Adopted at the February 2025 meeting of the 34th District Democrats.
Resolution in Support of Mandating Clergy Report Child Abuse and Neglect
Whereas House Bill (HB) 1211 and its companion bill, Senate Bill (SB) 5375 would require clergy to report cases of child abuse, consistent with requirements for other authorities in Washington State, this state being one of only two states in the US that does not have clergy or “any person” enumerated as mandatory reporters; 1 and
Whereas Washington has no legal mechanism to hold religious organizations accountable for complying with the law thereby hampering the ability of law enforcement to investigate and report alleged sexual abuse; 2 and
Whereas the only recourse available to victims of sexual abuse in Washington State is to file a civil or criminal complaint at great personal expense and delay; and religious organizations have consistently abused Washington State’s clergy-penitent privilege resulting in a vicious, multi-generational epidemic of abuse fueled through decades of misguided secrecy at great expense to children specifically and society more broadly; and
Whereas HB 1211 and SB 5375 are narrow in its scope – reporting confessions of criminal child sexual abuse and neglect will only impact the perpetrators, child rapists and abusers and others who confess credible knowledge or complicity that directly affects the welfare of a child; no one else needs to be concerned about the confidentiality of their confession; and
Whereas Washington State still maintains the clergy-penitent defense protection as stipulated in RCW 5.60.060; HB 1211 and SB 5375 do not force clergy to testify in court; the bill seeks to mandate clergy report credible knowledge of child sexual abuse no matter how it is learned 3 ; there is no constitutional protection for acts of child sexual abuse, all citizens should be required to comply with the law equally, whether they hold religious beliefs or not, and the highest duty of the state is to protect its citizens,
Now therefore be it resolved, the 34th District Democrats affirm the separation of Church and State, but believe there is no constitutional protection for acts of child sexual abuse; these acts are not religious in nature and therefore not worthy of protection through legal privilege.
Be it further resolved, the 34th District Democrats endorse the passage of HB 1211 and SB 5375 to hold clergy equally accountable for protection of our children thereby reducing the cost to society and increasing the safety and wellness of our most vulnerable citizens.
Be it finally resolved, the 34th District Democrats urge our legislators and the legislators of the entire state to pass HB 1211 and SB 5375 and send them to the governor for signing.
Submitted January 15, 2025
Sharon Valdes Huling, Submitter / Clergy Accountability Coalition
Rachel Glass, Member Sponsor / First Vice Chair