华盛顿州现在永久保护天主教祭司, 避免报导在供认中听到的虐待儿童事件, 维护宗教自由。 Washington state now permanently shields Catholic priests from reporting child abuse heard in confession, upholding religious freedom.

华盛顿州永久豁免天主教神父举报在神圣忏悔期间披露的虐待儿童行为,解决了对参议院第5375号法案的法律质疑。 Washington state has permanently exempted Catholic priests from reporting child abuse disclosed during sacramental confession, resolving a legal challenge over Senate Bill 5375. 该协议得到联邦法官2025年7月的禁令的支持,确认执法不能迫使牧师打破宗教秘密,这违反了第一修正案的自由行动条款。 The agreement, backed by a federal judge’s July 2025 injunction, confirms the law’s enforcement cannot compel priests to break confessional secrecy, which violates the First Amendment’s free exercise clause. 国家将继续要求神职人员报告通过其他手段获得的虐待,同时保护儿童和宗教自由。 The state will continue requiring clergy to report abuse obtained through other means, preserving both child protection and religious liberty. 在Becket基金提起诉讼后,和解方案得到了解决,宗教领袖和倡导者称其为宪法权利的平衡胜利。 The settlement follows a lawsuit by the Becket Fund, with religious leaders and advocates calling it a balanced victory for constitutional rights.