Florida Attorney General threatens catholic schools over vaccine mandate policy, says accept exemptions or lose funding

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier sent a letter to the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops urging Catholic schools to grant religious vaccine exemptions or risk losing eligibility for state educational scholarship programs.

The letter cited the immunization policies of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee and referenced the Catholic Catechism, statements from Pope Leo, scripture, and Vatican guidance to argue that Catholic doctrine does not prevent granting religious exemptions.

Florida's private school voucher program supports tuition for over 500,000 students, with about a quarter of the state's education budget allocated to voucher programs as of March 2026.

The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops said it is reviewing the letter and stated that Catholic schools are operating in accord with the law and Church teaching.

Florida law requires K-12 students to be vaccinated against polio, measles, rubella, mumps, pertussis, diphtheria, and tetanus, and the attorney general's letter cited a Vatican statement saying vaccination is not, as a rule, a moral obligation.