Overview
- AB 495 broadens eligibility for caregiver authorization affidavits to adults related by blood, adoption, or affinity within the fifth degree of kinship, and parents can revoke the designation.
- The law bars licensed childcare facilities and state preschools from collecting immigration-related information about children and families.
- It creates a joint guardianship option so parents can prepare for longer absences without surrendering their rights.
- Newsom’s office stated the measure does not change who can be a child’s caregiver, legal custodian, guardian, or parent without a court order, countering opponents’ claims.
- The statute takes effect on January 1, 2026, and was signed alongside SB 580 on sensitive-data protections and AB 1261 to provide legal representation for unaccompanied minors, with opponents saying they are considering legal challenges.