Things are moving fast.

Contact Governor Newsom’s office now to demand he veto the following bills. See below for summary of bills and action steps.

Going to the Governor’s Desk

AB 1078

Instructional materials and curriculum:

This bill would remove local school districts from the equation of deciding the best literature and curriculum for the communities served. 

Local school districts will lose their authority over curriculum and give all the power to the County Superintendent and California Board of Education. It includes financial penalties to school districts who don’t comply.

Status of Bill: Urgency clause adopted. Governor’s DESK

AB 665

consent to mental health services (Carillo)

Removes the requirement that children must be a danger to themselves or others, or be alleged incest or abuse victims, before seeking care without their parents’ consent. This will remove the guardrails that prevent abuse of current law, so instead of cases of emergency, mental health professionals or school psychologists can refer for treatment and/or send a child to residential shelter services for any reason without parental consent.

Status of Bill: Governor’s DESK

AB 957

Family law: gender identity

*This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 3011 of the Family Code proposed by SB 599 to be operative only if this bill and SB 599 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

AB 957 Obligates a judge to include gender identity affirmation by parent as part of the deciding criteria when awarding custody in family court.  Changes SECTION 1. Section 3011 of the Family Code to the health, safety, and welfare of of the child. (B) As used in this paragraph, the health, safety, and welfare of the child includes, among other comprehensive factors, a parent’s affirmation of the child’s gender identity or gender expression. Affirmation includes a range of actions and will be unique for each child, but in every case must promote the child’s overall health and well-being.…Read more

Status of Bill: Governor’s DESK

AB 5

The Safe and Supportive Schools Act:

The bill would would require, commencing with the 2025–26 school year and ending with the completion of the 2029–30 school year, each local educational agency, as defined, serving pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, to use the online training delivery platform and curriculum, or an in-service alternative, to provide at least one hour of required training annually to teachers and other certificated employees at those schools, as provided. The bill would require each local educational agency to maintain records documenting the training, as provided. The bill would require the department to monitor compliance with the training requirement as part of the department’s annual compliance monitoring of state and federal programs. The bill would require the department, within 9 months of the completion of the 5-year training period, to report data from that compliance monitoring to the Legislature, and post the report on the department’s internet website, as provided. Summary: Mandates teachers to complete training on how to identify and profile students whose parents don't affirm their child's gender identity, identify and implement inclusive curriculum, and counseling services for LGBTQ youth.

Status of Bill: Governor’s DESK

AB 223

Change of gender and sex identifier.

This bill would require any petition for a change of gender and sex identifier or a petition for change of gender, sex identifier, and name filed by a person under 18 years of age, and any papers associated with the proceeding, to be kept confidential by the court. The bill would require the court to limit access to these records to specified individuals, including, among others, the minor, the minor’s parents, and their attorneys.

Will remove the process of notification and hearing for parents by changing the process of sealing to making an application to change a child’s name or gender is submitted. But knowing the difference between making something confidential versus sealing is only noticeable when you understand the law. There must be no assumption that parents and guardians are aware of an application submitted by another adult, ad litem, or other guardian. We have to protect parental rights by ensuring due process.

Status of Bill: Governor’s DESK

SB 596

School employees: protection

This bill would specify, for purposes of the above-described offense, that “substantial disorder” includes substantial disorder at any meeting of the governing board of a school district, the governing body of a charter school, a county board of education, or the State Board of Education.

The broad bill language "(a) Any adult adult whose conduct in a place where a school employee is required to be in the course of the school employee’s duties materially disrupts classwork or extracurricular activities or involves substantial disorder, including substantial disorder at any meeting of the governing board of a school district, the governing body of a charter school, a county board of education, or the state board, is guilty of a misdemeanor." This targets involved parents who are passionately speaking out to defend their children’s innocence and improve their quality of education.

Status of Bill: Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. Going to Governor’s Desk.

AB 659

Cancer Prevention Act (Aguiar-Curry)

Assembly Bill 659, also known as the HPV notification bill has been amended again. The author removed “recommendation” and replaced it with “that pupils in the state are advised to adhere to current immunization guidelines, as recommended by specified health entities, regarding full human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization before admission or advancement to the 8th grade level of any private or public elementary or secondary school”.

Status of the bill: Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. Going to Governor’s Desk.

SB 407 - Amended!

Foster care: resource families (Wiener, Lee, Low)

SB 407, as amended, Wiener. Foster care: resource families.

Amendment: No longer requires foster families to sign a document promising to affirm. 

This bill would require a resource family to demonstrate  “An ability and willingness to meet the needs of the child regardless of the child’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, and that, should difficulties around these issues arise, a willingness to obtain resources offered by the county or foster family agency or other available resources to meet those needs.”

In California today there are far more foster kids needing a home than there are foster families available to foster them. Under current law, there is a thorough assessment and vetting process for establishing the eligibility of individuals or families to perform fostering care.  

The effect of SB 407 by Senator Scott Weiner of San Francisco, will be to further complicate and create barriers to otherwise qualified and willing foster families to fostering needy kids. It complicates fostering by bringing the issues of  gender affirmation and gender identification into the fostering requirements and decision making, in a complex, vague and not well understood way. 

Status of Bill: Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. Going to Governor’s Desk.

ACTION STEPS:

1. Call! Call! Call! Governor Newsom’s office. Urge him to Veto AB 1078.

Capitol Phone Main line

(916) 445-2841

Los Angeles Office

213-254-2670

San Francisco Office

415-202-5498

Riverside Office

951-900-8434

San Diego Office

619-514-2002

Fresno Office

559-216-1010

2. Submit your opposition to Newsom's Web Portal. *The Governor’s office no longer has a direct email.

https://www.gov.ca.gov/contact/

On this page, here are the steps:

1. Under "What is your request or comment about?", scroll to and select "Legislation Issues/Concerns"

2. Under "What is the purpose of your message?", select "Leave a Comment"

3. Click "Next" to go to the next page

4. Under "If applicable, what is your stance on this topic?, click "Con"

5. In the message field, simply write in all caps: VETO AB 1078 then copy and paste

“AB 1078 Micromanages duly elected officials, taking away local control and overrides the community’s representation. This bill weaponizes the Attorney General and State Superintendent. You must veto AB 1078.”

6. Click "Next"

7. Enter your first and last name and email address (but not your phone number)

8. Click "Submit"

3. Use PERK’s Action Campaign link to email his office and tweet him on social media.

4. Write letter and mail to:

Governor Gavin Newsom

1021 O Street, Suite 9000

Sacramento, CA 95814