AB 495 Capitol rally, Aug 19, 2025. (Photo: Katy Grimes for California Globe)
Thousands Rally at Capitol to Protect Parental Rights; Protest AB 495: ‘A Child Trafficker’s and Kidnapper’s Dream Bill’
The bill’s language applies to any child for any reason, regardless of immigration status
By Katy Grimes, August 20, 2025 11:56 am
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.”
A California native and Navy mom, Katy lives in Sacramento, CA.
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AB495 will be the Werewolf bill of 2025!
It is sent out to the darkness and will return to be seen again.
Do not be fooled it will be returned and voted in.
These cowards do not like we the people to have a voice.
Thank God for Pastor Jack Hibbs to bring attention to this dangerous, poorly written bill.
Pastor Jack has a bold faith. We should follow his lead.
Trump cut off the child traffickers source of “unaccompanied minors” flooding across the border. Demonrats need an endless supply of child victims to supply their Satanic rituals. Pray and resist this with everything you have. Flee the state with your kids should this evil bill pass.
Really good to see the crowd of thousands show up at the Capitol for this wolf in sheep’s clothing bill, AB495.
Matthew18:20
Amen!
Miultiplied by 10,000 beautiful souls.
It’s good to see that the Target CEO stepped down today and that the company is hemorrhaging. If 495 is passed it will be tied up in the courts for quite some time. I am attaching a post about the redistricting plan. I want to warn folks about Newsoms post on X that is attached. I about lost it when he described himself. He needs to be institutionalized for his own safety.
Hello Hal,
I read that and for a couple of serious reasons it convinced me that adult governance is not the Guber’s wheelhouse.
And ours.
https://x.com/MarkMeuser/status/1958001882888302757
Hi Hal,
That post is written by his crack communications team. Most likely by Izzy Gaydon, the new queen of trolls. He thinks his mockery is going to win him a pulitzer prize. He is a snarky kid who more than likely was bullied as a child.
Newsom thinks these posts are winning him favor🤪
Is He / Was He / Will He.
He is most likely into racier stuff.
Can’t imagine he would find joy in Dad jokes🤡
I cannot believe the Governor uses tax dollars to pay for such unoriginal garbage to be quite honest. I bet this clown gets paid 6 figures to be snarky.
I guess in Newsom’s empty head it is money well spent meanwhile this state rots a little more each day while he plays tough guy!
Thanks, I was wondering who the Izzyman is. He must crack himself up. I wonder if he likes bad dad jokes.
Another poorly constructed piece of legislation by another “community organizer” although this one has a Master’s in Social Work from USC…
(“Fight On!”)
Assemblywoman Celeste Rodriguez (San Fernando-D) is in WAY over her head on this one and this is another legislative puff-piece designed as a virtue-signal to support “La Raza” and protest ICE raids on illegal immigrants who were allowed in unvetted during the “Joe Biden” (p)Residency.
Poorly constructed and hastily proposed, it is part of the Democrat party’s “Trump proofing” of California, which only harms those it purports to support.
But then again, isn’t that the Democrat hallmark playbook???
a species that fails to protect its young from predators goes extinct
This bill is so horrific that it should be challenged in court as unconstitutional. Hello California Republican Party, are you listening???!!!………crickets
@Dan, The lights are on, but no one is home at the CAGOP.
Maybe there are too many SICK RINO’S that approve this bill. EVIL, SO EVIL!!
@Dan, The lights are on, but no one is home at the CAGOP.
This bill is brought to you by the same people who promote brainwashing kids into thinking they are a gender they are not, and legalize cutting off kid’s genitals and breasts. These Democrats are barbarians.
Now the Democrats passed a bill in the California Senate legalizing kidnapping. These are crimes against humanity.
“Affirm” your child’s so-called gender dysphoria? If your child decides he is Superman, would you affirm his desire to jump off a tall building??
I’m confused and a little dismayed. We support parents’ rights when it comes to transgender stuff, but not when an emergency prevent parents from using their parental rights to appoint temporary guardians for their kids. Do we support parental rights only when it suits us?!