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California lawmakers vote to change childhood sex abuse law
Los Angeles Times • • nation
Key Points:
- The California Legislature passed Senate Bill 577 to amend the 2019 law that extended the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse claims, addressing concerns over financial burdens on municipalities and school districts.
- The new bill requires victims over 40 to show evidence that the public entity knew about the misconduct and failed to prevent it, and imposes fines of $25,000 per violation on attorneys who file fraudulent sex abuse lawsuits.
- The legislation does not cap payout amounts, despite requests from some local governments and school districts, and follows previous unsuccessful attempts to change the law.
- Victims rights groups have criticized the bill, arguing it could protect perpetrators and deny justice to survivors, while lawmakers say the bill aims to balance the interests of all parties involved.
- The bill now awaits consideration by Governor Gavin Newsom.
