California Pastor Jack Hibbs called on his congregation at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills to voice opposition to an “unthinkable” new bill that would have disastrous repercussions for children in the state.
“For years, we have been telling you about bad bills that they have been doing—this takes the cake,” Hibbs underscored during the Wednesday night study at his church.
Those who introduced the bill have branded AB 495 as a response to family separations faced by illegal immigrants detained and deported by ICE agents. AB 495, titled the “Family Preparedness Plan Act of 2025″ by its authors, streamlines the process of obtaining custody over a child to an extreme degree and would not solely be applied to children of illegal aliens.
The bill would broadly pave the way for any adult to take custody and make medical decisions for a minor, with or without the knowledge of a parent, by signing a single document.
Attorney Erin Friday described the significant ramifications of the bill, calling it “a child trafficker’s and kidnapper’s dream bill.”
“There is no background check, no welfare check, no court oversight, and no verification,” she underscored. “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. We’re talking about a legal pathway for predators to operate in plain sight. This bill is not about immigration—it’s about relinquishing parental rights to unvetted strangers under the guise of compassion.”
The California Pastor, who is also the Founder of Real Impact, aimed at educating and equipping Christians to have a godly influence on the political culture, stated that the details of the bill are beyond belief.
“California Democrats’ new bill, AB 495, will allow a ‘non-related adult’ to take custody of a child simply by presenting a so-called ‘authorized’ affidavit to school authorities stating that the parent has given this person permission to take custody of the child,” he detailed. “The document can be easily printed, fraudulently signed, and open the door for predators, traffickers, or other dangerous individuals to access children and teens.”
“A background check, a parent’s signature, or a court order is not required; therefore, a child could legally be placed under the care of an unauthorized caregiver,” Hibbs continued. “This bill broadly defines the ‘non-related adult’ as a neighbor, teacher, family friend, distant relative (up to the fifth degree), or even someone who has been divorced from a family member.”
Hibbs urged the audience to travel to the California State Capitol on August 19th to rally against AB 495: “We want to make a statement because AB 495, one hundred percent strips parents of their parental rights.”
“It is literally being called by opponents of it—I’m one of them—the ‘California legislature trafficking Bill,'” he stressed. “It is unbelievable. If this bill passes, your children are subject to and vulnerable to state-sanctioned… call it kidnapping or trafficking. We will let it continue, or we will make some noise. I am going to ask you to stand for righteousness and do the right thing.”
For many years, as individuals were leaving California en masse, Pastor Hibbs has taken the opposite approach, encouraging Christians to remain in the state to be salt and light to the culture and politics. However, should AB 495 become law, the pastor cautioned parents that the safety of their children would be at substantial risk.
“I never thought the day would come when I would encourage you to leave,” he stated. “If this bill passes, I am going to ask you to leave the state of California. I would not subject my child to one second in this public school system with this new law. Your child’s safety is number one in your life, and I don’t care if you like the weather. “
Even those who have removed their children from public education are not out of the line of fire, he added, pointing to ongoing efforts by the California legislature to target homeschooling parents as well.
Pastor Hibbs criticized Christians within the state who decided not to involve themselves in the political process by voting, emphasizing the latest bill as part of the resulting consequences of that decision. “Here we are. Evil always fills a void or vacancy—Jesus said that.”
You can find more information about AB 495 and the upcoming rally at the California State Capitol in opposition to the assembly bill here.
