A bill that would free victims of childhood sexual abuse to speak out after winning court settlements advanced Monday at the Georgia Capitol.
The House Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to approve a measure that would prohibit nondisclosure agreements as a condition of settling lawsuits against abusers.
The bill, called Trey’s Law, is named for Trey Carlock, who was sexually abused at a Kanakuk Kamps as a boy in Missouri along with other victims. He settled a lawsuit against Kanakuk, but a nondisclosure agreement prevented him from talking about it.
“There was never justice or true accountability. Nobody was fired or held accountable as a result of this abuse,” Carlock’s sister, Elizabeth Phillips, told representatives Monday. “He died by suicide in 2019 because he wasn’t allowed to have a voice.”
State Rep. Soo Hong, R-Lawrenceville, said Georgia needs to continue being a leader against human trafficking and abuse.
“These NDAs … force victims to choose between compensation and their voice,” Hong said. “The purpose of this law is to ensure that survivors can speak openly about the abuse they suffered, help expose abusers and negligent institutions, and prevent harmful secrecy in future cases.”
Under House Bill 1187, any settlement agreements that conceal the details of a claim of childhood sexual abuse would become unenforceable. Identifying information about victims of childhood sexual abuse would remain confidential.
Four other states have passed versions of Trey’s Law: California, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas.
Gov. Brian Kemp said during his State of the State address last month 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.
The bill could soon advance to a vote in the full state House of Representatives.
