Major Tennessee universities can enact vaccine mandates in order to keep federal funding [View all]

Multiple Tennessee universities were granted exemptions to the state's new COVID-19 legislation, allowing them to enforce vaccine mandates so they can continue to collect millions in federal funding.

The Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury granted the exemptions this week after Gov. Bill Lee signed the bills Friday, according to John Dunn, the director of communications at the comptroller.

The universities would have been in violation of federal law if they weren't granted exemptions. The new Tennessee laws prohibit state-funded institutions from requiring vaccines or masks, except in very specific circumstances.

The universities granted exemptions are:

East Tennessee State University
University of Memphis
University of Tennessee System schools
Vanderbilt University

Read more: https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2021/11/16/tennessee-universities-can-enact-vaccine-mandate-keep-federal-funds/6392796001/