# States debate who should report child abuse, neglect amid clergy concerns  
**Published:** 2026-05-18T18:03:27.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/18/repub/from-clergy-to-coaches-states-debate-who-should-report-child-abuse-and-neglect/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/states-debate-who-should-report-child-abuse-neglect-amid-clergy-concerns

States across the nation are grappling with an increasingly contentious question: who should be legally required to report suspected child abuse and neglect, particularly when religious confidentiality is at stake.

The debate centers on whether clergy members and religious workers should be mandated reporters, and whether they should be required to report abuse even when they learn of it during confession or other sacred religious rites. [According to the Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/18/repub/from-clergy-to-coaches-states-debate-who-should-report-child-abuse-and-neglect/), several states are actively considering bills that would expand mandatory reporter requirements, despite growing legal challenges based on religious freedom protections.

Missouri state Sen. Tracy McCreery sponsored a bill that would require clergy to report suspected child abuse or neglect, even if learned during confession. Though the bill failed to advance, McCreery said the issue is fundamentally about child protection. "Children are just very vulnerable and it's up to us as adults to not allow them to be harmed," she told Stateline, an organization tracking policy issues across U.S. states.

Washington state enacted legislation last year requiring clergy to report abuse even from confidential religious communications. Catholic bishops and Orthodox churches sued, arguing the law violated First Amendment religious freedom rights. The U.S. Justice Department sided with the churches, citing the centuries-old tradition of confession in Catholic doctrine. [A federal judge ultimately blocked enforcement of the confession reporting requirement](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-washington-state-over-its-new-anti-catholic-law-senate-bill-5375), and Washington agreed to drop that obligation while keeping clergy as mandated reporters overall.

Vermont, New York, and Kansas have similar proposals pending. Opponents argue such laws interfere with clergy-parishioner relationships and conflict with religious freedom protections. Michael W. Halcomb, an ordained minister and professor at Montreat College, warned that mandatory reporting mandates may deter abuse victims from seeking help through religious channels entirely.

Beyond clergy debates, states are also expanding mandatory reporter requirements to include school coaches, talent agents, camp leaders, and other adults with unsupervised access to children. Connecticut recently passed legislation requiring municipal youth camp staff to be mandated reporters, while South Dakota approved a measure making school activity coaches mandatory reporters. [In Nebraska, everyone is already a mandatory reporter under state law](https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Child-Abuse.aspx).

Legal scholars and religious freedom advocates say the challenge is balancing legitimate child protection interests with long-standing religious practices. Chris Motz, senior counsel with First Liberty Institute, a religious freedom organization, said states don't need to view the issue as "winner take all." "We can do a little bit with both hands," he said, suggesting compromise approaches exist.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/18/repub/from-clergy-to-coaches-states-debate-who-should-report-child-abuse-and-neglect/)
- [U.S. Justice Department action on Washington state clergy reporting law](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-washington-state-over-its-new-anti-catholic-law-senate-bill-5375)
- [Nebraska DHHS information on mandatory reporting requirements](https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Child-Abuse.aspx)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/18/repub/from-clergy-to-coaches-states-debate-who-should-report-child-abuse-and-neglect/.