Please TAKE ACTION NOW and send letters to and call Chancellor Betty Rosa and the New York State Board of Regents to slowdown the rushed implementation of the repeal of New York’s religious exemption from vaccine mandates, and to continue providing special education services required by federal law.

     And please come to the next meeting of the Regents in Albany on July 15. The Board of Regents sets policy for all public schools in New York and has significant oversight authority over private schools. The Regents could issue an emergency regulation to delay the new law from going into effect this year, and allow students with IEPs and 504 plans to remain in school until the Regents can develop a coherent policy  to deliver the services these students have a right to under Federal, not state, law.

     New York families, with more than 26,000 students who have had legal religious exemptions, should have reasonable time to make the necessary plans to either homeschool their children, or move to any of the 45 states that have religious exemptions, or the 19 states that allow exemptions for any reason. California and Maine, the other two states that repealed religious exemption laws, provided a much longer phase in time to implement their new laws, and for families and schools to make necessary arrangements. California allowed 3 to 8 years for students to get vaccinated, and Maine allowed more than 2 years. New York gave exactly 15 days after the Governor signed the bill on June 13 for parents to begin vaccinating, and some schools are already denying education to regular and special education students.

      Yet nothing in the recently passed law relieves New York Schools of providing a free and appropriate education to students with special needs. California recognized this issue by allowing students with IEPs and 504 plans to keep existing religious exemptions.

SAVE THE DATE: July 15, Attend the Next Meeting of the Regents in Albany

    The Board of Regents is meeting in Albany on Monday,  July 15, 9:00 am at the State Education Building, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234 (across the street from the Capitol.) Our presence and attendance are important. Get there early if you want a seat in the very small conference room the Regents use. Please save the date and share with your networks.

Sample Letter for the Regents

     Below is both a sample letter and a phone script that you can personalize or leave as is. Please focus on the implementation of the law. Please copy and paste the letter & the email the list of Regents members, and cc your legislators, school boards and parent organizations.

    The Regents are a little understood appointed board that sets education policy for New York State. Betty Rosa is the Chancellor and head of the Regents. She is the most important person to contact. Each Regent represents certain counties. Check the list below to see which Regent represents your county and be sure to contact your Regent. And contact as many of them as your time will allow.

Honorable <put Regent’s name here> ,

State Education Building

89 Washington Avenue

Albany, NY 12234

Autism Action Network <jgilmore@autismactionnetwork.org>