Clergy Reporting Law Sparks Legal Battle in Washington State

A legal battle is underway in Washington State concerning a new law mandating clergy members to report child abuse and neglect. The core disagreement centers on information obtained by Catholic clergy during private confessions. The law, passed by the state legislature and signed by the Democratic governor, is scheduled to take effect later this month.

The current law already requires individuals at organizations with unsupervised access to children to report abuse or neglect by those they supervise. However, there is an exception for information obtained through privileged communication. The new law maintains this language but specifically excludes clergy from this exception, meaning they are now required to report.

Catholic leaders, including the Archbishop of Seattle, have filed a complaint, alleging religious discrimination. They are seeking a preliminary injunction to block the law's enforcement regarding information learned through the Sacrament of Confession. The U.S. Justice Department has also voiced opposition to the law.

The Justice Department argues that the law unconstitutionally forces Catholic priests to choose between their religious obligations and facing criminal consequences. They assert that the law treats the priest-penitent privilege differently than other established privileges. The U.S. government has also filed a motion for a preliminary injunction.