Modified bill making clergy mandatory reporters of child abuse moves toward House floor vote

Mandatory reporting by clergy of child abuse has been an issue that has separated state lawmakers beyond their traditional party lines for years.

This year’s version, Senate Bill 5375, passed the House Early Learning and Human Services Committee Wednesday in an 8-3 vote. The bill passed the Senate last month in a 28-20 vote, with all Republican senators against the measure.

First introduced years ago, the Democratically sponsored bill faced the same support and criticism as in the past. It requires a catholic priest who learns of child abuse or neglect — even if it happens during the sacrament of confession — to report in detail to law enforcement and/or the Washington Department of Children, Youth and Families. This year’s bill removes the “duty to report” provision that was part of last year’s attempt to pass similar legislation.

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Advocates: ‘Children must come first’

Child protection advocates have long pushed for closing what they see as a dangerous loophole in reporting laws, while opponents — primarily from religious institutions — argue the bill infringes on constitutionally protected religious freedoms.

Proponents say the bill is essential in ensuring no institution, religious or otherwise, is above the law when it comes to protecting children from abuse. Critics contend the bill forces clergy to break the sacred confidentiality of confession, a fundamental tenet of some religious traditions.

During the debate before the committee vote, Representative Natasha Hill (D-Spokane) said that the bill’s notoriety may lead to people not speaking about child abuse during confession.

“We’ve heard, maybe this bill isn’t going to require as much mandatory reporting as maybe we think it will,” she said. “If folks are not going to clergy, into the confessional, to confess these sins in hopes of forgiveness, then this isn’t going to have as big of an impact on our clergy.”

Washington is one of only five states that does not require clergy to report suspected child abuse, a fact that supporters say has led to systematic cover-ups and unpunished crimes.

Hill also addressed the separation between church and state issue.

“I think that this is an opportunity for church and state to really work together, to make sure folks get the support, the treatment, the interventions that they need,” she said. “Nobody is above the law, that there’s no veil, there’s no curtain to hide behind when it comes to child abuse, and especially sexual abuse.”

Opponents: ‘A threat to religious freedom’

On the other side, religious leaders, particularly those from the Catholic Church, argue the government should not compel priests to break the sacred trust of penitents.

Representative Tom Dent (R-Moses Lake) spoke about the hate he’s received for opposing the bill.

“I’ve received probably the worst, nastiest email I’ve ever received since I’ve been in this place, is my 11th year,” he said. “I know there’s a lot of emotion around that, but I also think that we need to be mature about what we’re doing here and try to think our way through this to where it’s appropriate”.

With Wednesday’s committee approval, SB 5375 moves to a potential vote of the full House. Now, it’s up to House Speaker Lauri Jinkins (D-Tacoma) to bring it to the floor.

Matt Markovich is the KIRO Newsradio political analyst. Follow him on X.

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