California Legislature passes amended child sex abuse law, sending it to Newsom

Key points

• Senate Bill 577, authored by Sen. John Laird, passed the California Legislature on Sunday after years of debate.
• The bill requires victims older than 40 to prove that public entities knew of the misconduct and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent it.
• Attorneys filing fraudulent sex abuse lawsuits face a $25,000 fine per violation.
• The legislation rejects caps on damages, a key demand from local governments and school districts facing financial strain.
• The bill mandates new codes of conduct and sexual assault prevention plans for public institutions by Jan. 1, 2028.
• The measure now goes to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his consideration.

Background

The 2019 law extended the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse claims, leading to a surge in lawsuits against California municipalities and school districts. Los Angeles County alone has agreed to pay nearly $5 billion to settle over 12,000 claims. The new legislation follows multiple failed attempts to amend the law, including a 2025 bill by Sen. Benjamin Allen that was pulled after backlash from victims' rights groups.

How outlets are covering it

The Los Angeles Times and Sacramento Bee report that the bill passed largely on party lines, with Democrats supporting the compromise. CalMatters notes that while some survivor advocates, like the Youth Law Center, welcomed the rejection of damage caps, other groups like Stand With Survivors criticized the higher evidence threshold for plaintiffs over 40 as denying justice to late-reporting victims. The Washington Post highlights the financial strain on local governments, noting that the 2019 law has led to massive settlements, including a $4 billion payout in Los Angeles County, which officials and attorneys say is the largest child sex abuse settlement in U.S. history. Local government representatives, such as the Civil Justice Association of California, argue that the new bill helps curb fraudulent claims and runaway litigation costs, while critics warn it shields abusers and burdens survivors.

Why it matters

The passage of Senate Bill 577 represents a significant shift in California's approach to childhood sexual abuse claims, balancing the need for accountability with the financial sustainability of public institutions. The bill's provisions on evidence requirements, attorney fines, and preventive measures could impact how future cases are handled and funded across the state. The outcome of Gov. Newsom's decision on the bill will determine whether these changes take effect, potentially affecting thousands of pending and future lawsuits.

What to watch

Gov. Gavin Newsom will review the bill and decide whether to sign it into law or veto it. If signed, public institutions will have until Jan. 1, 2028, to submit codes of conduct and sexual assault prevention plans to the California attorney general's office. The attorney general will also investigate reports of fraudulent claims in Los Angeles County. The bill's impact on ongoing and future lawsuits will be closely monitored by both survivors' advocates and local government officials.