The Catholic Bishops of Washington have sued state officials to block a law that would require priests to disclose to law enforcement allegations of child abuse that are discovered during the church’s sacred sacrament of confession.

A group of Catholic clergy filed the lawsuit in the Western District of Washington, asking a judge to rule the law unconstitutional and to issue an injunction preventing the statute from taking effect July 27.

The lawsuit, filed last week, cites Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signing into law Senate Bill 5375 on May 2. The legislation requires priests to violate their sacramental seal of confession if they learn about child abuse or neglect, as they are supposed to report the information to law enforcement.

The law carries with it the threat of criminal punishment, such as imprisonment or fines.

The priests say they already report child abuse or neglect that is learned in other ways, but they object to violating their religious teachings and beliefs when it comes to the secrecy of confession.

Confession in the Catholic Church is when an individual confesses sins to a priest to receive forgiveness and penance in return. The communications are done in private and sometimes anonymously, as the individual has an option to appear behind a screen.

“Washington is targeting the Roman Catholic Church in a brazen act of religious discrimination,” the lawsuit stated. “Without any basis in law or fact, Washington now puts Roman Catholic priests to an impossible choice: violate 2,000 years of Church teaching and incur automatic excommunication or refuse to comply with Washington law and be subject to imprisonment, fine, and civil liability.” 

The clergy are represented by Becket Religious Liberty for All, a legal advocacy group. Their complaint says the law violates the First Amendment.

A spokesperson from Mr. Ferguson’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the lawsuit.

The case is Etienne v. Ferguson.