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Catholic Bishop Joseph Tyson of the Yakima Diocese speaks at a St. Rose of Lima Catholic School function in November 2024. Tyson expressed concern about a state law that could potentially require priests to break the seal of the confessional if a confessor admits to abusing a child during confession.
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by By Elizah Lourdes Rendorio/Columbia Basin Herald Legislative Intern
| March 24, 2025 2:00 AM

OLYMPIA – Rachel Fisher’s parents sang kingdom melodies the day she was born. The sound of religion followed Fisher growing up, where her evenings began with religious studies and ended with Bible dramas lulling her to sleep.   

Fisher, a fourth-generation Jehovah’s Witness and a survivor of child sexual assault, is an inactive member of her church. She traveled to Olympia to testify in support of a bill that would require clergy members to report child abuse they learn of while performing religious duties. 

If Senate Bill 5375 passes and becomes law, religious leaders would have to report incidents to law enforcement or the Department of Children, Youth and Family Services within 48 hours, with no exemption. This would include information learned during penitential communication, such as confession in the Catholic Church or within the Committee of Elders in a Jehovah’s Witnesses Kingdom Hall, among others. Failure to do so could be considered a gross misdemeanor.  

Read the rest of the article here: https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2025/mar/24/wa-bill-mandating-clergy-report-abuse-clears-senate-floor/