Pastor Jack Hibbs – Not Afraid to Speak Out Against Horrific California Bill

August 8, 2025

Pastor Jack Hibbs showed his courage once again by speaking out against another horrific California bill, AB 495. The bill gives a “nonrelative extended family member” – anyone with a “mentoring relationship” to a child – the ability to assume control over a child through a one-page affidavit.

It’s not the first time he’s taken a stand to protect his congregation, spoken out against evil, and labored to protect life, children, families and the church.

Pastor Hibbs encouraged church members to research the bill at the website Real Impact, which explains what AB 495 will do:

AB 495 is a dangerous bill that puts every child at risk.

This legislation would allow any adult to claim they are a child’s “caregiver” simply by filling out and signing a Caregiver’s Authorization Affidavit – with no parent consent, no parent notification, no photo I.D., no court review, and no background check.

While many pastors and ministry leaders are reluctant to speak out on “policy issues” – many of which are actually biblical and moral issues, Pastor Hibbs, of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, told his congregation:

This bill would allow any non-related adult, a neighbor, teacher, ex-relative, or even a complete stranger, to take custody of your child without your knowledge or consent. No background check. No court order. No parent’s signature. Just a piece of paper.

Disingenuously named the “Family Preparedness Plan Act of 2025,” AB 495 states,

“Nonrelative extended family member” means any adult caregiver who has an established familial or mentoring relationship with the child or who has an established familial relationship with a relative of the child.

Pastor Hibbs explained to his church that anyone who signs an affidavit can take a child out of school, adding that opponents called AB 495 “The California Trafficking Bill.”

He asked his congregation to “mark their calendars” for a rally, lobbying training and legislative office visits against the bill at the state Capitol:

I need all of you to take August 19th off. … I’m going to ask all of you to drive, bus, fly … I don’t care how you get there, but I want you to meet me at the Capitol steps in Sacramento because our elected leaders are right now trying to get a bill passed that’s unthinkable.

Hibbs told parents that if the bill passes they should be prepared to protect their children by leaving the state.

The bill includes the affidavit to be filled out by a “nonrelative extended family member.”

A “caregiver” only needs to state:

The minor named below lives in my home and I am 18 years of age or older.

I am a relative or nonrelative extended family member of the child.

I am 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 authorization.

In addition to allowing a “caregiver” to take a child from school, AB 495 allows unrelated “caregivers” to approve medical or dental care for a child – just by signing that affidavit.

This is not the first time Pastor Hibbs has bravely cried out about evil legislation and government actions in California:

Hibbs rallied against a bill, AB 2943, that called help for people leaving homosexuality or transgenderism “consumer fraud.” The bill would’ve kept churches from encouraging people to follow Christ and leave sinful practices – or providing support groups, books, conferences, counseling and resources to assist them. He advocated for religious liberty and the freedom for men and women to walk away from destructive LGBT identities, lust and behaviors.

He publicly opposed a radical infanticide bill, AB 2223, that protected others from any “actions or omissions” related to her pregnancy, including “peri-natal death due to a pregnancy related cause.” As California Family Council explained at the time, “Perinatal death pertains to babies seven days or older and a “pregnancy-related cause” is a meaningless, undefined term.

Pastor Hibbs warned parents to opt their children out of Los Angeles elementary school celebrations of “Coming Out Day.” L.A. Unified School District provided lesson plans and toolkits that included “Name and/or Gender Change Forms,” a “Handbook of SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Expression) Language & Vocabulary,” and LGBT-themed videos. Hibbs urged parents not to allow schools to expose young children to such sexualizing and confusing literature.

Calvary Chapel Chino Hills won a lawsuit – after a nine-year battle – against the California Department of Managed Health Care after the agency created a policy “forcing religious organizations to include abortion coverage as part of their health care insurance,” reported Calvary Chapel Magazine.

Again, parental rights, freedom to preach the gospel, infanticide, protecting children from confusing and sexualizing lessons, and refusing to pay for abortions – these are biblical and moral issues, not just social, political or legal ones.

Focus on the Family applauds Pastor Jack Hibbs for taking his pastoral role so seriously and fighting evil in our culture, speaking with grace, truth, wisdom and courage.

And we encourage other church and ministry leaders to do likewise.

California Family Council, a Focus on the Family ally, gives details about the rally and lobbying at the California Capitol in Sacramento:

Schedule – Tuesday, August 19, 2025