SPOKANE, Wash. — Lawyers are suing Washington state over a new mandatory reporting law for child abuse, saying the law is unconstitutional.
The lawsuit is filed on behalf of bishops across the state, including Spokane Bishop Thomas Daly.
Senate Bill 5375 requires clergy to report any suspected child abuse to law enforcement, even during confession.
The lawyers representing the church believe this law would set a dangerous precedent for restricting religious freedoms.
“The free exercise clause in the First Amendment has received a lot of favorable treatment from the Supreme Court in recent years. It’s going to continue to do so,” said Hiram Sasser, executive general counsel for First Liberty Institute. “The Supreme Court has had a lot of recent decisions that have protected religious liberty.”
The U.S. Department of Justice is conducting its own First Amendment investigation into the bill.
The lawyers say there could be a hearing as soon as this summer. They’re hoping to carve out an exception in the law for priests.
The Catholic Accountability Project released a statement saying:
“Both state and the federal constitutions place limitations on religious practices when they are inconsistent with the peace and safety of the state. Providing an exemption for confessions would allow any religious group to mandate secrecy and conceal abuse.”
You can read the full statement from the Catholic Accountability Project by clicking here.
COPYRIGHT 2025 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.