Happening now: Texas Senate committee hearing testimony on two versions of bills to end NDAs in sex abuse lawsuits. One version, passed unanimously by the House, would end NDAs for all sex abuse lawsuits. The other would limit it to child sex abuse lawsuits.
May 8, 2025 15:29Witnesses/survivors have come out strongly to urge lawmakers to support the broader bill that's already passed the House. Last night, the House bill author canceled a hearing on numerous Senate bills, citing the "weakening" of the bill by omitting survivors of adult abuse.
Worth reminding: Four of the most high-profile abuse cases in the SBC have been adult survivors. Our reporting - which is the only reason we know about the SBC's broader issue - wouldnt have happened without two of those cases (Paul Pressler and Southwestern Baptist/ Paige Patterson).
We could have known about Paul Pressler in 2004, when he agreed to pay $450K in an assault lawsuit filed by an adult victim. But the victim had to sign an NDA - and Pressler got to spend another 13 years abusing and grooming. Most of what we know about him came in that period.
