Amish Plaintiffs Appeal Vaccine Mandate to Supreme Court
The legal challenge contests New York's 2019 repeal of religious exemptions for mandatory school vaccinations.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Law
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Amish plaintiffs have petitioned the United States Supreme Court to review the constitutionality of New York's decision to eliminate religious vaccine exemptions. The challenge follows a 2026 Second Circuit ruling that sided against the plaintiffs in the ongoing case of Miller v. McDonald.
Why it matters
The case highlights the tension between public health measures and religious liberty protections under the First Amendment. New York state repealed the exemption in 2019 following its most significant measles outbreak in nearly twenty years.
The State of New York issued $118,000 in total fines to three Amish schoolhouses for enrolling unvaccinated students in 2022. The case Miller v. McDonald currently challenges the vaccine law after a federal district court ruled the mandate was neutral.
The players
United States Supreme Court
The nation's highest judicial body holds the authority to review constitutional challenges and determine whether to accept cases for appeal.
Second Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit maintains jurisdiction over federal cases originating within New York, Connecticut, and Vermont.
The details
New York lawmakers ended the long-standing religious exemption in 2019 as a public health response to a surge in measles cases. Plaintiffs argue the repeal violates the First Amendment's Free Exercise Clause, while state officials maintain the requirement is a neutral law of general applicability.
Timeline
New York first established a religious exemption for vaccine requirements in 1966.
The state repealed the religious vaccine exemption in 2019.
New York issued fines against Amish schools in 2022.
The Supreme Court issued the Mahmoud v. Taylor decision in 2025.
The Second Circuit ruled against the Amish plaintiffs in June 2026.
Political Context
Legal scholars note that this appeal follows the high court's 2025 Mahmoud v. Taylor decision, which set new benchmarks for evaluating government-imposed requirements. Opponents of the appeal argue that maintaining the vaccine mandate is essential to prevent the return of preventable diseases like measles.
If the Supreme Court takes up the case, the decision could establish a national precedent regarding the limit of religious exemptions for mandatory public health policies. Citizens in New York must continue to follow current state vaccine requirements for school enrollment unless the law is stayed or overturned by the court.
The takeaway
The case underscores the ongoing national legal struggle to balance individual religious expression with state-mandated public health standards. Families in similar situations should monitor the Supreme Court docket for potential updates on whether the court will review the merits of the mandate repeal.
Further reading
For more background on ongoing judicial challenges, explore the Law section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Genetic Literacy Project.
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