Clergy as Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect - Hawaii

The Requirement for Clergy to Report 

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 350-1.1

When a clergy member receives reportable information from any source other than a penitential communication, the clergy member shall comply with the reporting requirements of this section, regardless of whether the clergy member received the same information during a penitential communication.

Privileged Communications

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 350-1.1

A member of the clergy shall not be required to report information gained solely during a penitential communication. For purposes of this paragraph, 'penitential communication' means a communication, including a sacramental confession, that is intended to be kept confidential and is made to a member of the clergy who, in the course of the discipline or practice of the applicable religious organization, is authorized or accustomed to hear those communications and, under the discipline, tenets, customs, or practices of the applicable religious organization, has a duty to keep those communications secret.