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Part of situation: California passes SB 577 on sexual abuse litigation (3 clusters)

California Legislature passes Senate Bill 577 on sexual abuse lawsuits

Senate Bill 577 childhood sexual abuse statute of limitations California legislation public institution liability

The California Legislature has passed Senate Bill 577, a compromise measure intended to address the financial impact of childhood sexual abuse lawsuits on schools and local governments. The bill, authored by Senator John Laird, follows years of debate after a 2019 law extended the statute of limitations, leading to significant payouts, including over $5 billion by Los Angeles County to settle more than 12,000 claims.

Under the new legislation, survivors over the age of 40 or those with cases involving destroyed records prior to 2024 must meet a higher evidentiary standard. They must provide “clear and convincing” evidence of the abuse and demonstrate that the public entity had “actual knowledge” of the misconduct. While the bill does not include caps on damages—a key demand from local municipalities—it introduces new preventive requirements. Counties, cities, and school districts must submit sexual assault prevention plans and codes of conduct to the California attorney general by January 1, 2028.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions to deter fraudulent litigation. Attorneys found to have filed sexual abuse claims in “bad faith” could face fines of $25,000 per violation. The legislation now moves to Governor Gavin Newsom, who has until September 30 to sign or veto the measure.

Entities

California Attorney General · California Legislature · Gavin Newsom · John Laird · Los Angeles County

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Sources

School sex abuse bill going to Newsom. Will he sign the ‘hard-won’ compromise? [www.livermorevine.com]
12 days ago
School sex abuse bill going to Newsom. Will he sign the ‘hard-won’ compromise? [www.danvillesanramon.com]
12 days ago
School sex abuse bill going to Newsom. Will he sign the ‘hard-won’ compromise? [www.rwcpulse.com]
12 days ago
School sex abuse bill going to Newsom. Will he sign the ‘hard-won’ compromise? [www.almanacnews.com]
12 days ago
California lawmakers vote to change childhood sex abuse law [ca.news.yahoo.com]
12 days ago
California lawmakers vote to change childhood sex abuse law - California Political Review [capoliticalreview.com]
11 days ago
School sex abuse bill going to Newsom. Will he sign the ‘hard-won’ compromise? [www.mv-voice.com]
12 days ago
School sex abuse bill going to Newsom. Will he sign the 'hard-won' compromise? [calmatters.org]
12 days ago
School Sex Abuse Bill Going to Newsom. Will He Sign the ‘Hard-Won’ Compromise? [www.independent.com]
12 days ago
School sex abuse bill going to Newsom. Will he sign the ‘hard-won’ compromise? [www.paloaltoonline.com]
12 days ago
California lawmakers vote to change childhood sex abuse law [www.latimes.com]
12 days ago