A state supreme court judge has upheld New York's law eliminating religious exemptions to vaccinations for students, ruling that protecting them from communicable diseases is within the state's interest.

The state legislature repealed religious exemptions back in June, amid the nation's worst measles outbreak in decades.

A lawyer for the families who previously held religious exemptions sued, arguing that the repeal action violated rights of religious expression.

The only remaining exemption is for medical reasons, such as a weakened immune system.

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