Rally raises awareness of Trey’s Law

Dozens of area residents gathered near the intersection of Branson's Gretna Road and Historic Highway 65 South on March 21 for a rally in support of Trey's Law. Men and women carried signs that read "Trey's Law—Silenced No More" or "No Pay for NDA."  

Trey's Law was introduced by Missouri State Representative Brian Seitz (District 156). Trey's Law prohibits the use of non-disclosure agreements in cases of child sexual abuse. The bill was passed in both the House and the Senate and signed into law by Governor Mike Kehoe in June of 2025.

Trey's Law refers to the late Trey Carlock, who suffered sexual abuse as a child at a Missouri-based summer camp. As a condition of the settlement with the camp, Carlock had to agree to sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement). Trey died by suicide in 2019 after ongoing mental health struggles, linked to his abuse and silencing through the NDA.

State Representative Brian Seitz was on hand for the rally, carrying a sign bearing the words "Trey's Law – Support this national movement at TreysLaw.org". 

Seitz said of the bill he introduced, "I knew it would have ramifications statewide but now it is having ramifications even nationwide as Ted Cruz, the Senator from Texas, has picked it up. He'll be handling that in Washington, D.C. Missouri is not always first in all things, but we need to protect children and that's what Trey's Law does. It allows the victims of sexual abuse to speak out and come against their abusers. Too many times in the past, non-disclosure agreements were being used to silence victims, and I saw that as being wrong."  

Seitz continued, "It's taken me about two years to get this bill passed in the House, but once it did, it is now receiving nationwide notoriety, and we're going to remove non-disclosure agreements from being judicially enforceable for victims of child sexual abuse."