Kentucky state Rep. Nick Wilson, a previous winner of the TV show “Survivor,” issued an apology for a bill intended to address family sexual abuse that inadvertently legalized sexual relations with first cousins.
“I filed HB 269 [with] the purpose [of] adding ‘sexual contact’ to the incest statute. Currently, incest only applies in cases of intercourse. So sexual touching/groping by uncles, stepdads, or anyone with a familial relationship is not included in incest”.
“My bill makes that kind of sexual contact a Class D Felony unless the victim is under the age of 12, then it increases the penalty to a Class C Felony,” explained Wilson, a Republican representing District 82 covering Williamsburg, in a Facebook post.
“During the drafting process, there was an inadvertent change, which struck ‘first cousins’ from the list of relationships included under the incest statute, and I failed to add it back in. I will withdraw HB 269 during today’s session and refile a bill with the ‘first cousin’ language intact. The fact that I was able to file a bill, catch the mistake, withdraw the bill, and refile within a 24-hour period shows that we have a good system,” he said.
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“This is a bill to combat a problem of familial and cyclical abuse that transcends generations of Kentuckians. I understand that I made a mistake, but I sincerely hope my mistake doesn’t hurt the chances of the corrected version of the bill. It is a good bill, and I hope it will get a second chance.”
The Kentucky General Assembly website indicated the withdrawal of the initial bill. Following the withdrawal, Wilson subsequently filed a new version. Thus reinstating language that prohibits sexual contact with a “first cousin.”
The revised bill also includes a broader range of familial relationships. It bars sexual contact with a parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, great-grandparent, or great-grandchild. Also uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, brother, sister, ancestor, or descendant.
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“House Bill 289 adds ‘sexual contact’ to incest, applies a penalty to such conduct, and adds incest to the violent offender statute. This bill makes NO other changes to current law,” Wilson, a 33-year-old University of Kentucky graduate, wrote in another Facebook post.
Wilson gained fame by winning Survivor: David vs. Goliath in 2018 and later competed in 2020’s Survivor: Winners at War. In March of the same year, he faced criticism from LGBTQ activists for voting in favor of SB 150, a bill that prohibited sex change surgeries and other transgender medical treatments for minors.
“This is a bill that pertains only to children. This is not ‘anti-trans’ or ‘anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation,'” Wilson stated to People at the time. “SB 150 is a bill aimed at protecting children from making life-altering decisions at too young of an age. If you’re a Kentuckian over the age of 17, then your rights are not affected by this bill whatsoever.”
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Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed the bill; nevertheless, the Republican-controlled legislature overrode the veto. This resulted in the bill becoming law.
Despite legal challenges seeking to prevent enforcement, Republican Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron defended the law as a “commonsense law protect[ing] children from the irreversible effects of experimental drug treatments like puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.” In October 2023, a federal court upheld Kentucky’s ban on transgender procedures for minors.
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