US EditionWashington law mandating clergy report child abuse to be investigated by Trump’s Justice Department
- On May 2, 2025, Washington state passed Senate Bill 5375, which requires religious leaders to disclose any suspected cases of child abuse, including details learned during confession, with the law set to take effect on July 27.
- This legislation followed years of debate aimed at closing reporting loopholes to better protect children and added clergy to the state's mandatory reporters list.
- Catholic leaders warn reporting abuse learned during confession violates canon law, threatens excommunication, and they have vowed to oppose the law despite potential legal consequences.
- The federal Department of Justice launched a civil rights investigation calling the law 'anti-Catholic' and asserting it violates the First Amendment’s free exercise clause.
- The conflict highlights a tense balance between religious freedom and child protection, with possible legal and policy implications for similar laws in other states.
77 Articles
77 Articles
Law requiring clergy to report child abuse anti-Catholic, DOJ claims
A new Washington state law that requires members of the clergy to report child abuse or neglect, including when the information is revealed in confession, is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The DOJ is investigating Washington state over a new child abuse law
Washington passed a law becoming one of just a few states that not only requires clergy to report child abuse -- but make no exemption in religious settings where clergy are bound to confidentiality.
Catholic Church will excommunicate priests who follow a new Washington state law
The Catholic Church has vowed to excommunicate any priest who follows a new Washington state law requiring clergy to report child abuse to law enforcement – even in the privacy of a confession booth. Priests in Washington have always had something similar to attorney-client privilege when hearing confessions, but the new law — which Gov. […]
DOJ Launches Civil Rights Investigation Into Washington State Clergy Reporting Law
The Justice Department announced last week that it has opened a civil rights investigation into Washington State Senate Bill 5375, a newly enacted law signed by Governor Bob Ferguson on May 2, 2025. The department stated that the bill appears on its face to violate the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Senate Bill 5375 […] DOJ Launches Civil Rights Investigation Into Washington State Clergy Reporting Law
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