Six years ago, a new California law opened the gates for victims of long-ago childhood sexual assault to sue the public entities they say had failed to keep them safe — schools, juvenile detention centers, shelters for foster children and more.

Assembly Bill 218 significantly expanded the statute of limitations for filing a sexual assault lawsuit against a public entity and provided a new chance for sexual assault victims to seek justice and compensation.

But public officials say it is sowing a financial crisis for school districts, county governments and other public agencies who are now facing a wave of claims alleging sexual assault by their employees over the past several decades.

The claims are costing agencies millions of dollars not only in lawsuit settlements and other legal cos

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