A proposal to do away with clergy exemptions for reporting child abuse and neglect got a first look Wednesday from a Vermont Senate committee. 

Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee took no action on the bill, S.16, after listening to several witnesses speak about it. The senators said they wanted to hear from more witnesses, including constitutional scholars.

Vermont law says members of the clergy are obligated to report abuse and neglect, but the law adds exemptions for what they learn while hearing a confession or acting as a spiritual adviser.

According to current law, the exemptions include information received in a communication that is:

• Made to a member of the clergy acting in the capacity of a spiritual adviser.
• Intended by the parties to be confidential at the time of the communication.
• Intended to be an act of contrition or matter of conscience.
• Required to be confidential by religious law, doctrine or…