Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Survivors urge ending clergy confessional exemption; counsel outlines current law and exceptions
Summary
Survivors testified that clergy should be required to report child abuse even in confessions; legislative counsel said clergy are mandatory reporters but the statute contains confidentiality exceptions and the committee will ask a working group to review whether the exception should be changed.
Survivors who said they were raised in an institutional setting told the House Human Services Committee they support removing the statutory confessional exception that can shield disclosures from mandatory reporting requirements.
Brenda Hannon, identifying herself as "the spokesperson and a member of the Voices of Saint Joseph's orphanage," told members she believes clergy and church personnel hid abuse and should be required to report disclosures of child abuse to authorities in special circumstances. "If they…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
