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Image: Screenshot of California Senate Bill 577, amended March 26, 2025, introduced by Senator Laird, with legislative counsel’s digest explaining proposed changes to civil actions related to childhood sexual assault claims.
Legislation that would have curtailed the ability of childhood sexual abuse survivors to sue their abusers and the state agencies that failed to protect them has failed to advance in the California Legislature, Sara Tiano of The Imprint reported Friday.
Senate Bill 577, introduced by Senator John Laird, was written in response to mounting claims against schools, juvenile detention centers, and a former Los Angeles children’s shelter. The bill would have placed tighter restrictions on survivors seeking legal redress, including raising the burden of proof for older plaintiffs, capping payouts in certain cases, and imposing deadlines for filing lawsuits against specific institutions.
Before the bill could reach the governor’s desk, it stalled in the Assembly without a floor vote. Assemblymember Dawn Addis said lawmakers recognized the harm the measure would have caused. “The majority of our legislators understand that survivors of child sexual assault — particularly survivors who have experienced that abuse in state, county and city-funded programs — deserve a chance of justice,” Addis said. “Once people really understood what this bill was going to do to victims, they decided that it just wasn’t something that they wanted to vote to support.”
Laird said he had spent months trying to balance the financial pressures on local governments with survivors’ rights. “I had hoped to protect survivors’ access to justice while finding some fiscal relief to local governments,” he said. “It was just impossible to balance these interests to get to a successful outcome this year.” He added that discussions may continue in the next legislative session.
As drafted, SB 577 would have prevented survivors over age 27 from filing certain claims, and required plaintiffs over 40 to meet a higher legal threshold. The bill also would have blocked higher settlements in severe cases and set a January 1 deadline for lawsuits tied to MacLaren Children’s Center and closed Los Angeles juvenile detention facilities.
Opponents argued that the bill would have undone years of progress in expanding legal options for survivors. California previously opened a three-year window for claims regardless of age and later eliminated the statute of limitations entirely. Advocates warned that SB 577 would have reversed these reforms and shut many survivors out of court.
To date, Los Angeles County has agreed to a $4 billion class-action settlement with nearly 7,000 survivors from juvenile detention centers and MacLaren Children’s Center. School districts across the state are facing billions more in projected settlement costs, raising concerns among lawmakers about financial stability.
Chantel Johnson of the Youth Law Center said the bill would have shielded public institutions from accountability at the expense of survivors. “SB 577 would have closed the courthouse doors before some had the chance to step inside, silencing their stories and denying them justice,” Johnson said. “This is a moment of relief, but it is not victory.”
Are you or someone you love a survivor of childhood sexual abuse? You may still have the right to take legal action. Learn more about your options by visiting our Institutional Sexual Abuse Guide.
