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How AVFCA is the only Organization in California
Advancing Religious Vaccine Exemptions on Every Front
New Developments and Ongoing Efforts

Thank you if you joined for our recent webinar on the State of Religious Exemptions in California and across the nation. If you were unable to attend live—or would like to revisit the discussion—you can watch the full recording here:
🎥 Watch the Webinar Recording: [link removed] [[link removed]]



As discussed, AVFCA is the only organization in California actively pursuing the instatement of Religious Exemptions for school vaccine mandates through every possible avenue. While a few other groups focus on a single aspect of this issue, AVFCA is uniquely engaged in the full scope of work to restore and protect religious freedom when it comes to vaccine mandates—legally, legislatively, and through direct individual support.



Below is a deeper look at the work AVFCA is doing on each front.



Religious Exemption Litigation
AVFCA is actively engaged in litigation challenging the elimination of Religious Exemptions for children in schools and daycares, as well as daycare workers, in California. Recent developments at the U.S. Supreme Court underscore the importance of this work. In Miller v. McDonald , the Court vacated a lower court ruling and ordered the case reconsidered in light of Mahmoud v. Taylor (2025) , where the Court affirmed that parents have a constitutional right to exercise religion and direct the religious upbringing of their children. This development is highly relevant to AVFCA’s lawsuit challenging SB 277, which similarly argues that refusing any religious opt-out from school vaccine mandates violates parents’ First Amendment rights. AVFCA has already cited Mahmoud in our filings, and the Supreme Court’s action in Miller reinforces that religious objections to school mandates must be given meaningful constitutional consideration. Updates on our litigation efforts can be found here: [link removed] [[link removed]]



Legislative Advocacy: Nearly a Decade of Work
For the past nine years, AVFCA has introduced bill proposals every legislative session to keep Religious Exemptions part of the conversation at the Capitol. This consistent presence allows us to educate legislators and staff, build long-term relationships, and lay the groundwork for future success. AVFCA’s legislative team is in the Capitol regularly, supporting aligned legislation, authoring and advancing bills within our mission, and working closely with key lawmakers and large advocacy groups that have an established voice in Sacramento. Unfortunately, the Democrat Supermajority continues to be unwilling to bring forward vaccine legislation that would expand exemptions. Learn more here: [link removed] [[link removed]]



Building the Religious Rights Coalition
To support our work on this front, AVFCA along with other organizations created the Religious Rights Coalition, whose goal is to build a strong coalition of educators, religious leaders, faith based advocacy organizations and individuals who support legislation to protect the religious and conscientious rights of families and individuals to make health decisions without coercion, discrimination, or segregation. If you support safeguarding these rights, we encourage you to add your name—and ask your religious leaders and faith communities to do the same at: [link removed] [[link removed]] .



Federal Legislation: The GRACE Act
AVFCA has been asked to support and serve as a key endorsing organization for the Guaranteeing Religious Accommodation in Childhood Education (GRACE) Act (H.R. 63), federal legislation authored by Representative Greg Steube. The GRACE Act would prohibit federal education funding to schools and education agencies that deny students a religious exemption to vaccine mandates, including requirements tied to school attendance, athletics, and extracurricular activities. The bill directly addresses the four states—California, New York, Maine, and Connecticut—that currently do not allow religious exemptions for school vaccination requirements. While AVFCA fully supports the intent of the bill, our legislative team is working closely with the Congressman and his staff to ensure it does not inadvertently jeopardize states that currently allow Personal or Conscientious Belief Exemptions, and to expand the bill’s scope beyond K–12 to include daycare and higher education. Read the bill language here: [link removed] [[link removed]]



Engagement with the Religious Liberty Commission
The Religious Liberty Commission, established by Executive Order on May 1, 2025 and housed within the U.S. Department of Justice, is tasked with advising the White House Faith Office and the Domestic Policy Council on religious liberty policy in the United States. The Commission is examining current and emerging threats to religious freedom, including conscience protections in health care and vaccine mandates, parents’ rights in education, and the free exercise of faith without government coercion or retaliation. AVFCA has been in communication with the Commission and has submitted public testimony as part of its public education hearings to ensure these critical issues are formally represented in the public record. Learn more here: [link removed] [[link removed]]



Direct Help for Individuals: Real-World Impact
Beyond policy and legal strategy, AVFCA helps people right now. Through our Religious Exemption Writing Workshop, Christina has helped thousands of employees and college students successfully navigate Religious Exemptions in workplaces and educational institutions. When exemptions have been denied, AVFCA’s legal team has intervened and won—most notably helping college students secure Religious Exemptions that allow them to participate in required clinical programs and continue their education. Get help with Religious Exemptions here: [link removed] [[link removed]]



What can you do to support these efforts?

* Share AVFCA’s efforts with friends, family and faith based individuals and organizations
* Sign on and share the Religious Rights Coalition
* Contact federal legislators and ask them to support the GRACE Act
* Donate to AVFCA to support our legal efforts [link removed] [[link removed]] :// [[link removed]] avoiceforchoiceadvocacy.org/Donate [[link removed]]

AVFCA remains committed to ensuring Religious Exemptions in California schools, while also defending religious freedom wherever it is challenged. No other organization in California is doing this work at every level—litigation, legislation, coalition-building, and direct legal advocacy for individuals.



If you found this information helpful and appreciate the work A Voice for Choice Advocacy is doing, please support us by making a donation today.

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Thank you for being part of this movement and for your continued support.

Together we can make change happen



C
Christina Hildebrand
President/Founder
A Voice for Choice Advocacy, Inc.
[email protected] [[email protected]]
www.AVoiceForChoiceAdvocacy.org [[link removed]]
www.avoiceforchoiceadvocacy.org [www.avoiceforchoiceadvocacy.org]
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