HR5075-119

What This Bill Does

The GRACE Act conditions federal education funding on religious exemptions from school vaccination requirements. No federal education funds may go to an elementary school, secondary school, local educational agency, or state educational agency with a vaccination requirement unless the institution or agency maintains a policy allowing an individual, or a parent or guardian for a child, to claim an exemption based on a sincerely held religious belief. The school or agency may not require documentation or other information supporting the validity of that assertion. The vaccination requirement definition covers conditions for enrollment, attendance, athletics, other student activities, or employment.

Who Benefits and How

Students with religious objections benefit because schools receiving federal education funds must allow an exemption based on assertion alone. Parents asserting religious objections benefit because they cannot be required to provide supporting documentation for a child's exemption. School employees with religious objections benefit when vaccination is a condition of employment. Religious liberty advocacy organizations benefit from a federal funding condition supporting broad vaccination exemptions.

Who Bears the Burden and How

School districts with vaccination requirements must change exemption policies or risk losing federal education funds. State education agencies must ensure covered schools and agencies maintain compliant religious-exemption policies. Public health officials bear risk if vaccination requirements become easier to bypass without documentation. Immunocompromised students may face higher exposure risk if vaccination coverage drops in school settings.

Key Provisions

• Blocks federal education funds for covered schools or agencies with vaccination requirements unless religious exemptions are available.
• Requires exemptions when an individual or parent asserts a sincerely held religious belief.
• Prohibits schools from requiring documentation or other proof supporting the religious assertion.
• Applies vaccination requirements tied to enrollment, attendance, athletics, student activities, or employment.
• Defines covered educational institutions and agencies using Elementary and Secondary Education Act terms.