“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” (1 Peter 2:16 ESV)

Every parent needs to pay attention to California’s latest attack on parental rights and to the very foundation of family freedom.

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The left-leaning California state legislature is looking to legally and secretly take your child away from you in Assembly Bill 495.

The California Family Council states that AB495 “creates legal loopholes that make kidnapping children easy.”

Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills has told parents to leave California if this bill passes. “You’ve got to get out. You’ve got to run with your kids. Your child’s safety is number one in your life.”

If this heinous bill passes, the state of California could decide what circumstances of family life threaten a child’s safety and welfare. For instance, are you not gender-affirming? Do you homeschool? Do you hold the “wrong” political views? Do you attend a church that preaches that my life choices are sinful? What are you doing that we, the state, don’t like?

What’s more, blue states will most certainly try to pass a similar law if AB495 passes. To know how quickly this evil could spread, you only need to look at the extreme laws passed in blue states like dominoes on abortion, sanctuary for illegal criminals, transgendering minors, and other leftist policies codified into law.

Intercessor, we must pray that AB495 is defeated before it becomes a new national norm. Because AB495 – with the Orwellian and deceitful name, the “Family Preparedness Plan Act of 2025,” – hides a predatory and terrifying new government power to steal your child.

A Bill to “Protect” Illegal Immigrants

AB495 was introduced in February 2025 by newly elected Assemblywoman Celeste Rodriguez (D -San Fernando). Her bill is in response to President Trump’s executive order to find, detain, and deport illegal aliens, starting with gang members, criminals, and the millions with current deportation orders.

“The threats from the federal administration have led to fear in many communities, including mine,” said Assemblywoman Rodriguez. “We must do everything we can to safeguard families from separation and ensure children are supported.” She says AB495 is a “compassionate” solution for children of ICE-detained parents.

But this bill quietly erodes the parental rights of every California family. It’s a stealth move by the government to gain more control over your children and to interfere with lawful federal immigration enforcement.

For all of Assemblywoman Rodriguez’s assurances that this bill will only apply to children of illegals detained or deported by ICE, the language of the bill actually applies to any child for any reason. Any adult “caregiver” with a loosely defined “mentoring relationship” can take custody of your child.

Safeguards Stripped Away

AB495 would allow someone, not related to your child or even known to you, to remove your child from school, enroll them in another school, give permission for medical treatments, including vaccinations, drugs, mental health services, and transgender procedures – all without the parent’s knowledge or consent.

No background check, fingerprinting, home visit, court appearance, no Photo ID, or parental signature is required to gain “temporary” custody of your child. Any adult can fill out a one-page piece of paper called a Caregiver’s Authorization Affidavit and take your child.

In filling out the affidavit, a “caregiver” needs to provide only the name and birthdate of the child and the caregiver’s name and address to authorize taking the child. Declaring their relation to the minor and obtaining a driver’s license are not required.

No one who relies on the affidavit is required to verify the identity of the caregiver or will be held liable if the adult “caregiver” harms or traffics the child.. Not a doctor, not a school or daycare facility, or anybody.

One checkbox on the affidavit states, “I am unable to contact the parent(s) or other person(s) having legal custody of the minor at this time, to notify them of my intended authorization.” That one sentence alone can bypass a parent’s rights.

Anyone can falsely claim to be a “caregiver with a mentoring relationship” and assume legal authority over your child. This bill will open the floodgates for anyone with bad intentions to “kidnap” your child.

A Child Trafficker and Kidnapper’s Dream

Attorney Erin Friday, of Our Duty USA, a parent advocacy group, called AB495 “a child trafficker and kidnapper’s dream bill.”

“We’re talking about a legal pathway for predators to operate in plain sight,” Friday said. “All you need is a piece of paper and some form of identification, with no obligation for the adult handing the child over to verify the identification, and presto, someone walks away with your child. This bill is not about immigration. It’s about relinquishing parental rights to unvetted strangers under the guise of compassion,” says Attorney Friday.

Attorney Nicole Pearson, founder of Facts, Law, Truth, Justice, echoed Attorney Friday’s comments, saying, “This is not a compassionate bill designed to help the children of undocumented immigrants. It is a license to take vulnerable children and make them disappear.”

In essence, AB495 reduces the oversight requirements for who can be assigned authority over your child. It is ripe for opening the floodgates for misuse and abuse by those wishing to harm children. The bill removes existing protections to safeguard children being placed with dangerous predators.

AB495 will apply to ALL children in the state of California. For all of Assemblywoman Rodriguez’s misguided “compassion” for the children of illegal immigrants, these children will also be placed at an even greater risk of being taken by a predator.

This is the unintended consequence of AB495 – strangers taking a child and disappearing. The frightening prospect that an adult with evil intentions could easily obtain a child by filling out a one-page form without undergoing a background check and with no identity verification required should alarm us all.

Parental Rights are God-Given and NOT a “Gift” from the Government

Liberal government fails to realize that children do NOT belong to the state, to schools, or to social services. Children are a blessing from God, and parents have a sacred responsibility to raise their children in the way they should go.

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.” (Psalm 127:3)

AB 495 is government overreach on steroids. It seeks to redefine guardianship in ways that will strip every parent of their right to make decisions for their children, and the bill puts the safety of all children at greater risk.

This bill will empower unrelated, unvetted adults with the authority to take any child they want, while silencing parents.

AB495 has already passed the State Assembly and is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee on August 18. The time is NOW to pray and act.

“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness but rather expose them.” (Ephesians 5:11 NIV)

URGENT CALL TO PRAYER

1. Pray the Lord will stop this bill from even coming out of committee.
2. Pray for a great uprising of parents to make their voices heard loudly so the ears of the legislators will be opened to hear, and they will vote righteously and according to God’s divine will for parents and their children.
3. Pray for the protection of California’s children and their parents.
4. Pray for the restoration of biblical parental authority in our nation.
5. Pray for many to come and rally at the California Statehouse to oppose AB495.

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:16)

CALL TO ACTION FOR CONCERNED CALIFORNIANS

1. If you live in California, contact your state senator to let them know you oppose AB495. You can do so here.
2. If you live in California, call the seven members of the California Senate Appropriations Committee and ask them to oppose the bill. You can find their contact info here.
3. If you live in the Sacramento area, Pastor Jack Hibbs is holding a STOP AB495 rally at the West Side Steps at the California State Capitol on Tuesday August 19, 2025 at 1 pm. Go here for more details.
4. Spread the word to your church, your school, your family, friends, and neighbors, and urge them to contact their legislators to oppose the bill. Speak up. To quote Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil.”

“Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion.” (Isaiah 58:1 NIV)

Do YOU live in California? Click here to send a message to your elected officials about this bill!

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Belinda Brewster analyzes cultural, political, and world events from a biblical worldview. Belinda’s passion is to equip, support, and encourage parents and grandparents who are courageously battling against the spiritual and cultural forces impacting children and grandchildren. Photo Credit: AnkNet/Getty Images Signature via Canva Teams.