Pastor Talking Points: AB 1540 — 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: LGBTQ+ Youth
For Use in Sermons, Bible Studies, or Small Group Settings
God calls us to care deeply for young people who are hurting — and to be wise about who is given access to our most vulnerable children. AB 1540 raises serious questions every pastor and parent should understand.
What This Bill Does
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AB 1540 would use California taxpayer dollars to rebuild a specialized LGBTQ+ routing option on the 988 crisis hotline, directing struggling young callers to organizations that promote gender ideology rather than connecting them with their families or faith communities.
Why This Concerns Us
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Crisis counselors connected to this hotline have been documented encouraging minors toward gender transition — without parental knowledge — at moments when children are most emotionally fragile and vulnerable.
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The bill deliberately protects caller anonymity, meaning a child could reach this hotline without parents ever knowing. Proverbs 22:6 reminds us that guiding a child belongs first to the family God placed them in.
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Law enforcement leaders have raised concerns that anonymous hotlines of this kind can expose children to online predators masquerading as counselors.
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Psalm 139:14 declares that every child is "fearfully and wonderfully made." Children in crisis deserve truth-filled care that affirms God's design, not ideology that deepens confusion.
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Deuteronomy 6:7 entrusts the spiritual and emotional formation of children to parents. Policies that deliberately route children around their parents undermine that God-given authority.
How to Pray
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Pray for the children in your congregation and community who are struggling with loneliness, anxiety, and identity confusion — that they would encounter the love of Jesus.
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Pray for wisdom for California lawmakers, that they would protect children rather than expose them to harm.
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Pray for parents to be equipped and present, so their children turn to them first in crisis.
Discussion Question
How can our church create the kind of community where a struggling young person feels safe enough to ask for help — from a pastor, a parent, or a trusted adult in the faith family?
A Gentle Call to Action
Consider contacting your state Assembly member and asking them to oppose AB 1540. You can find their contact information at californiafamily.org. The most powerful thing we can do is stay engaged — and keep praying.
"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." — Galatians 6:9