Case Intel
- AB 495 would let “nonrelative extended family members” sign a caregiver’s authorization affidavit and, in some cases, consent to a child’s medical and dental care; critics call it a loophole that sidelines parents.
- The bill also creates a fast-track, confidential joint-guardianship option when a custodial parent is temporarily unavailable, including during immigration enforcement actions.
- On August 18, 2025, AB 495 was sent to the Senate Appropriations suspense file, the crucial—and opaque—budget gate that often decides a bill’s fate.
By Samuel Lopez – USA Herald
SACRAMENTO, CA – California’s Family Preparedness Plan Act of 2025, AB 495, arrives with a benevolent title and a jarring premise: expand who can make decisions for children—even when they’re not parents; that includes “non-relatives”—and do it in a way that critics say chips away at parental control while doubling as a state-level counterpunch to President Trump’s stepped-up immigration enforcement. With the measure now parked in the Senate Appropriations Committee’s suspense file as of August 18, lawmakers face a pivotal choice on whether this controversial framework moves forward. LegiScan CalMatters
