,,ii ,cal5d> ,no4 #dac #aai? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ciff ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,m>* #c1 #bjbf,mr4 ,cruz 7= himself1 ,mrs4 ,gillibr&1 ,mrs4 ,britt1 ,mr4 ,s*mitt1 ,mr4 ,wel*1 ,mrs4 ,%ahe51 ,mr4 ,cornyn1 ,ms4 ,klobu*>1 ,mr4 ,hawley1 ,mrs4 ,blackburn1 ,mr4 ,durb91 ,mr4 ,graham1 ,mrs4 ,moody1 ,mr4 ,tillis1 ,mr4 ,k5n$y1 ,mr4 ,coons1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,mr4 ,blum5?al1 ,mr4 ,padilla1 ,mr4 ,book]1 & ,mr4 ,grassley7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ! ,judici>y ,may #ai1 #bjbf,report$ by ,mr4 ,grassley1 )\t am5dm5t ,a ,,bill ,to prohibit ! en=cem5t ( c]ta9 contractual clauses t re/rict disclosure ( sexual abuse ( m9ors1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,t]m9at+ ,re/rictive ,en=cem5t ( ,y\? ,settlem5ts ,law or ,,trey',s ,law4 #b4 ,f9d+s & purposes 7a7 ,f9d+s 7#a7 ,in/rum5talities ( int]/ate comm]ce ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7,a7 ,sexual abuse ( m9ors1 includ+ abuse facilitat$ ?r\gh in/rum5talities ( int]/ate comm]ce1 is a matt] ( national conc]n4 7,b7 ,agreem5ts conta9+ nondisclosure & confid5tiality provisions1 frequ5tly conclud$ ?r\gh ! in/rum5talities ( int]/ate comm]ce1 h be5 us$ to sil5ce survivors ( sexual abuse & conceal ongo+ or repeat$ abuse4 7,c7 ,! en=cem5t ( su* provisions int]f]es ) report+ to law en=cem5t ag5cies1 *ild protection au?orities1 ,f$]al regulators1 ,memb]s ( ,congress1 & ! c\rts1 & fru/rates ! en=cem5t ( ,f$]al crim9al & civil law4 7#b7 ,necess>y & prop] clause & en=cem5t ( ,f$]al crim9al law ,congress fur!r f9ds ! foll[+3 7,a7 ,sexual abuse & traffick+ ( m9ors are prohibit$ "u ,f$]al crim9al law1 includ+ *apt] #aaj ( title #ah1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 & section #aeia ( title #ah1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4 7,b7 ,nondisclosure & confid5tiality agreem5ts t prohibit or re/rict disclosure ( sexual abuse ( a m9or int]f]e ) report+ to law en=cem5t1 *ild protection au?orities1 c\rts1 ,f$]al regulators1 & ,memb]s ( ,congress4 7,c7 ,su* agreem5ts fru/rate ! inve/igation & prosecution ( ,f$]al crimes1 *ill coop]ation ) law en=cem5t1 & function z private me*anisms to ob/ruct ju/ice4 7,d7 ,congress has au?ority "u clause #ah ( section #h ( article ,i ( ! ,con/itution ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 7commonly kn[n z ! ,necess>y & ,prop] ,clause7 to ensure t private agreem5ts are n us$ to imp$e ! en=cem5t ( ,f$]al crim9al & civil law protect+ m9ors f sexual exploitation & abuse4 7#c7 ,/ate action & section #e ( ! #ad? ,am5dm5t ,congress fur!r f9ds ! foll[+3 7,a7 ,survivors ( *ild sexual abuse possess fundam5tal con/itutional int]e/s1 secur$ by provisions ( ! ,bill ( ,rights z incorporat$ aga9/ ! ,/ates ?r\gh ! #ad? ,am5dm5t to ! ,con/itution ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 9 report+ crimes1 seek+ r$ress ?r\gh ! c\rts1 coop]at+ ) law en=cem5t1 & petition+ ! gov]nm5t = protection & en=cem5t4 7,b7 ,:5 ,/ate c\rts or o!r gov]nm5tal au?orities en=ce nondisclosure or confid5tiality provisions t prohibit or re/rict disclosure ( sexual abuse ( a m9or1 su* en=cem5t con/itutes ,/ate action = purposes ( ! #ad? ,am5dm5t to ! ,con/itution ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4 7,c7 ,judicial en=cem5t ( su* provisions may deprive survivors ( due process ( law1 equal protection ( ! laws1 & mean+ful access to c\rts1 includ+ rights d]iv$ f ! ,fir/ ,am5dm5t to ! ,con/itution ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates & incorporat$ aga9/ ! ,/ates1 9 violation ( ! #ad? ,am5dm5t4 7,d7 ,agreem5ts t ob/ruct ju/ice1 suppress ! report+ ( crimes1 or conceal crim9al conduct h long be5 reg>d$ at common law1 includ+ at ! "t ( ! f\nd+ ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 z void & un5=ceable z aga9/ public policy1 & fall outside ! traditional scope ( protect$ contractual lib]ty4 7,e7 ,at ! "t ( ! f\nd+ ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 private agreem5ts purport+ to suppress prosecution1 conceal felonies1 or re/ra9 ! report+ ( crimes 7 n recogniz$ z valid or en=ceable contracts1 & no p>ty possess$ a ve/$ "r 9 _! judicial en=cem5t4 7,f7 ,congress has au?ority "u section #e ( ! #ad? ,am5dm5t to ! ,con/itution ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates to enact appropriate rem$ial & prev5tive legislation to prev5t & rem$y con/itutional violations aris+ f ,/ate judicial en=cem5t ( private agreem5ts t suppress disclosure ( crim9al conduct involv+ m9ors4 7b7 ,purpose ,! purpose ( ?is ,act is-- 7#a7 to en=ce ! gu>antees ( ! #ad? ,am5dm5t to ! ,con/itution ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 includ+ ! "r to petition ! gov]nm5t = r$ress ( grievances & ! "r ( access to c\rts1 by prev5t+ ,/ate c\rts & o!r gov]nm5tal au?orities f en=c+ nondisclosure or confid5tiality provisions t suppress disclosure ( sexual abuse ( m9ors2 7#b7 to ensure1 pursuant to ! au?ority ( ,congress "u article ,i ( ! ,con/itution ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 includ+ ! ,necess>y & ,prop] ,clause1 t private agreem5ts are n us$ to ob/ruct ! inve/igation or prosecution ( ,f$]al crimes involv+ ! sexual abuse or traffick+ ( m9ors2 7#c7 to pres]ve access to c\rts & ! "r to petition ! gov]nm5t = r$ress ( grievances2 & 7#d7 to ensure t survivors ( sexual abuse ( m9ors1 & p]sons ) k ( su* abuse1 may disclose su* abuse freely & )\t fe> ( civil liability4 #c4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3 7#a7 ,m9or p]son ,! t]m m9or p]son means an individual :o has n atta9$ #ah ye>s ( age4 7#b7 ,nondisclosure clause ,! t]m nondisclosure clause means a provision 9 a contract or agreem5t t prohibits #a or m p>ties to ! contract or agreem5t f disclos+ conduct or in=mation cov]$ by ! t]ms & conditions ( ! contract or agreem5t4 7#c7 ,sexual abuse aga9/ a m9or p]son ,! t]m sexual abuse aga9/ a m9or p]son means-- 7,a7 conduct t con/itutes or alleg$ly con/itutes-- 7i7 an (f5se "u *apt] #aaj ( title #ah1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code2 or 7ii7 sex traffick+ ( a m9or p]son "u section #aeia ( title #ah1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code2 or 7,b7 any sexual act or sexual contact involv+ a m9or p]son t con/itutes a crim9al (f5se "u ,f$]al law or ! law ( ! ,/ate 9 :i* ! act or contact occurs4 #d4 ,nondisclosure agreem5ts void & un5=ceable 7a7 ,9 g5]al ,a nondisclosure clause %all be void & un5=ceable z aga9/ public policy only to ! ext5t t ! nondisclosure clause prohibits-- 7#a7 a victim or alleg$ victim ( sexual abuse aga9/ a m9or p]son f disclos+-- 7,a7 t act ( sexual abuse aga9/ a m9or p]son2 or 7,b7 facts relat$ to t act ( sexual abuse aga9/ a m9or p]son2 or 7#b7 any o!r p]son f disclos+ facts relat$ to sexual abuse aga9/ a m9or p]son describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a7 9 support (1 9 fur!rance (1 or consi/5t ) ! "r ( a victim or alleg$ victim to disclose "u t p>agraph4 7b7 ,p]missible confid5tiality ,no?+ 9 ?is section %all be con/ru$ to prohibit a p]son1 includ+ a victim or alleg$ victim ( sexual abuse aga9/ a m9or p]son1 f ent]+ into a contract or agreem5t t re/ricts ! disclosure ( in=mation1 includ+ ! am\nt or paym5t t]ms ( a settlem5t1 by ano!r p>ty to ! contract or agreem5t1 includ+ an alleg$ p]petrator1 s long z su* re/riction does n prev5t disclosure protect$ "u subsection 7a74 #e4 ,retroactive application 7a7 ,9 g5]al ,?is ,act %all apply to any nondisclosure clause 9 a contract or agreem5t ent]$ into be=e1 on1 or aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act4 7b7 ,no en=cem5t actions ,no p]son may en=ce or attempt to en=ce a nondisclosure clause describ$ 9 section #d7;a71 reg>dless ( ! date on :i* ! contract or agreem5t conta9+ ! nondisclosure clause 0 ent]$ into4 7c7 ,preemption 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,?is ,act sup]s$es any ,/ate law to ! ext5t t su* law p]mits en=cem5t ( a provision1 ! en=cem5t ( :i* is prohibit$ "u ?is ,act4 7#b7 ,rule ( con/ruction ,no?+ 9 ?is ,act %all be con/ru$ to prohibit a ,/ate or locality f enact+ legislation t-- 7,a7 is consi/5t ) ?is ,act2 or 7,b7 provides great] protection to a victim ( sexual abuse aga9/ a m9or p]son ?an is provid$ "u ?is ,act4 ,may #ai1 #bjbf,report$ )\t am5dm5t