PHOENIX — A key lawmaker says a new court ruling shielding priests and other clergy from having to report confessions of crimes — even of ongoing child abuse — isn’t enough to convince him to stop blocking legislation to change the law.
Rep. Quang Nguyen said nothing in state law precludes religious leaders from telling police about what they’ve learned about about ongoing situations outside of confessions. In fact, the Prescott Valley lawmaker said, they are required to do that.
But Nguyen said there is no way he will agree to extend that to what is learned in confession, regardless of what they hear.
