WEBSITE TITLE:A prominent Southern California pastor is sounding the alarm over a proposed state law that he says could endanger parental rights and children’s safety.

According to The Christian Post, Pastor Jack Hibbs is calling on Christians to actively oppose California Assembly Bill 495, warning that the legislation could sidestep parental authority by allowing unrelated adults to take custody of minors without formal oversight or proper consent.

During a recent service, Hibbs, who leads Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, described the bill as a dire threat to families throughout the state. He accused the legislation of creating a legal channel for transferring custody without parents ever being informed.

Assembly Bill 495, known as the Family Preparedness Plan Act of 2025, aims to broaden the legal definition of caregivers to expand child welfare protections. Under the bill, a caregiver could include any adult with a significant mentoring or familial relationship with the child or their relatives, even if no blood relation exists.

Hibbs objects to how the bill allows these caregivers to gain physical custody of a child by merely submitting a signed affidavit to educational or childcare personnel. Parents would not be required to consent, nor even be notified, under the current text of the legislation.

Concerns Over Lack of Safeguards

The pastor highlighted several areas of the bill he considers especially dangerous. According to his interpretation, no background checks, identification verification, or legal documentation are needed for a caregiver to assume custody of a child under AB 495.

“There’s no requirement in the bill for the school to ask you if it’s OK for them to take John out of school,” Hibbs said during his sermon. He emphasized the lack of notification and accountability measures, warning that almost any adult could fill out a form and claim guardianship.

He also raised alarms about medical authority, asserting that the bill permits caregivers to approve treatments for minors, including vaccinations and physical exams, without consulting parents.

Faith-Based Opposition Mobilizing

Hibbs is now urging not only spiritual resistance but physical action. His ministry, Real Impact, is organizing a public protest titled “Stop AB 495 Rally” planned for August 19, 2025, on the steps of the California State Capitol in Sacramento.

The goal of the rally is to assemble at least 5,000 participants who will show opposition to the bill. Hibbs encouraged his congregation to take time off from work or “call in sick” if needed to attend and voice their concerns in person.

“We want to make a statement because AB 495, one hundred percent strips parents of their parental rights,” Hibbs told his audience. He framed opposition to the bill as an act of righteousness, urging families to stand up before it’s too late.

Call to Leave the State

Beyond protest, Hibbs issued an even more dramatic appeal. If the legislation becomes law, he said, believers should strongly consider relocating out of California.

“You gotta get out,” the pastor declared, saying families should flee for their children's safety. He argued that remaining in the state under such a law might put children at unnecessary risk, both legally and otherwise.

“Evil always fills a void,” he warned, pointing to the proposed law as evidence of moral erosion in government policy, especially where families and faith are concerned.

Advocacy Groups Also Raise Red Flags

The California Family Council, a group dedicated to advancing parental rights, also voiced strong opposition to the bill. Greg Burt, the organization’s vice president, emphasized that concern is more about the lack of legal guardrails than the bill's intention to help families in crisis.

“Compassion without guardrails is not mercy, it is madness,” Burt said, cautioning that the legislation’s streamlined approach to guardianship skips important checks and balances. His statements align with Hibbs’ warnings about the potential for misuse or abuse.

Burt also expressed fear that the proposed definition of a caregiver could be exploited. Without requirements for court intervention, notarization, or parental knowledge, he argues that the bill leaves too much room for error or intentional wrongdoing.

Legislative Hearing Scheduled

As the debate over AB 495 intensifies, the California State Senate's appropriations committee is set to hold a hearing on the matter on August 18, 2025. That decision will fall just one day before the scheduled rally in Sacramento.

Many eyes are now on state legislators to see whether the concerns from pastors, advocacy organizations, and parents will influence the fate of the bill. Organizers expect a strong turnout at the rally as tensions rise over the proposed expansion of caretaker rights.

With the Senate hearing approaching, opposition leaders like Hibbs and Burt say this moment is critical for shaping the future of parental rights in California. They argue that silence could signal consent to what they consider a dangerous precedent surrounding the care and custody of the state’s most vulnerable citizens.