There are few things more sacred to people of faith than their ability to worship and confess, per their beliefs. But in Washington State, that right is now under direct assault.
A new law, Senate Bill 5375, signed by Democrat Governor Bob Ferguson, crosses a constitutional line that should alarm every American, regardless of political persuasion. The law requires clergy to report suspected child abuse or neglect, even when that knowledge comes from a religious confession.
The language is narrow and targeted. It makes clear that, unlike in most other states, there is no exemption for what is known as the “seal of the confessional”—a practice especially central to the Catholic faith, where a priest is bound by oath not to reveal what is said in confession, even under legal threat.
The bill’s author makes it clear that she has no regard for religious…
