California News:
Thousands of Californians rallied for parental rights and protested at the state Capitol Tuesday Assembly Bill 495, ludicrously titled the “Family Preparedness Plan Act of 2025.” Democrats claim the bill “is a critical tool that will preserve California’s families.” The bill’s author Assemblywoman Celeste Rodriguez (San Fernando-D) says, “We must do everything we can to safeguard families from separation and ensure children are supported.”
But California Democrats are betraying California parents once again.
As The California Globe recently reported, AB 495 is another bill that threatens parental rights. Based on the bill’s language, the law would allow the state to remove custody from parents who do not “affirm their child’s gender identity,” even going so far as to claim parents are abusive or neglectful for not indulging their minor child’s gender dysphoria.
AB 495 even redefines what qualifies as a “safe” home, replacing parents with government for the parental position of deciding what is best for a child.
The Senate Human Services Committee spells it out:
“This bill allows a court to appoint a temporary guardian for a child, chosen by the child’s custodial parent, who is empowered to assume guardianship duties of the child if the parent is temporarily unavailable due to an immigration-related administrative action, among other circumstances.” [emphasis the Globe]
Organized by Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, the rally attracted thousands of parents and grandparents, faith leaders, Christian attorneys fighting for parental rights, and state legislators.
Christian podcaster Heidi St. John, a mother of 7, energized the crowd and said the entire nation is watching what California is doing to parents and their children. As she referenced Democrat lawmakers in the Capitol, she said, “When they tell you who they are, believe them.”
Her statement really set a tone for the rally.
“We are fighting tyranny here in California,” Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher said. “This bill allows anyone to come in and claim they are a caretaker of our children. We will never surrender our rights given by God.”
Leader Gallagher asked the audience to “pray over this place; pray for the people in this place; pray for the people you disagree with, and then act!”
“Pray for freedom, pray for families, pray for justice,” Gallagher said.
Attorney Nathan Shackleford of First Liberty Institute told the crowd “the state of California cannot tell the parents what is best for our kids.”
Shackleford said the U.S. Supreme Court upheld parental rights in the Mahmoud v. Taylor case, in which parents challenged the Montgomery County Board of Education’s introduction of certain “LGBTQ+-inclusive” storybooks, along with the board’s decision to withhold parental opt outs from that instruction, according to SCOTUSblog.
Attorney Brad Dacus with the Pacific Justice Institute said he’s never witnessed such an attack on parents as AB 495, and added that PJI has 280 cases in active litigation. “This legislation strips away all legal rights from parents. A stranger can take a child and flee the country.”
He added that AB 495 is either the epitome of incompetent legislators or perhaps one of the darkest, most evil bills.
Dacus cited Esther 4 in the Bible which portrays Esther’s courage and faith as she decides to risk her life to save her people. Resolved, she states, “If I perish, I perish.” Dacus said “we must be involved and engaged for such a time as this.”
Senator Marie Alvarado Gil (R-Jackson) acknowledged the “small but mighty” Legislative Republican Caucus and said, “No more can this government put their hands in our homes and take our children.”
Jonathan Keller with the California Family Council told the crowd that “politics matter because policy matters. And policies matter because people matter,” and said regardless of the “intent” of the bill, it’s a dangerous bill which will inflict a lot of damage to families.
Pastor Jack Hibbs acknowledged that California parents are in the battle between good and evil, with AB 495. “It is so bad, it is so dangerous,” Hibbs said.
He referenced those who legislate evil, Isaiah Chapter 1: “The chapter begins with a vision from God to Isaiah about Judah and Jerusalem. The Lord accuses His children of rebellion and ignorance, despite His upbringing and care for them. Their transgressions, God says, have driven Him away.”
“When politicians campaign, turn the volume off, and go search their voting records,” Hibbs told the crows. “Vote your world view – it starts with Life.”
AB 495 was placed on the suspense file, which is “generally used by the Appropriations Committees in the Senate and Assembly as a means of managing their bills,” Chris Micheli explains at the Globe. “The intent behind the Suspense File is to consider and vote upon all of the fiscal-related bills at one single time, followed by a determination of whether those bills stay or leave the Suspense File.”
“A bill may be taken off the Suspense File and heard upon two days’ notice published in the Daily File by a vote of a majority of the members of the committee present and voting.”
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Author: Katy Grimes
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