lax vaccination policies. The dispute arose over a letter Uthmeier sent to the bishops on July 31, claiming that he saw no valid religious reason to deny religious exemptions for vaccinations.
The Catholic dioceses in Florida, however, only grant exemptions for medical reasons verified by a healthcare provider and do not recognize any theological argument against vaccination. Uthmeier, who is also a Catholic, argued that refusing religious exemptions was morally reprehensible, particularly in the context of vaccines derived from abortion.
The bishops rejected Uthmeier's proposal, maintaining their stance on the importance of vaccination for religious reasons.
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