CA AB495

Expands the definition of "relative" for caregiver's authorization affidavits to include relatives within the fifth degree of kinship, stepparents, stepsiblings, and spouses of relatives, allowing them to authorize school enrollment, medical care, and dental care for minors living in their homes

Authorizes courts to appoint a custodial parent and their nominated guardian as joint guardians when the parent is temporarily unavailable due to serious medical conditions, military service, incarceration, or immigration-related administrative actions, with all related court records kept confidential

Prohibits licensed child daycare facilities and California state preschool programs from collecting citizenship or immigration status information about children or family members, and requires the Attorney General to publish model immigration enforcement policies for these facilities by April 1, 2026

Requires local educational agencies to update their immigration enforcement policies to align with Attorney General guidance issued January 6, 2025, and to provide parents with information about family safety planning, caregiver authorization affidavits, and emergency contact procedures

Mandates that schools and childcare facilities exhaust all parental emergency contact instructions before contacting Child Protective Services when a parent is unavailable to care for a child