California advances bills tightening sexual predator parole rules and limiting child abuse lawsuits

The California Legislature is moving forward with two bills targeting sexual‑crime offenders. Assembly Bill 2727, authored by Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen, would raise the parole eligibility age to 65 for inmates convicted of certain sex crimes after serving 25 years. Senate Bill 1446 would require the Board of Parole Hearings to make its voting decisions public and permit referral of convicted sexual‑violent offenders to a predator‑hearing process. Both measures are slated for committee hearings after the summer recess.

Separately, Senate Bill 577 seeks to make it harder for survivors of childhood sexual abuse to sue schools, juvenile detention facilities and foster‑care agencies. The proposal raises the burden of proof for older plaintiffs, mandates pre‑filing consultations with legal experts, reduces potential damages, and sets a Jan. 1 deadline for claims against Los Angeles County facilities. The bill, backed by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez and the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, is presented as a way to alleviate the state’s $12 billion budget deficit while still protecting victims’ rights.