A state court dismissed a challenge to Connecticut's school vaccine requirements, Attorney General William Tong announced, in a case alleging the elimination of the religious exemption violated state and federal constitutional protections.

Plaintiffs in the case, Spillane v. Lamont, had alleged that eliminating the religious exemption violated the Connecticut and U.S. Constitutions and Connecticut's Religious Freedom and Restoration Act. The Connecticut Supreme Court rejected all constitutional claims in 2024 and remanded the case to the Superior Court to review the Religious Freedom and Restoration Act claims further.

Tong said, "Vaccines save lives. Today's decision affirms what we have said since day one—Connecticut's commonsense school vaccine requirements are lifesaving and lawful."

Connecticut law requires students receive certain immunizations before enrolling in school; prior to 2021, students could apply for medical or religious exemptions. Public Act 21-6 eliminated the religious exemption while grandfathering students in kindergarten through grade twelve who had already received such exemptions. The law also eliminates the religious exemption for children attending pre-kindergarten or preschool programs licensed by the Office of Early Childhood, including child care centers and family child care homes.

Children who asserted a valid religious exemption before April 28, 2021, may extend the timeframe to comply with immunization requirements by submitting a written declaration from a physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse recommending an alternative immunization schedule. The law retains the medical exemption for children who can document that immunization is medically contraindicated.