According to Health Freedom Alabama, the Mobile County Health Department (MCHD) will no longer charge a religious exemption fee for vaccines.
MCHD has been charging an administrative fee of $30 per child for students to receive a Certificate of Religious Exemption, which is required for public schools. However, Health Freedom Alabama Director Stephanie Durnin announced Wednesday that the organization successfully dropped the fees.
"This is a resounding victory for religious freedom in Alabama," said Durnin. "MCHD was violating the Constitution, and thanks to relentless legal pressure, they've been forced to back down. The days of profiting off religious belief are over."
Health Freedom Alabama alerted Liberty Counsel, a non-profit litigation, education, and public policy organization, about the practice. Liberty Counsel cited multiple Supreme Court proceedings showing instances where religious exercise cannot be taxed, licensed or monetized.
After requesting a revision of what they called "an unconstitutional fee assessment." Liberty Counsel received a response that the fee would be dropped and parents would be refunded.
Durnin pointed out that vaccinated students were not charged an administrative fee to receive proof of vaccination.
"Unequal treatment of religious beliefs is a violation of the First Amendment and Alabama state law," Health Freedom Alabama stated in a press release. "No American should be forced to pay for their faith, and yet MCHD required payment by those who sought to live out their religious convictions. This was nothing short of religious discrimination, and we would not stand for it."
"This victory sends a clear message. Any government agency attempting to profit off the constitutional rights of Alabama citizens will be challenged and defeated," Health Freedom Alabama added.
1819 News reached out to the MCHD for comment.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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