GRACE Act
The GRACE Act (Guaranteeing Religious Accommodation in Childhood Education Act) would condition federal education funding on the vaccination policies of educational institutions and agencies. Specifically, it would prohibit awarding any federal education funds to schools or agencies that do not maintain a policy allowing religious exemptions from vaccination requirements. The exemption must be available to individuals (or their parent/guardian for a child) who object to vaccination on the basis of a sincerely held religious belief, and the policy may not require any documentation to prove the exemption. The bill defines key terms such as “child,” “educational institution or agency,” and “vaccination requirement.” In short, if an institution does not permit religious exemptions without documenting the basis for the exemption, it would risk losing federal education funding under this bill.
Key Points
- 1Prohibits federal education funds for institutions/agencies that do not permit religious exemptions to vaccination requirements.
- 2Exemption must be available to individuals asserting that vaccination would violate a sincerely held religious belief.
- 3No documentation or information is required to substantiate the religious exemption request.
- 4Applies to elementary and secondary schools and relevant local/state educational agencies (as defined by federal education law).
- 5A “vaccination requirement” is any condition for enrollment, attendance, participation in activities, or employment that requires vaccination.