Bill to make clergy report child abuse advances in Washington
A Democratic-led effort to require clergy members in Washington to report child abuse or neglect, even when it is disclosed in confession, is moving closer to being voted on in both chambers of the state Legislature.
On Friday, the House Early Learning & Human Services Committee passed House Bill 1211 and sent it to the Rules Committee, the last stop before a potential floor vote. The panel’s seven Democrats and one Republican, Rep. Joshua Penner, of Orting, approved the legislation. Three Republicans opposed the bill.
The decision came two days after the Democratic-controlled Senate Human Services Committee approved Senate Bill 5375, the companion to the House legislation, on a party-line vote. It is now in the Senate Rules Committee awaiting action by the full Senate.
Lawmakers have pursued variations of the bill in each of the last three sessions.
https://washingtonstatestandard.com/briefs/bill-to-make-clergy-report-child-abuse-advances-in-washington/
= new reply since forum marked as read
