{"format":1,"id":"117-s-4524","congress":117,"number":"S. 4524","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Speak Out Act","title_source":"Short Titles as Enacted","official_title":"A bill to limit the judicial enforceability of predispute nondisclosure and nondisparagement contract clauses relating to disputes involving sexual assault and sexual harassment.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"A bill to limit the judicial enforceability of predispute nondisclosure and nondisparagement contract clauses relating to disputes involving sexual assault and sexual harassment."},{"type":"Short Titles from ENR (Enrolled) bill text","title":"Speak Out Act"},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Speak Out Act"},{"type":"Short Titles as Enacted","title":"Speak Out Act"},{"type":"Short Titles as Passed House","title":"Speak Out Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed Senate","title":"Speak Out Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to Senate","title":"Speak Out Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Speak Out Act"}],"outcome":"became_law","law_number":"Public Law 117-224","introduced":"2022-07-13","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2022-11-16","vote":{"id":"117-2022-h480","question":"On Passage","title":"Speak Out Act","result":"Passed","yea":315,"nay":109,"present":0,"not_voting":8,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2022/roll480.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"voice","date":"2022-09-29","vote":null,"how":"unanimous_consent","words":"Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent."}},"president":{"status":"signed","date":"2022-12-07"},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Became Public Law No: 117-224.","date":"2022-12-07"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[],"crs_summary":{"date":"2022-12-07","stage":"Public Law","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Speak Out Act"},{"k":"p","t":"This act prohibits the judicial enforceability of a nondisclosure clause or nondisparagement clause agreed to before a dispute arises involving sexual assault or sexual harassment in violation of federal, tribal, or state law."}],"words":36},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Provides that nondisclosure and nondisparagement contract clauses agreed to before a dispute arises are not judicially enforceable in sexual assault and sexual harassment disputes where the conduct is alleged to have violated law.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 4","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/4524/text/enr#id55c5cd13-1598-4182-acd6-79eb93968a82:~:text=4.%20Limitation%20on%20judicial%20enforceability%20of%20nondisclosure"}]},"core_areas":["Judicial enforceability of predispute nondisclosure and nondisparagement clauses in sexual assault and sexual harassment disputes"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Bars courts from enforcing a nondisclosure clause or nondisparagement clause agreed to before a sexual assault or sexual harassment dispute arises, where conduct is alleged to have violated Federal, Tribal, or State law.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 4","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/4524/text/enr#id55c5cd13-1598-4182-acd6-79eb93968a82:~:text=4.%20Limitation%20on%20judicial%20enforceability%20of%20nondisclosure"}},{"text":"Defines a nondisclosure clause as a contract provision requiring parties not to disclose or discuss conduct, the existence of a settlement involving conduct, or information covered by the contract's terms.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/4524/text/enr#idd571d8b2-e050-4adb-a1f1-4748b19a9cf1"}},{"text":"Defines a nondisparagement clause as a contract provision requiring one or more parties not to make a negative statement about another party that relates to the contract, agreement, claim, or case.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/4524/text/enr#idd571d8b2-e050-4adb-a1f1-4748b19a9cf1"}},{"text":"Does not prohibit a State or locality from enforcing a State law on nondisclosure or nondisparagement clauses that is at least as protective of an individual's right to speak freely as the Act.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 4","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/4524/text/enr#id55c5cd13-1598-4182-acd6-79eb93968a82:~:text=4.%20Limitation%20on%20judicial%20enforceability%20of%20nondisclosure"}},{"text":"Does not prohibit an employer and an employee from protecting trade secrets or proprietary information.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 4","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/4524/text/enr#id55c5cd13-1598-4182-acd6-79eb93968a82:~:text=4.%20Limitation%20on%20judicial%20enforceability%20of%20nondisclosure"}},{"text":"Applies the Act to a claim filed under Federal, State, or Tribal law on or after the date of enactment.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 5","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/4524/text/enr#id422b5172-21be-4ada-85a8-c4817e35d7c6"}}],"unexpected":[],"version":{"type":"Enrolled Bill","date":null,"rule":"enrolled","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/4524/text/enr"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-15","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/4524","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/4524/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/117-s-4524.png","v":"1286724aaaa1","alt":"Votes on Record. S. 4524, 117th Congress: Speak Out Act. House: 315 Yea, 109 Nay. Senate: unanimous consent. Outcome: Became law, 7 Dec 2022."}}