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Utah Legislature expands ability of clergy members to report child abuse

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Published 4:28 PM

By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM
Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah faith leaders who learn about ongoing child abuse from a perpetrator during a religious confession will be able to alert police without fear of legal ramifications. A bill extending to clergy members the same legal protections that exist for mandatory reporters of child abuse and neglect received final legislative approval Thursday in the state Senate. It now heads to the desk of Republican Gov. Spencer Cox. State law currently exempts clergy from a requirement to report child abuse if they learn about the crime in a confessional setting. The bill does not remove the legal loophole known as clergy-penitent privilege. But Rep. Anthony Loubet said it could incentivize clergy members to come forward.

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