Jon Campbell is reporting for the Poughkeepsie Journal a state judge has upheld New York's new law ending religious exemptions for student vaccinations. The court ruled that protecting residents from communicable diseases is within the state's interest. Acting state Supreme Court Justice Denise Hartman of Albany ruled August 23, against dozens of parents, represented by attorneys Michael Sussman and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., denying their request for a preliminary injunction. That injunction would have stopped the state from enforcing the new law before the school year begins. Under the law a parent can no longer send a child to school or daycare unvaccinated and cite their religious beliefs as the reason. Sussman argued the law is based on religious discrimination and violates a parent's First Amendment rights. In her 32-page decision, Hartman cited precedent from the past 100 years that upholds a state's right to mandate vaccinations as a requirement for public or private school attendance. Sussman said he will appeal the ruling to the state Appellate Division, Third Department, perhaps as soon as August 27. Also last week, Kennedy dropped a federal case challenging the law after a judge ruled against an initial attempt to block it. Read the full story at LoHud [dot] com.