AB 495 moves forward despite GOP pushback in California

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(The Center Square) - The California Senate Appropriations Committee sent Assembly Bill 495 on its way to the Senate floor, despite strong opposition from Republicans.  

The committee Friday voted 5-2 to send AB 495, known as the “Family Preparedness Plan Act of 2025," to the full Senate for consideration. 

If approved, the bill, authored by Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez, D-San Fernando, will move directly to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. 

According to the bill, a “nonrelative extended family member” could authorize school-related medical care and enrollment in school for a minor by filling out a one-page affidavit.

According to the affidavit, the adult's relation to the minor and the driver’s license are not required. ​​

This bill would also allow any medical decision, by the authorized adult, to be given without the consent of the minor’s parents. 

The California Family Council has been in huge opposition to this bill, as it claims the bill is a child trafficker's dream bill. 

“This is an open invitation to abuse,” said Jonathan Keller, president of CFC, in a press release. “AB 495 undermines God-given parental authority by empowering distant relatives, unrelated ‘mentors,’ and dangerous strangers with unchecked access to children. A neighbor, activist, or even registered sex offender could walk into a school, claim to be a relative or someone with a ‘mentoring relationship,’ and walk out with someone’s son or daughter - no questions asked!

"The state must recognize that parents are the first protectors of their children, not obstacles to be bypassed," Keller said. "This bill is reckless, dangerous, and must be stopped.”

Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Huntington Beach, told The Center Square he opposes this bill because it grants the government too much power. 

“As a state senator and, more importantly, as a father of two amazing children, I oppose both AB 495 and AB 84 because these measures are two sides of the same coin: government overreach in Sacramento," Strickland said. "AB 495 weakens parental rights by letting non-relatives make critical decisions for children, weakening the sacred bond between parents and their children.

"Parents — not Sacramento politicians — should decide who cares for their kids. Together, both bills undermine trust in parents and local communities in favor of one-size-fits-all state control,” Strickland said.

Rodriguez and others in support of this bill have responded to what they call misinformation from California’s Christian right.

“AB 495 is about one thing: keeping families together,” said Rodriguez. “It strengthens the ability of parents to make decisions for their children, empowers them to prepare for the unthinkable, and ensures kids are cared for by people they know and love. I am proud to stand with immigrant families, child advocates, and parent groups across California who know the truth about this bill. The claims from opponents are simply false and dangerous. No family should ever be torn apart because of immigration enforcement or misinformation.”

“Despite misinformation and confusing claims to the contrary, for more than 30 years, grandmothers, aunts, and older siblings have used Caregiver Affidavits to enroll kids in school and take them to the doctor,” said Sharon Balmer Cartagena, directing attorney of Public Counsel's Child, Youth, and Family Advocacy Project and a supporter of AB 495. “This legislation expands that list to include godmothers, second cousins, and close family friends. Parents should be able to choose the person best positioned to care for a child until the family can be reunited.”