Bill to require clergy to report confessions of child abuse fails in House
(KUTV) — A bill that would require clergy to report confessions of child abuse saw little progression at the state Capitol.
House Bill 90, which would get rid of religious leaders' exemption from reporting child abuse, failed in the House during the 2020 Legislative Session.
Current Utah law requires anyone who "has reason to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect... shall immediately report the alleged abuse or neglect to the nearest peace office, law enforcement agency of office of the division."
But, this does “not apply to a member of the clergy, with regard to any confession made to the clergy while functioning in the ministerial capacity without the consent of the individual making the confession."
RELATED: Clergy may soon be required to report confessions of child abuse in Utah
Rep. Angela Romero (D-Salt Lake) proposed H.B. 90 to change that.
The bill states it would get rid of the "provision that exempts, under certain circumstances, a member of the clergy from being required to report child abuse and neglect."
So, "any individual" of any religion in Utah "who has reason to believe that a child was subjected to abuse or neglect" would be required to report it.
The legislative session concluded on Friday.
