A federal judge on Friday blocked a Washington state law requiring Catholic priests to report suspected child abuse or neglect, including any information they learn from sacramental confession, raising concerns about religious liberty.
The law, Senate Bill 5375, was slated to go into effect on July 27, but was blocked Friday after Judge David Estudillo of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington granted a preliminary injunction.
Estudillo, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, ruled that the Catholic priests and the Justice Department were likely to succeed in their argument that the law violates the First Amendment’s free exercise clause.
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“There is no question that SB 5375 burdens Plaintiffs’ free exercise of religion. In situations where Plaintiffs hear confessions related to child
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