If enacted, this bill would amend current statutes regarding public entity liability in cases of felony sexual offenses. Under the proposed changes, a public entity would be held liable for losses resulting from acts or omissions by a public employee that are determined to be felony sexual offenses, specifically when the victim is a minor or a child with a disability. This liability would apply if the public entity was in violation of a statutory duty related to employee background checks or if it failed to report such offenses when required. The bill also clarifies that these provisions would only apply to acts committed on or after the effective date of the law.

Additionally, the bill would repeal the existing provisions that limit public entity liability for felony acts by public employees after January 1, 2027. It designates the legislation as "Ava's Law" and ensures that the new liability framework is effective immediately upon enactment. The current statute, which states that public entities are not liable unless they knew of an employee's propensity for criminal behavior, would be modified to include specific exceptions for sexual offenses against vulnerable victims.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 12-820.05