State Rep. Brian Seitz and state Sen. Brad Hudson, both Republicans representing the Branson area, recently filed legislation related to child sex abuse, particularly in response to incidents at the Kanakuk camp. The bills aim to make it easier for survivors of child sexual abuse to seek damages from abusers or enablers, such as employers, through civil lawsuits. They also seek to ban nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) in child sex abuse cases. Additionally, the lawmakers have proposed resolutions to allow retroactive civil lawsuits by childhood victims against their abusers, despite constitutional constraints.
The proposed legislation has received praise from survivor advocates like Elizabeth Carlock Phillips, who lost her brother to suicide after he struggled with trauma from abuse suffered at Kanakuk. Phillips and other advocates have been vocal about the need to eliminate NDAs and extend statutes of limitations to allow adult survivors to seek justice later in life. These efforts have been met with support from the survivor community and aim to protect children and families by holding abusers accountable.
While the bills must pass through the Republican-controlled Missouri House and Senate and be signed by Governor Mike Kehoe, the proposed resolutions would require voter approval to change the state constitution. The legislation aligns with a federal law signed under the Biden administration that protects child sex abuse victims’ right to seek civil damages, but only in federal courts. Overall, the proposed laws represent a step towards addressing the traumatic impact of child sexual abuse and providing survivors with the opportunity for recourse and justice.
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