California evangelical communities mobilized against Bill AB 495 on children’s care
The beginning of September 2025 marks an unprecedented mobilization of Christian and evangelical families of California in the face of Bill AB 495. Publicly debated in Sacramento, this text aims to allow an adult who is not in favor of temporarily taking care of a child, especially during emergency situations such as detention or deportation. The main religious and parental organizations, supported by evangelical leaders such as Pastor Jack Hibbs and specialized associations – including First Liberty Institute and California State PTA – express a growing concern concerning the preservation of parental authority and religious freedom in education.
These fears are articulated around the possibility that Christian and evangelical parents lose the right to oppose certain school, educational or administrative decisions concerning their minor children. Many rallies took place on September 4 and 5, 2025 in front of the Capitol de Sacramento, with speaking of lawyers, associations and religious personalities insisting on the need to inform and protect the family sphere against any risk of legislative or administrative drift. In this context, mobilization has gained national magnitude, specialized social networks and media massively relaying field information, testimonies from committed families and information campaigns launched by Christian organizations.
The debate also revealed the importance of dialogue between elected officials, religious and parental organizations. Several amendments have been proposed to guarantee parents’ veto rights, while lawyers and associations are increasing interventions with the Californian educational committee. The challenges put forward by all actors consist in safeguarding freedom of conscience, respect for beliefs and parental control in the public school system. This news testifies to the central role of evangelical communities in the defense of educational, social and legal principles, in an evolving legislative context.
