Washington Governor Signs Bill on Clergy Reporting
On May 2, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, enacted legislation requiring Catholic priests to break the confidentiality of confession if they suspect child abuse. This bill was introduced in January and mandates that clergy members join the state’s list of mandated reporters when they have reasonable cause to believe that abuse or neglect has occurred. The law specifies that, aside from clergy, no one is required to report information gained through privileged conversations as defined by RCW 5.60.060.
Ferguson, who has family in the clergy, expressed that signing the bill was straightforward and emphasized his commitment to protecting children. “This is an important law, and I felt that keeping children safe was my top priority,” he stated.
Reacting to the new law, Bishop Thomas Daly of Spokane’s Diocese issued a statement on the same day, asserting that his clergy would not break the seal of confession, emphasizing the untouched sanctity of such communications. He invited lawmakers who doubt the church’s commitment to child safety to consult with Catholic educators and families, reaffirming their zero-tolerance policy regarding child sexual abuse.
The 2023 version of the bill had originally included a provision exempting priests from disclosing confessional information. Other proposed laws in Delaware and Vermont with similar aims were not passed, with a separate proposal in Montana also failing to advance.
As of now, neither the governor’s office nor the Archdiocese of Washington has commented publicly on the situation.
