States Ban NDAs That Silenced Child Abuse Survivors

When Cindy Clemishire was offered $25,000 to never speak about the sexual abuse she endured as a child, she said no. That decision at age 37 would eventually help protect countless other survivors.

Clemishire was 12 when a traveling evangelist staying with her family began abusing her in 1982. The abuse continued for four years before she told her family and it stopped.

Her abuser, Robert Morris, went on to found one of the largest megachurches in America. When Clemishire sought justice in 2007, his attorney tried to silence her with a nondisclosure agreement.

She refused to sign. Instead, she became an advocate.

Last year, Clemishire stood before Texas lawmakers and shared her story. "Had I agreed to that NDA, Robert would have continued to have power over me," she testified.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed the ban into law in June 2025. Morris pleaded guilty to child sex abuse charges in October, publicly admitting what he did.

Now Clemishire's courage is creating a wave of change across America. Oklahoma, Alabama, and Georgia are all considering similar laws this year.

Alabama lawmakers just passed their bill unanimously in both chambers. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced his support, saying the law would "further protect our children, expose abusers, and save lives."

The movement gained momentum from another survivor's story. Trey Carlock was bound by an NDA after being abused at a Christian sports camp, unable to speak about what happened to him or how the organization enabled it.

After Carlock died by suicide at age 28 in 2019, his sister Elizabeth Phillips founded Trey's Law in his memory. The model legislation has now inspired laws in California, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas.

The Ripple Effect

These new laws do more than free survivors to tell their stories. They remove a legal tool that organizations have misused to hide patterns of abuse and protect repeat offenders.

Many of the state laws apply retroactively, nullifying old NDAs that have kept survivors silent for years. Thousands of people are now legally free to speak.

The bipartisan support has been remarkable. This rare issue unites lawmakers across political divides because the mission is clear: protect children and empower survivors.

Organizations can no longer use financial settlements as a way to buy silence. When survivors can speak freely, they can warn others and prevent future abuse.

Courts are also taking notice, striking down NDAs that appear designed to hide misconduct. The legal landscape is shifting toward transparency and accountability.

At 55 years old, Clemishire now travels to state capitals sharing her story without fear of legal consequences. Her voice is helping rewrite laws that will protect the next generation of children from suffering in silence.