‘Excommunicated': WA Archdiocese pushes back against mandatory reporting law, DOJ investigating
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A new Washington law making all clergy mandatory reporters, signed into law by Gov. Bob Ferguson last week, is facing pushback after the Archdiocese of Seattle released a statement that they would excommunicate any Catholic clergy who follow the new law.
Beginning as Senate Bill 5375, the law requires clergy members to report any child abuse or neglect, even information shared with a priest during confession.
The initial bill was passed through the Senate and House over the last several months and was officially signed into law last Friday. However, in response, Archbishop Paul D. Etienne released a statement from the Archdiocese of Seattle pushing back against the law, which has led to the Washington Department of Justice opening a civil rights investigation into the law's constitutionality.
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According to the Archdiocese, the new law requires clergy to 'violate the Seal of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, better known as confession.'
In response, Archbishop Etienne cited Acts 5:29, 'We must obey God rather than men,' saying, 'this is our stance now in the face of this new law. Catholic clergy may not violate the seal of confession – or they will be excommunicated from the Church. All Catholics must know and be assured that their confessions remain sacred, secure, confidential and protected by the law of the Church.'
The Archbishop added that the church agrees with protecting children and preventing child abuse, noting the Archdiocese of Seattle already has mandatory reporter policies for priests. However, those rules don't apply to information received during confession.
On Monday, the announced they are investigating the law, which 'appears on its face to violate the First Amendment.'
In a statement, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon called the law a violation of the constitutional right of the free exercise of religion. He also added the law 'singles out' clergy as the only people who can't rely on legal privileges as a defense of mandatory reporting.
'SB 5375 demands that Catholic Priests violate their deeply held faith in order to obey the law, a violation of the Constitution and a breach of the free exercise of religion cannot stand under our Constitutional system of government,' said Dhillon. 'Worse, the law appears to single out clergy as not entitled to assert applicable privileges, as compared to other reporting professionals. We take this matter very seriously and look forward to Washington State's cooperation with our investigation.'
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The Archdiocese of Seattle cited the text of the First Amendment in their rebuke, specifically where it reads, 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.'
Furthermore, fearing further incursion into their constitutional rights, they asked the question: With this new law, where is the line drawn between church and state?
'This new law singles out religion and is clearly both government overreach and a double standard,' Archbishop Etienne concluded. 'The line between Church and state has been crossed and needs to be walked back. People of every religion in the State of Washington and beyond should be alarmed by this overreach of our Legislature and Governor.'
Although the bill was signed into law by the governor, the new law is not set to take effect until July 2025.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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