“Trey’s Law” Ushers in a New Era of Transparency for Alabama
The public safety legislation was ceremoniously signed by Gov. Ivey on Monday
From TreysLaw.org
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — March 31, 2026 – As of October 1, 2026, Alabama will no longer allow its courts to silence survivors of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, and trafficking via non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in civil settlement agreements. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey held a ceremonial signing of Trey’s Law (SB 30) on Monday, which prohibits NDAs in civil cases involving sexual abuse, assault, and trafficking, in the interest of public safety. Photos from the signing are available here.
Sen. Matt Woods (R-District 5) and Rep. David Faulkner (R-District 46) are the sponsors of Trey’s Law in Alabama, which has since been introduced to U.S. Congress and in nine other jurisdictions. Texas and Missouri passed versions of Trey’s Law during the 2025 session, and it passed both chambers in those states with broad bipartisan support and zero “no” votes.
This bill is named in honor of Trey Carlock, a victim of child sexual abuse at Kanakuk Ministries, a summer camp operation based in Missouri with broad reach in Alabama. After Trey’s direct perpetrator, Auburn graduate Pete Newman, was sentenced to three life terms in 2010, Trey pursued justice to hold others involved accountable through civil litigation. That retraumatizing process ended with a settlement agreement that included a restrictive NDA, barring Trey from ever speaking about his abuse and Kanakuk leadership’s role in it. At the age of 28, Trey died by suicide after telling a therapist, “they will always control me, and I’ll never be free.”
Carlock’s older sister and the founder of No More Victims, Elizabeth Phillips, attended Monday’s ceremonial bill signing and shared the following statement:
“Today, Governor Ivey made a statement that a survivor’s voice is no longer for sale in the state of Alabama. By removing this barrier to truth and transparency, we are ensuring that a sexual abuse victim’s healing, freedom of speech, and general public safety are a priority over protecting predators and the institutions that harbor them. I am deeply grateful to our legislative champions and everyone who supported this for their action to ensure that no more victims are muzzled by the very system meant to hold bad actors accountable.”
Effective October 1, 2026, Trey’s Law deems NDAs in civil cases involving sexual abuse, assault, and trafficking void and unenforceable in Alabama as a matter of public interest. It ensures survivors can share their stories without fear of legal repercussion from a settlement process that may not inform them of their rights.
Trey’s Law continues to gain national momentum, culminating in Senator Katie Britt co-sponsoring a federal version of the bill, S.3966, with bill author Sen Ted Cruz and a bipartisan coalition earlier this month. Alabama joins Missouri, Tennessee, Texas, and California in passing a version of Trey’s Law. Seven other U.S. states currently have versions of the bill filed. More information and ongoing updates are available at TreysLaw.org.
