In We the Patriots USA v. Connecticut Office of Early Childhood Development, __ F.4th __ (2d Cir. 2023), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit considered whether Connecticut's repeal of religious exemptions from vaccination requirements for children to attend schools violated various constitutional rights. Circuit Judge Denny Chin authored the majority opinion, which Circuit Judge Pierre Leval joined in full, and Circuit Judge Joseph Bianco joined in part and dissented in part.

The Second Circuit affirmed the district court's decision dismissing each of the constitutional claims, while remanding the final claim, under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), for further proceedings.

This decision will likely be an important precedent for policymakers across the country considering similar bills in the wake of the public debate surrounding vaccination mandates in the post–COVID-19 world.