"Unfavorable Decision": Texas Legislator Abruptly Cancels Hearing, Alleges Senate Watering Down His Anti-Non-Disclosure Agreement Legislation
Here's an informal, straightforward, and revised version of the article:
Contention Rises Between Texas House and Senate Over Legislation
Looks like the Texas House Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence won't be discussing Senate bills anytime soon, according to committee chair Jeff Leach, R-Plano.
In a hearing on Wednesday, Leach accused the Senate of undermining a bill aimed at putting an end to the use of nondisclosure agreements in cases of child sexual abuse and human trafficking. At the conclusion of the meeting, he voiced his discontent, saying, "If the Senate treats Trey's Law with the due regard I believe it warrants and swiftly advances our bill without weakening it, I'd be more than delighted to reschedule and take up those Senate bills."
However, Leach hasn't clarified his reasons for suspecting the Senate's intent. He's still awaiting a validation of his claim, leading to the cancelation of a planned hearing for five Senate bills on Thursday. KERA News reached out to Leach and will update this story upon any response.
The contentious matter revolves around HB 748 (Trey's Law) and its sister bill, SB 1587. Approved unanimously by the House in April, these bills aim to abolish the use of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) in child sexual abuse cases. If passed, they would help prevent such cases from being covered up by legal agreements.
Leach filed and authored the bill in November following a testimonial hearing in October. Child sexual abuse victims and their advocates voiced their accounts, with Cindy Clemishire being one of them. Clemishire alleged that Robert Morris, the now-disgraced founding pastor of the Southlake-based megachurch Gateway Church, abused her as a child in the 1980s. Morris, who has been charged with child sexual abuse in Oklahoma, turned himself to the authorities in March and is currently out on bond.
This impasse between the Texas House and Senate occurs just two days before Morris' first hearing. If found guilty, Morris could face a maximum of 20 years in prison for each charge.
Stay tuned for updates on this developing story. Email [email protected] with any tips you'd like to share. Your donations enable us to provide this valuable reporting. Thank you!
- The developing news about the controversy between the Texas House and Senate involves a bill, Trey's Law (HB 748), and its sister bill, SB 1587, which are aimed at banning the use of nondisclosure agreements in child sexual abuse cases.
- The governmental impasse, which threatens to halt discussion on Senate bills, stems from accusations made by Jeff Leach, the committee chair, who believes the Senate is undermining Trey's Law.
- In the realm of politics and policy-and-legislation, the general-news story unfolds with breaking news of the standoff between the Texas House and Senate, with potential implications for crime-and-justice cases, as Morris' first hearing approaches, charged with child sexual abuse.
