Missouri House advances bill to restrict NDAs in child sex abuse cases

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., (KBSI) — The Missouri House of Representatives voted to advance a bill that would prohibit the misuse of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) against child sexual abuse and trafficking victims in civil settlement agreements.

HB 709, also known as “Trey’s Law,” was filed by Rep. Brian Seitz (R) and is expected to be voted on next week. The bill aims to prevent the use of NDAs to silence victims of child sexual abuse, allowing them to share their stories without fear of retribution.

Seven other representatives spoke in favor of the bill, including Rep. Tonya Rush (D), who disclosed her own experience with abuse on the House floor.

Senator Brad Hudson has championed a companion bill, SB590, which has passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Several victims of Kanakuk Kamps, a summer camp ministry, have testified in support of the bill.

The legislation is named after Trey Carlock, who died by suicide in 2019 after being abused by a convicted sex offender. His sister, Elizabeth Carlock Phillips, has testified that her brother was silenced by a restrictive NDA.

A similar bill passed the Texas House of Representatives unanimously last week. While 18 states and the U.S. Congress have clarified the law on NDAs for adult survivors of sexual harassment, Tennessee is the only state to pass legislation specific to prohibiting the misuse of NDAs in civil child sex abuse settlements.