ALBANY, N.Y. — A lawsuit has been filed in Albany seeking to stop the repeal of religious exemptions to vaccines.
Robert Kennedy, Jr. is among those challenging the constitutionality of of new law passed by lawmakers in Albany last month.
The plaintiffs are 55 New York State families who previously held lawful religious exemptions. They are asking a State Supreme Court judge to set aside the repeal. The families represent various religious faiths, including Christianity, Judaism and Islam. As a result of the new law, their children can no longer attend schools or camps in New York without violating their faith.
Kennedy Jr., who is chief legal counsel for Children's Health Defense said, "Religious rights are fundamental. It is unconstitutional for the state to deprive people of such important rights when religious animus has played a key role. To enact such harsh legislation without any legislative fact-finding, and with the legislators' open display of prejudice towards religious beliefs different than their own, is simply un-American; it is essential that we fight this."