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Cut Vaccine Mandates? SC Lawmakers Take Cue From Trump Administration in 2026
The Lawton Constitution reported:
As South Carolina faces climbing measles cases, a lawmaker wants to ban all vaccine mandates for children under two years old. The bill is one of several proposed policies for 2026 that reflect the priorities of President Donald Trump and his administration.
Some vaccines, including measles, are mandatory for children attending daycare or public school in South Carolina.
Religious, medical and special exemptions are available for required immunization schedules. Infants are required to receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles. The first dose is generally given after their first birthday. The proposed bill would restrict all requirements for infants under 24 months to receive any vaccine. But South Carolina doctors have encouraged recommended immunizations as a measles outbreak has left hundreds, including schools, quarantining in the Upstate.
The Trump administration’s health department, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been critical of childhood vaccines. Earlier this month, a panel at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted to abandon a longstanding recommendation to vaccinate all newborns against hepatitis B. The administration also warned against “overmedication” and “vaccine injury.”
Judge Signs off on Final Settlement in BCBST COVID Vaccine Mandate Lawsuit in Chattanooga
A federal judge has signed off on a final settlement in a long-running lawsuit brought by former BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee employees who say they were fired after seeking religious exemptions from the company’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Court records show the judge granted final approval of the class action settlement and ordered the case closed. The lawsuit is dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled.
The case dates back to 2021, when BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee rolled out a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for about 900 employees in customer-facing roles. According to court filings and earlier reporting, many of those employees were working remotely during the pandemic. Between October and November of that year, the company fired 41 employees who refused to comply with the mandate.
Attorneys for the former employees say many of them asked for religious exemptions or other accommodations, including continued remote work or testing options. Those requests were denied. The settlement covers all former BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee employees terminated because of the mandate, with one exception. Former lead plaintiff Matt Abernathy is no longer part of the case after telling the court the settlement terms were not acceptable to him individually.
Pentagon to Review Discharges of 8,700 Troops Who Declined COVID Vaccine
The Pentagon has ordered a review of the discharges of more than 8,700 troops who refused the COVID-19 vaccine during the mandate period. The review could restore honorable status to more than 3,000 former service members.
The Pentagon rescinded the COVID-19 vaccine mandate in January 2023, after making it mandatory for all service members in August 2021. Each branch will have one calendar year to complete all reviews. Service members will not need to apply for review; each branch will automatically review all discharge records.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said discharges will be automatically upgraded from general to honorable, potentially restoring benefits like the GI Bill and insurance for those affected. “The Department is committed to ensuring that everyone who should have received a fully honorable discharge receives one and continues to right wrongs and restore confidence in, and honor to our fighting force,” a statement read.
EEOC Sues Over Christian Worker’s Covid Vaccine Exemption Loss
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued Advocate Aurora Health Inc. for allegedly denying a Christian employee’s request for a religious exemption from the company’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate and firing her when she refused vaccination.
The EEOC claims the healthcare provider violated Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act by failing to accommodate the employee’s religious beliefs, according to a complaint filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
The employee had received a “Lifetime Religious Approval” exemption in 2016 from the company’s other vaccine requirements.
