Victims of childhood sexual abuse can’t be silenced by nondisclosure agreements in legal settlements, according to a bill that cleared the Georgia General Assembly on Thursday.
The Senate voted unanimously to approve the bill, which is called Trey’s Law in memory of Trey Carlock, a former Atlanta-area resident who was sexually abused at a Missouri camp along with other victims.
Carlock settled a lawsuit against the camp, but a nondisclosure agreement prevented him from talking about what happened to him.
“These NDAs silence survivors or sexual abuse in civil settlement agreements and force victims to choose between compensation and their voice,” said Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick, R-Marietta. “The purpose of the law is so that survivors can speak openly about the abuse that they suffered.”
The bill makes lawsuit settlements unenforceable if they require secrecy about childhood sexual abuse.
Gov. Brian Kemp said during his State of the State address that Trey’s Law is a priority of First Lady Marty Kemp and the Georgians for Refuge, Action, Compassion, and Education Commission, which was created to combat human trafficking.
House Bill 1187 now advances to Kemp for his signature.
