Indiana AG says university mandating vaccines violates new state law

Indiana’s Attorney General released a statement Wednesday condemning Indiana University’s rule to mandate coronavirus vaccines for next semester and saying it violates a new state law.

“This session, members of the Indiana General Assembly passed legislation to codify in law a prohibition on COVID-19 vaccine passports, preventing public institutions from mandating proof of vaccination as a condition for receiving services or employment,” Attorney General Todd Rokita (R) said. 

“Indiana University’s policy clearly runs afoul of state law—and the fundamental liberties and freedoms this legislation was designed to protect,” Rokita added.

Indiana University announced last week that vaccinations would be required for all students and faculty. 

Students who do not comply will be barred for the semester and faculty will be fired.

Although the state barred coronavirus vaccine passports, top legislative leaders say the rule did not apply to college universities, The Associated Press reported.

However, the attorney general argues that public universities are “‘arms of the state’, and therefore required to abide by the mandates set out in this new law,” according to the press release.

Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) was sent a letter by Republican lawmakers on Tuesday asking him to ban universities from requiring the vaccine until it is approved by the Food and Drug Administration, AP noted.

Multiple universities have required the coronavirus vaccine for next semester with only religious and medical exemptions.