DOJ sues Washington state over 'anti-Catholic' legislation

[Zorro]

The DOJ sues Washington state, claiming a law mandating clergy to report abuse breaches Catholics' religious freedom.

The Justice Department (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against Washington state over a new law that it calls "anti-Catholic."

Senate Bill 5375 was passed in the most recent state legislative session and signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson in May. It adds "members of the clergy" to a list of professionals who are required to report child abuse or neglect when they have reasonable cause to believe that it occurred, no matter the scenario in which they obtain that information.

In a release, the DOJ says the bill "violates the free exercise of religion for all Catholics, and requires Catholic priests to violate the confidentiality seal of Confession." The DOJ announced in May that it would investigate the law over what it says are First Amendment violations.

“Laws that explicitly target religious practices such as the Sacrament of Confession in the Catholic Church have no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Senate Bill 5375 unconstitutionally forces Catholic priests in Washington to choose between their obligations to the Catholic Church and their penitents or face criminal consequences, while treating the priest-penitent privilege differently than other well-settled privileges. The Justice Department will not sit idly by when States mount attacks on the free exercise of religion.”

https://www.king5.com/article/news/politics/doj-files-lawsuit-washington-state-mandatory-clergy-reporting/281-a44ca8a4-0ec1-4cf0-97dc-34796df9debc

Figures with this DOJ...