Seattle archbishop decries new WA mandatory reporting law: ‘Alarmed by this overreach’
The Archbishop of Seattle on May 4 condemned a new Washington law requiring religious leaders to report child neglect and abuse, including when that information is revealed during confession.
Seattle Archbishop Paul D. Etienne detailed his concerns about Senate Bill 5375 in a May 4 statement. Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signed the bill into law on May 2.
“People of every religion in the State of Washington and beyond should be alarmed by this overreach of our Legislature and Governor,” Etienne said in the statement.
The federal government joined the debate on May 5. The U.S. Department of Justice announced that it had opened a First Amendment investigation into the new law, classifying it as “anti-Catholic.”
Ferguson countered in an emailed statement: “We look forward to protecting Washington kids from sexual abuse in the face of this ‘investigation’ from the Trump Administration.”
The new law, which takes effect July 27, adds members of the clergy to the list of those who must report suspected cases of child abuse and neglect to the Department of Children, Youth and Families or law enforcement. Others who have a duty to report under state law include social service counselors, nurses and school personnel.
“Clergy” is defined to mean priests, rabbis, ministers, imams, elders and any other regularly licensed, ordained or accredited religious or spiritual heads.
Ferguson said ahead of the May 2 bill signing that Washington is one of five states that doesn’t currently designate clergy as mandatory reporters.
“This bill protects Washingtonians from abuse and harm,” Ferguson said Friday, May 2, adding that he’s a Catholic whose uncle was a Jesuit priest. “But, you know ... protecting our kids first is the most important thing.”
Supporters of the legislation say that it will help protect children and hold abusers to account. But others have voiced concerns about its constitutionality, arguing that the law is poised to violate the religious rights of clergy members.
Etienne argues the new law requires Catholic clergy to “violate the seal of the Sacrament of Reconciliation,” also called confession. He said that after the apostles were jailed for preaching in Jesus Christ’s name, St. Peter replied: “We must obey God rather than men.”
“This is our stance now in the face of this new law,” Etienne wrote.
Etienne said clergy in the Catholic Church can’t break the seal of confession, or else they face excommunication.
Church policies dictate that priests must report cases of abuse to the authorities, so long as the information was not gleaned during confession, he said.
Reached for comment, Ferguson’s office pointed McClatchy to the governor’s remarks about the legislation at the May 2 bill signing.
Mary Dispenza, a founding member of the Catholic Accountability Project, contends that the legislation ensures the church isn’t above the law, according to the Washington State Standard.
“We know children will be safer as a result of passing this law,” said Dispenza, who’s also a member of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, also known as SNAP.
Clergy members are mandatory reporters in more than half the states, most of which exempt disclosures that occur in confessional, according to the Standard. But now, Washington is joining states like West Virginia and New Hampshire where such conversations won’t be shielded.
Bishop Thomas A. Daly of Spokane has also decried SB 5375. He wrote May 2 that priests and bishops are dedicated to protecting confession “even to the point of going to jail.”
“An important element to the greatness of America is our Constitutional commitment to religious freedom,” Daly said.
In Etienne’s view, Washington is targeting religious conduct by forcing state government into the Catholic tradition.
“This new law singles out religion and is clearly both government overreach and a double standard,” Etienne said. “The line between Church and state has been crossed and needs to be walked back.”
This story was originally published May 6, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
.jpg)