Any adult will be able to claim legal rights over a child if a new nightmare proposal passes in California. 

Named the Family Preparedness Plan Act (AB495), Democrats want the definition of parent to include anyone “with an established familial or mentoring relationship with the child, or with a relative of the child.”

Criticising the bill, California Family Council (CFC) said the proposals were a gift to human traffickers.

AB495 allows almost anyone to “assume decision-making authority over a child’s schooling.”

This includes decision-making about a child’s “medical care, without a court appearance, notarization, or biological parental signature.”

CFC also said that if AB495 becomes law, anyone who self-identifies as a child’s parent, referred to in the bill as a caregiver, will have the ability to enrol the child in a school and authorise medical procedures. 

Such as transgender mutilation surgery, dental and mental health treatments.

Additionally, schools will not be required to verify the “identity, relationship or legitimacy of the adult claiming to be a child’s caregiver.”

Defending its move to kill off key safeguards for parents and children, Democrats said the changes were about protecting immigrants.

AB495 is being sold as a counterweight to Trump’s widely popular “Americans First,” ICE initiatives.

According to supporters, ripping up current protections is about protecting children whose parents may be “unexpectedly detained or deported by federal immigration officials.”

Opponents are not convinced AB495 is that benevolent.

It’s inevitable, they argue, that expanding the definition of “caregiver” would directly benefit people smugglers, kidnappers, and sex traffickers.

Leading the charge to save kids by killing the bill, Calvary Chapel Pastor Jack Hibbs said, the Democrat legislatures are once again trying to undermine parental rights.

AB495 sidesteps a parent’s rights entirely, Hibbs asserted, writing for Real Impact.

For example, all a person has to say is they were “unable to contact the parent(s) or other person(s) having legal custody of the minor at this time, to notify them of my intended authorisation.”

This allows for any adult who identifies as a “nonrelative extended family member” to claim custody of the child.

Effectively, that’s newspeak, Pastor Hibbs explained.

“Despite the name, this adult is not a family member at all — they could be any unrelated adult claiming to be connected to the child.”

Although this only applies to someone who identifies as a child’s “neighbour, teacher or family friend,” Hibbs continued, “anyone could falsely claim to fit one of these roles and assume legal authority over a child.”

AB495, he rightly concluded,  “lacks meaningful safeguards to protect children regardless of their immigration status and opens the door for exploitation by predators or traffickers.”

Higgs’ assessment is supported by legal eagles, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF).

ADF formerly opposed the proposal on constitutional grounds, stating that AB495 “unjustifiably interferes with parents’ fundamental rights.”

Specifically, “the parents’ rights to choose which school their children attend and to make medical decisions concerning their minor children.”

The Democrat proposal also denies parents “due process, which is required by the US Constitution,” ADF remarked.

Rather than fixing perceived problems, AB495 is a Democrat recipe for dysfunction and disaster.

AB495 dangerously “swells the universe of individuals who can insert themselves between parent and child.” 

Consequently, ADF concluded, “the bill’s provisions are designed to exclude parents and keep them in the dark.”

“Their rights to shepherd and ensure their child is being properly cared for are being violated.”

Protesting the bill, Pastor Hibbs has called Christians and concerned Californians to join an August 19 rally outside the California State Capitol.

A flyer for the important event can be downloaded here.