“Trey’s Law” is now the law of the land in Missouri and Texas after governors Mike Kehoe and Greg Abbott signed their versions of the bill this month.
On June 10, Missouri Gov. Keheo signed SB-81, a comprehensive public safety bill. Among multiple provisions modified in the packaged bill is Missouri’s version of “Trey’s Law,” which makes Non-Disclosure Agreements signed in child sexual abuse cases unenforceable. This version of the bill also broadens the list of criminal acts that qualify as child sexual abuse under civil law.
The law reinforces safety measures regarding criminal background checks, modernizing fireworks regulations, supporting families of law enforcement officers, continuing funding for emergency response preparedness and strengthening protections for victims of childhood sexual abuse.
Trey Carlock
“Trey’s Law” is named after Trey Carlock, a Dallas native who sued Kamp Kanakuk after enduring a decade of child sexual abuse by their popular director, Pete Newman. After using his position of power to commit serial acts of abuse against hundreds of campers, Newman is currently serving two life sentences plus 30 years.
Along with many of Newman’s victims, Carlock’s civil case was settled and included a restrictive NDA. Family members say this litigation process retraumatized him to the point of his death by suicide in 2019. His older sister, Elizabeth Carlock Phillips, has testified in support of the bills, championing the legislation as an advocate for sexual abuse victims in multiple states.
In a big win for advocates, the passage of this bill makes Missouri — the state where Kanakuk is based — the first state to pass Trey’s Law.
Previously, Florida and California passed similar laws preventing the restricted disclosure of crimes like child sexual abuse, felony sexual offenses and other testimonies with knowledge of public hazards. In 2018, just a year before Carlock died, Tennessee passed an identical law that rendered NDAs unenforceable in child sexual abuse cases.
In Texas, Trey’s home state, Gov. Abbot signed SB-835 into law June 21.
On May 26, the Texas House of Representatives unanimously passed its version of Trey’s Law authored by Sen. Angela Paxton, SB-835, after a third read on the House floor. Notably on the day prior, in an exceptionally rare moment, Speaker of the House Rep. Dustin Burrows joined the Texas House by casting a vote as part of its unanimous passage upon second reading.
As a member of the House, the speaker maintains the right to vote on bills and issues considered by the chamber but traditionally refrains from voting to maintain impartiality as the presiding officer. Exceptions to voting abstention typically take place when the speaker’s vote is needed to break a tie, or for a procedural matter, although Burrows showed clear and public support for the bill by adding his vote to the already unanimous decision.
While Missouri’s version of “Trey’s Law” focuses solely on survivors of childhood crimes, the Texas version of the bill was broadened and now applies to sexual assault and trafficking victims of any age. This change follows testimony by numerous survivors, advocates and subject matter experts, including victims of child sexual abuse at Kanakuk Kamps, Boy Scouts, Assemblies of God, and in other contexts.
Elizabeth Carlock Phillips
“I am proud to be Trey’s sister,” Phillips testified at a March 19 hearing on the Texas House companion bill. “And I hope Texas will be proud of Trey’s Law.”
Cindy Clemishire, whose abuser Robert Morris is facing child sex abuse charges, also testified at an earlier hearing in support of Trey’s Law.
“Because I refused to sign that NDA at 37, I am able to sit here today at 55 years old and share my story in hopes of helping others,” she explained in a hearing the day before Morris’ first court appearance in Oklahoma on five felony counts.
The identical House companion bill, HB-748, was authored by Rep. Jeff Leach, who also served as co-sponsor to SB 835. Sen. Paxton’s SB-835 gained 31 additional sponsors across the House and Senate, and both bills saw largely bipartisan support in both chambers.
“I believe very strongly that this bill we’re about to vote on is one of, if not the strongest bill for sexual abuse survivors and victims anywhere in this country,” Leach said before moving for its passage.
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