Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said Tuesday that mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for students and employees at LSU is illegal, according to a letter from his office. 

Landry said LSU should not require vaccines or have participatory conditions on education and employment on vaccines authorized under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in a letter to President Tom Galligan. 

Landry said many people hold religious beliefs against vaccines in general, or vaccines derived from aborted fetal cells, or sold by companies that profit from products derived from abortion. He also said many people are hesitant because of the potential long-term effects of the vaccines, which have not been long-term tested yet.

Landry cited federal and state law protections for students and employees. One law he cited says that vaccines under EUA requires people to have “the option to accept or refuse administration of the product.” 

He also cited a Louisiana law that protects students of ‘creed’ discrimination, which includes discrimination based on religious beliefs. 

“Louisiana requires post-secondary institutions to recognize religious and other personal reasons as exemptions to vaccine mandates,” Landry said in the letter.

Landry ended his letter requesting a written response from LSU that COVID vaccines will not be mandated. 

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.