“Trey’s Law,” legislation intended to release sexual abuse survivors from nondisclosure agreements, was adopted unanimously by the Missouri House of Representatives April 22. A similar bill is pending in the state Senate.
Rep. Brian Seitz filed the bill, HB-709, to prohibit the misuse of nondisclosure agreements against child sexual abuse and trafficking victims in civil settlement agreements. A similar bill is pending in the Texas Legislature.
The legislation has been named “Trey’s Law” in memory of Trey Carlock, who died by suicide in 2019 after being groomed and abused by convicted sex offender and former Kanakuk director Pete Newman. Having signed an NDA as part of a settlement agreement after the abuse was exposed, Carlock was unable to discuss his abuse with others in ways that may have promoted healing.