Senate Bill 577 was signed on September 30, 2026 and takes effect on January 1, 2027. Most of what it changes affects survivors who are suing a public agency, such as a school district or a county, over abuse that happened before 2024. Here is who should think about filing before the end of 2026, and who does not need to rush.
The change that has a deadline attached
Today, a survivor of abuse that happened before 2024 can file until age 40, or within five years of realizing as an adult that the abuse caused the harm they are living with, whichever is later. Starting January 1, 2027, that five-year window becomes three years. The age-40 rule does not change.
That matters for one group in particular: survivors who are already past 40 and whose understanding of the connection between the abuse and their injuries came more than three years ago but less than five. For them, a case filed in 2026 is judged under the five-year rule; the same case filed in 2027 may not be. If that describes you, the time to call is now, because an investigation and a properly prepared complaint take weeks, not days.
The change that is already in effect
SB 577 also requires a survivor who is 40 or older, suing a public entity over pre-2024 abuse, to prove by clear and convincing evidence that the entity actually knew of the misconduct and failed to act, and that it failed to carry out a mandatory duty. The bill applies that rule to cases filed on or after January 1, 2026, so filing before the end of the year does not avoid it. What meets it is evidence: prior complaints, personnel files, the school’s or county’s own investigations, and the people who were there. That is what a well-prepared case is built on anyway.
What does not change
- Abuse on or after January 1, 2024 has no filing deadline at all.
- No government claim has to be filed first for a childhood sexual abuse case.
- Survivors under 40 keep the age-40 rule regardless of the discovery window.
- Claims against private schools, churches, and youth organizations are not affected by the public-entity provisions, including the extra damages California allows when an institution covered up abuse it knew about.
What to do
If the abuse happened before 2024 and you are over 40, or will be soon, call us and let us work out which rule applies to you. The conversation is private and free, and nothing is filed without your decision. More on deadlines. What SB 577 changed, section by section.
This article is general information about California law as of its date, not legal advice about your situation.
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