TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is challenging the state's Catholic bishops, warning that church-run schools must honor parents' religious vaccine exemptions under state law — or risk losing access to state scholarship funding.

In a letter to Catholic school leaders, Uthmeier argues state law requires schools to accept religious vaccine exemptions even if church leaders disagree. He also cites Vatican teaching on individual conscience in making his case.

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Florida attorney general threatens Catholic school scholarship funding in vaccine exemption fight

"I therefore urge Catholic schools to comply with Florida law and grant religious exemptions to school vaccine policies," Uthmeier said.

Existing policies at some Catholic schools, including one in Orlando, state that vaccines are not against Catholic teaching and that allowing exemptions could endanger students and staff.

The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops has not yet answered the argument directly.

"We are reviewing the letter and will respond to the Attorney General by his requested date of August 7," Michele Taylor of the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops said.

The financial stakes are significant. More than 525,000 Florida students use state scholarship programs, including roughly 92 percent of Catholic-school students. Uthmeier has warned that schools could lose access to those programs if they do not comply.

The clash follows Governor Ron DeSantis' broader campaign against vaccine mandates.

"Different children may have different needs, and we ought to be empowering parents rather than trying to take away the rights of parents," DeSantis said.

Lawmakers rejected proposals this year to eliminate Florida's remaining school vaccine requirements or create a broader conscience exemption. Medical and religious opt-outs remain available.

State Democrats are calling the attorney general's demands a distraction.

"Our AG is stuck between wanting to be an appointed AG, or wanting to be a pope," Rep. Daryl Campbell, D-Fort Lauderdale, said.

Campbell also pointed to what he called more pressing concerns facing Floridians.

"We're over here focused on trying to afford things. Affordability has been the crisis of… of our generation," Campbell said.

The bishops have until Friday to respond to Uthmeier's letter. For now, his scholarship threat remains a warning — not a funding cutoff.

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