Evangelical Jack Hibbs—founding pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Southern California—is a proven fighter. He defied his state’s Governor Gavin Newsom by reopening his church during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has faced down gay activists and pro-abortion protesters, standing on Scripture each time.
And in January 2024, he even defied long-standing rules in Congress when U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson invited him to deliver the Opening Prayer in the House of Representatives. Ignoring the Capitol Hill tradition of watering down any specific references to Jesus Christ or Christianity, Pastor Hibbs closed his prayer by boldly declaring before the assembled members: “Father, we pray for the decisions they make here in this place, in the name of Jesus Christ, your son and our crucified Savior and resurrected Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.” (Cue the howls from atheists and “separation of church and state” magpies.)
So with those credentials burnishing his reputation, Jack Hibbs literally stunned his supporters by announcing recently that if a bill being voted on this month in the California Assembly passes, “I am going to ask you to leave the state of California. You’re going to need to pack up, and you’re going to have to get out. You’ve gotta get out..you’ve gotta run, with your kids. You’ve gotta go.”
What could compel Jack Hibbs and other leaders throughout the state to consider packing their bags and moving out of California? What single bill could possibly be that evil as it is worming its way through the Assembly in Sacramento? The answer is a ticking time bomb called AB 495.
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On the Salem news program THIS WEEK ON CAPITOL HILL with Tony Perkins, Steve Hilton (former FOX News Channel host and current contender for the Republican nomination to become the next Governor of California) warned that AB 495 potentially opens legal loopholes that could easily lead to abduction and exploitation of children in California.
“Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, here we are with this bill, The extremism of AB495 is just off the charts. It is effectively legalizing kidnapping, which is not overstating it.” He notes that the premise of AB495 is to make it easier for “children of illegal aliens” to be taken care of in the event their parents are detained or deported.
But like the well-worn bromide that “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions,” parents rights groups and Constitutional lawyers caution that if AB495 becomes law any stranger can simply download an online form and declare himself “guardian” of any child who may be in public school or even a daycare center or summer camp. A kidnapper or child trafficker can then present that certificate to authorities and remove a child under his alleged “guardianship”…and the school or daycare provider has zero liability under AB495 for releasing that child.
Karen England, president of the Capitol Resource Institute in Sacramento, adds that any child in California—whether a resident or one vacationing with family from out of state—faces the same danger. “We always say California isn’t Las Vegas: what happens in California doesn’t stay in California. Other states should be concerned about this because it is undermining their laws when people from other states come here. So while we are focusing on California, this is every parent’s nightmare whose child may come here to visit a relative or go to a camp in this state and find they’ve given up their parental rights.”
Constitutional attorney Nicole Pearson echoes that sentiment: “California is a Sanctuary State so if a child is brought here, Governor Gavin Newsom and his cronies have already declared war on parental rights. So even if you live in Texas or even if you live in Tennessee…our courts and law enforcement are not going to cooperate with lawful orders or the laws and rules of your conservative state.”
Frightened yet? You should be. Because if AB495 passes, your family’s next trip to Disneyland or Knotts Berry Farm or Universal Studios in California could be the legal equivalent of playing Russian Roulette with the custody of your children.
An emergency rally is now scheduled for August 19th on the steps of the State Capitol in Sacramento to voice public opposition to this legislation which—once you strip away the flowery intent—is literally a child trafficker’s dream. Following the rally, citizens plan to fan out and lobby lawmakers to cast their votes against AB495.
However, if this disgraceful legislation should somehow end up being enacted, look for copycat bills to start heading East to states like yours…undoubtedly along with many of Pastor Jack Hibbs’ congregation. No sane parent would live in a state where myopic legislators are perfectly willing to sacrifice your son or daughter’s safety on the altar of Political Correctness.
Tom Tradup is Vice President of News & Talk Programming at Dallas-based Salem Radio Network. He can he reached at ttradup@srnradio.com
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