As a federal judge tasked with interpreting the United States Constitution, Judge Sul Ozerden issued a measured written opinion today recognizing that the First Amendment of the United States Constitution demands that a religious exemption option be provided if the state offers secular exemptions (which it does).
Practically, what this ruling means is that, by July 15, 2023, Mississippi must provide the option for a religious exemption to the state’s vaccination requirements for schoolchildren.
VLA Comment: Current states without religious or personal belief exemptions for school immunization requirements are California, Connecticut, Maine, Mississippi, New York and West Virginia.
This ruling sets a legal precedent with the potential to change the entire nation.
Sessions said that the Justice Department and the Trump administration as a whole was now operating under the guidance of 20 fundamental principles pertaining to religious freedom. That, he said, included protecting Americans’ right to worship as they choose and act upon their beliefs without undue government interference.
NEW YORK is known to not only deny religious exemptions but to have created a limit on accepting them.
Just call and say…. co-sponsor S6141c or A8123a
FIND Representatives by zip code-NY http://nyassembly.gov/mem/ (A8123a)
Find my Senator by Zip Code–NY https://www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator (S6141c)
You might also communicate to the Republican leaders of the houses that President Trump has set up a new office at the HHS for religious freedom (in case they haven’t heard) so that Republicans will vote as a unified party on the issue of religious freedom and vaccines. Although the new agency only mentions vaccines as it pertains to religious freedom and medicaid, the head of the Agency, who I understand is a deeply religious acolyte requests that all concerned with being denied religious freedom as it pertains to vaccines, send in a complaint.
Section #9 covers: state or local government agency that is responsible for administering health care • State or local government income assistance or human service agency • Hospital • Medicaid and Medicare provider • Physician or other health care professional in private practice with patients assisted by Medicaid • Family health center • Community mental health center • Alcohol and drug treatment center • Nursing home • Foster care home • Public and private adoption or foster care agency • Day care center • Senior citizen center • Nutrition program • Any entity established under the Affordable Care Act • HMO • Pharmacy • Homeless shelter •Health researcher
Name the health care or social service provider involved, and describe the acts or omissions, you believe violated conscience or religious freedom laws or regulations
File a Conscience or Religious Freedom Complaint Online
Open the OCR Complaint Portal and select the type of complaint you would like to file.
Complete as much information as possible, including:
Information about you, the complainant
Details of the complaint
Any additional information that might help OCR when reviewing your complaint
You will then need to electronically sign the complaint and complete the consent form. After completing the consent form you will be able to print out a copy of your complaint to keep for your records.
File a Conscience or Religious Freedom Complaint in Writing
File a Complaint Using the Conscience or Religious Freedom Complaint Form Package
Print and mail the completed complaint and consent forms to:
Centralized Case Management Operations
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Room 509F HHH Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Email the completed complaint and consent forms to OCRMail@hhs.gov (Please note that communication by unencrypted email presents a risk that personally identifiable information contained in such an email, may be intercepted by unauthorized third parties)
File a Complaint without the Conscience or Religious Freedom Complaint Form Package
If you prefer, you may submit a written complaint in your own format by either:
Mail to
Centralized Case Management Operations
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Room 509F HHH Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Name, full address and telephone number of the person, agency or organization you believe discriminated against you
A brief description of what happened, including how, why, and when you believe your (or someone else’s) conscience or religious freedom rights were violated
Any other relevant information
Your signature and date of complaint
The name of the person on whose behalf you are filing if you are filing complaint for someone else
You may also include:
Any special accommodations for us to communicate with you about this complaint
Contact information for someone who can help us reach you if we cannot reach you directly
If you have filed your complaint somewhere else and where you’ve filed
If you mail a complaint, be sure to send it to:
Centralized Case Management Operations
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Room 509F HHH Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20201
You do not need to sign the complaint and consent forms when you submit them by email because submission by email represents your signature.
Language assistance services for OCR matters are available and provided free of charge. OCR services are accessible to persons with disabilities.
Filing Complaints with Other Agencies
If you have a complaint about housing, law enforcement, labor, education, or employment discrimination, OCR does not investigate these types of complaints. Find out where to get help
