SB 5665 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Reporting child sex abuse.

This bill requires Washington schools and public institutions to collect more detailed data on child sexual abuse incidents to better understand and address the problem. It mandates that clergy members report suspected child sexual abuse (similar to other mandatory reporters) while explicitly protecting religious practices like the sacrament of confession. The law updates existing statutes to improve data collection by educational agencies and clarify reporting obligations for religious professionals. These changes aim to strengthen child safety systems without infringing on constitutional religious freedoms.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 12, 2026 Last action Jan 12, 2026
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2
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Jan 12, 2026
Introduced
By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
upper
1 primary · 2 co-sponsors

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