South Dakota is one of eight states in the country where clergy are not included in mandatory reporting laws surrounding child abuse.
State lawmakers are passing a bill to the house floor that adds clergy to the list.
Democratic state representative Erin Healy is the prime sponsor of the bill. She says she’s concerned about the vulnerability of children.
“If they’re going to go to their pastor or their priest and inform them that they’ve been a victim of child abuse, we really want that clergyman to report that and not have to feel—we don’t want that to be overshadowed by relational and power dynamics within a community,” Healy says.
Healy says teachers, counselors, healthcare professionals and social workers are already required to report abuse.
The legislation still allows clergy to keep information confidential when communication about abuse is made privately as part of a religious practice, like confession.