P&V Perspective: AB 495
Back-to-School Legal Check-In
As we start a new school year, local educational agencies should review local policies and procedures to make sure they are up to date with regard to enrollment. In particular, Assembly Bill (“AB”) 495, which went into effect in January of 2026, allows eligible relatives to execute a caregiver authorization affidavit and act as a temporary caregiver for a child when a parent becomes unavailable due to deportation, incarceration, military deployment, or other short-term crisis. Under AB 495, an eligible caregiver may enroll a student in school and/or consent to school-related medical care without requiring parental approval. An eligible caregiver has been extended to include:
Any adult who is related to the child by blood, adoption, or affinity within the fifth degree of kinship—including stepparents, stepsiblings, and all relatives whose status is preceded by the words “great,” “great-great,” or “grand.”
To be eligible as a caregiver, the relative must reside with the child at the time the affidavit is executed.
If you have any questions about AB 495, please contact any of the attorneys at P&V. You can also follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, or Facebook.
Written by: Colleen Villarreal | September 1, 2026
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