What is AB 495, the California bill prompting backlash from parental rights groups?

Published August 18, 2025 1:57pm ET



A new California parental guardianship bill is under attack from parents’ rights groups.

On Monday, there will be a California Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Assembly Bill 495, which was written to address short-term guardianship for children whose parents are detained by immigration authorities. AB 495, which broadens the scope of who can serve as a child’s caregiver, has received pushback from parental rights advocates worried about its implications for custody transfers.

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