Everyone agrees that those in certain positions, from teachers to doctors, should report instances of child abuse and neglect. Democrat lawmakers in Washington state, however, are advancing legislation that would require clergy members to report, even in circumstances that would violate the Sacrament of Confession, a central tenet of the Catholic faith.
Washington legislators have attempted to pass similar legislation—with an exemption for Confession—in each of the last three legislative sessions to no avail. The current bill, with no such exemption, has been approved by House and Senate committees and seems destined for the governor’s desk.
The bill applies to any “ordained minister, priest, rabbi, imam, elder, or similarly situated religious or spiritual leader of any church, religious denomination, religious body, spiritual community, or sect.”
While…
