Calif. Senator Hill's bill, SB 360, passed Public Safety Committee - It removes penitential privilege exemption

by AndersonsInfo 6 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  AndersonsInfo

  California Senator Jerry Hill's bill, SB 360, passed the Public Safety Committee at the Capitol Building in Sacramento, California, this morning without opposition. Out of eight senators in the Committee, three senators excused themselves, and five voted for the bill.

  http://calchannel.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=7&clip_id=6064&fbclid=IwAR2ADhuxfLH8M6QZ9nxJQAouLyYxYAHx6B0wCtZIJPHAajAV_9DnDDpq29I Move the time marker to 57:20 where the discussion of SB 360 starts.

  Senate Bill 360 requires Clergy to Report Child Abuse and Neglect Under Any Circumstancess. Although current law includes clergy members in the list of 46 professionals to report, the law also exempts clergy from such reporting if they gain their knowledge or suspicion of the crimes during “a penitential communication.”

  SB 360 would remove that exemption.

  SB 360 is NOT TARGETING JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES OR THE WATCHTOWER ORGANIZATION PER SE. SB 360 is targeting ALL religions.

  
  
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  AndersonsInfo

  There are still more legislative steps to take before this bill becomes law, but the first hurdle was overcome.
  
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  Giordano

  This is good news because the exemption of Clergy that can hide a confession of child abuse, is the first thing that the Legal Branch of the Society looks for.

  This is how the Catholic Church with their 1700 years of child abuse has always gotten away with abuse...... sexual and physical....because of clergy exemption.

  The traditional clergy exemption has permitted all numbers of crimes and heartbreak.

  It's always interesting or disgusting to see the Society jump at being part of the clergy exemption while they disavow Clergy.
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  jwleaks

  http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB360

  SEC. 3.

  Section 11166 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

  11166.

  (a) Except as provided in subdivision (d), and in Section 11166.05, a mandated reporter shall make a report to an agency specified in Section 11165.9 whenever the mandated reporter, in his or her their professional capacity or within the scope of his or her their employment, has knowledge of or observes a child whom the mandated reporter knows or reasonably suspects has been the victim of child abuse or neglect. The mandated reporter shall make an initial report by telephone to the agency immediately or as soon as is practicably possible, and shall prepare and send, fax, or electronically transmit a written followup report within 36 hours of receiving the information concerning the incident. The mandated reporter may include with the report any nonprivileged documentary evidence the mandated reporter possesses relating to the incident.

  ...

  (d)(1)A clergy member who acquires knowledge or a reasonable suspicion of child abuse or neglect during a penitential communication is not subject to subdivision (a). For the purposes of this subdivision, “penitential communication” means a communication, intended to be in confidence, including, but not limited to, a sacramental confession, made to a clergy member who, in the course of the discipline or practice of his or her church, denomination, or organization, is authorized or accustomed to hear those communications, and under the discipline, tenets, customs, or practices of his or her church, denomination, or organization, has a duty to keep those communications secret.
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  days of future passed

  Jwleaks - thanks for posting the old and the new. Last paragraph is the pedophiles permission slip GONE.
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  careful

  Thanks for this info. It will be interesting to watch its course. I wonder if groups like the RC church would oppose it or even seek to have its constitutionality questioned.
  
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  LongHairGal

  ANDERSONS INFO:

  I am very glad to hear this!

  No institution or religion should be able to hide behind this ‘penitential privilege’ excuse in this day and age!