Supreme Court Faces Amish Challenge to New York Vaccine Exemption Ban
The Supreme Court is reviewing an Amish lawsuit that argues New York’s removal of a religious exemption for school vaccines violates their free-exercise rights.
Amish families and their schools have petitioned the Supreme Court to strike down New York’s 2019 elimination of a 50-year-old religious exemption for school vaccine mandates, arguing it infringes on their free-exercise rights. After the Court asked a lower court to reconsider the case in light of recent parental-rights precedents involving LGBTQ curriculum and gender-identity notifications, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reaffirmed New York’s stance.
Plaintiffs, represented by Aaron Siri and the First Liberty Institute, warn that a ruling for the state could compel the Amish to relocate. They also urge the Court to reconsider the Smith precedent, which permits neutral, generally applicable laws to limit religious practices. The outcome could reshape the balance between public-health mandates and religious liberty across the nation.
Why it matters
The decision could redefine how religious exemptions are treated under U.S. vaccine and public-health laws.
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