# Carrie's Law: What You Need to Know

Carrie's Law prevents companies from forcing sexual assault victims into secret arbitration proceedings instead of allowing them to take their cases to court. Right now, many employment contracts, housing agreements, and service contracts include something called a "predispute arbitration agreement"—basically a clause that says if something goes wrong, you agree to settle disputes privately with an arbitrator rather than going to court. This bill says that clause cannot apply to sexual assault claims. If you're sexually assaulted by someone at work, in housing, or in any situation covered by such an agreement, you would have the right to file a lawsuit in court instead of being forced into private arbitration.

The practical difference matters a lot. In arbitration, proceedings are private, there's no public record, and you typically can't appeal the decision. In court, your case is public, you have more legal protections, and you can appeal if you lose. The bill recognizes that sexual assault is serious enough that victims shouldn't be locked into secret proceedings. This affects employees, tenants, customers, and anyone else who has signed an agreement containing an arbitration clause—which is increasingly common in contracts across many industries.

There's one important limitation: if a court dismisses your sexual assault claim for legal reasons, then any related claims you filed (like emotional distress or breach of contract) would go back to arbitration as originally agreed. The bill also makes clear that courts, not arbitrators, decide whether the law applies to your case. The law takes effect immediately upon passage and applies to any sexual assault claims that arise after the bill becomes law.

Carrie’s Law

Lesko, Debbie

Carrie's Law This bill makes a pre-dispute arbitration agreement unenforceable with respect to a sexual assault claim.