Coffee, Culture, and the Capitol

California Family Council
  • 3.7 (3)
  • Politics
  • Updated Weekly

California Family Council's weekly show giving you the latest news on Life, Family, and Liberty, live from Sacramento!

  1. Oct 15

    108: Newsom Signs Six Gender Bills, a Hate Speech Training Mandate, and CIF Faces Fathers for Girls’ Sports

    The legislative session is over, and Governor Newsom has made his choices. Sophia Lorey and Greg Burt go through the six pro-gender ideology bills he just signed into law. These include a counseling ban for kids who want to feel at home in their own bodies, and a mandate forcing insurers to cover gender drugs and surgeries. They also cover AB 1803, which adds “anti-hate speech” instruction to the harassment training nearly every California employer must provide, with no exemption for churches. That story has now reached Newsweek and the international press. Then we take you to Los Angeles, where 40 to 50 people (many of them fathers) told CIF once again to protect girls’ sports. You’ll hear from retired pro soccer player Elizabeth Eddy and Elani Morales, a 17-year-old athlete who asked CIF a simple question: why won’t you protect us? When the government tells us to disobey God, we obey God. Don’t go along to get along. Newsom’s Parting Gift to Gender ActivistsNewsom Just Made Nearly Every Employer a Hate Speech InstructorA Former Pro, a Teen Athlete, and Two Candidates Tell CIFCFC Events PRAY WITH US: ELECTION PRAYER VIGIL Sunday, November 1, 6:00 PM, West Steps of the California State Capitol. Come in person or watch the livestream. RSVP: https://watchdog.californiafamily.org/rsvp/election-prayer-vigil WATCH THE FULL CIF PRESS CONFERENCE AND MEETING https://www.youtube.com/@CaliforniaFamilyCouncil/videos STAY INFORMED Weekly newsletter: https://www.californiafamily.org/sign-up/ Website: https://www.californiafamily.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaFamily/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/californiafamilycouncil/ X: https://x.com/cafamily

  2. Oct 2

    107: Newsom Signs 5 Abortion Bills, UC Loses Pronoun Case, and Planned Parenthood Sells Botox

    On episode 107 of Coffee Culture and the Capitol, Greg explains why the court's ruling on compelled speech at the University of California matters for your child's K through 12 school, where many districts still have the same pronoun rules. Sophia explains why Planned Parenthood's move into Botox is more than a cash grab: it gets women comfortable walking through their doors. Then we cover the abortion bills Newsom just signed. One lets nurses and midwives perform late-term abortions. Another puts the abortion pill in community college health centers. We also cover his veto of AB 2164. Newsom signed five more abortion bills into law and vetoed one. A federal judge ruled against UC's forced pronoun training. And Planned Parenthood in Sacramento now sells Botox. Sophia Lorey and Greg Burt walk through what happened and what parents, pastors, and pro-life Californians should do next, Links: On Friday, October 9, the CIF State Federated Council meets at the Renaissance LAX Hotel, and public comment is open. https://www.instagram.com/p/Dd6133HzNK0/ Election Eve Prayer Vigil: Sunday, November 1, 6 PM, steps of the California State Capitol RSVP: https://watchdog.californiafamily.org/rsvp/election-prayer-vigil California March for Life 2027: Monday, March 8, 2027, California State Capitol RSVP: https://watchdog.californiafamily.org/rsvp/camarchforlife2027 READ MORE UC Loses in Court, but the Same Pronoun Rule Likely Still Governs Your Child's School https://www.californiafamily.org/2026/09/uc-loses-in-court-but-the-same-pronoun-rule-likely-still-governs-your-childs-school/ Planned Parenthood Replaces Federal Dollars With Botox Dollars https://www.californiafamily.org/2026/09/planned-parenthood-replaces-federal-dollars-with-botox-dollars/ Newsom's Abortion Weekend: Five New Laws, One Veto, and No Change of Heart https://www.californiafamily.org/2026/09/newsoms-abortion-weekend-five-new-laws-one-veto-and-no-change-of-heart/

  3. Sep 28

    106: Fifth Grader Forced to Teach Gender Ideology Wins — Now Sunnyvale Defies the Supreme Court

    Fifth Grader Forced to Teach Kindergartner Gender Ideology Wins. Now Sunnyvale Defies the Supreme Court. On this episode of Coffee Culture and the Capitol, a fifth grader in Encinitas was forced to teach his kindergarten buddy gender ideology using the book My Shadow Is Pink. His family fought back, and they won. Greg Burt and Sophia Lorey break down the $175,000 settlement and the new district policy that now requires parents to be notified and allowed to opt out. Then they head north to Sunnyvale, where a school district claims the Supreme Court's ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor does not apply to California. The lessons in question include pride parade picture books for preschoolers, drag queen sing-alongs, and LGBTQ math word problems. This goes far beyond sex ed. It is in every subject, every day. Learn how to opt your child out, and join us on November 1 as we pray over the election at the State Capitol. Case Closed: Encinitas School District Pays $175,000: https://www.californiafamily.org/2026/09/case-closed-encinitas-school-district-pays-175000-after-forcing-fifth-grader-to-teach-kindergartner-gender-ideology/ CFC article on the Puppy Pride lawsuit: https://www.californiafamily.org/2026/09/a-ca-school-district-told-teachers-to-resist-parents-now-its-in-federal-court/ CFC Parental Rights Resources (webinar, opt-out forms, model letters from ADF, NCLP, and Pacific Justice Institute): https://californiafamily.org/parental-rights-resources.html Opt Out California: https://www.optoutca.org Prayer vigil Nov. 1: https://watchdog.californiafamily.org/rsvp/election-prayer-vigil

  4. Sep 4

    105: Sign or Veto? The Biggest Bills Sitting on Newsom’s Desk

    The Biggest Bills Sitting on Newsom’s Desk Newsom has until September 30 to sign or veto every bill on his desk. There are 17 in this episode. Your phone call still matters, and here is the proof. Session is over. Greg Burt and Sophia Lorey run every bill California Family Council is tracking, what each one does in plain English, and whether to ask for a signature or a veto. First, the question in our comments: does calling actually work? Last year California made Diwali a state holiday and let schools hold exercises "acknowledging and celebrating the meaning" of a religious holiday. Greg objected almost alone. This year Muslim groups asked for the same thing and doubled it. Greg testified again. The bill was then amended, and "celebrating the meaning of" became "exploring the history of." GALA, ONE WEEK OUT Saturday, September 12, 5 to 9 p.m., Hilton Orange County in Costa Mesa. Keynote Seth Dillon, CEO of The Babylon Bee, who beat California in federal court over a law that would have forced political satire to carry government disclaimers. Tickets below. LINKS CALL THE GOVERNOR Governor Newsom's office: (916) 445-2841 Contact page: https://www.gov.ca.gov/contact/ Deadline to sign or veto: September 30, 2026 GALA TICKETS https://watchdog.californiafamily.org... READ THE BILLS YOURSELF AB 2017: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/fa... AB 1973: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/fa... AB 1930: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/fa... AB 1854: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/fa... AB 2164: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/fa... AB 2531: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/fa... AB 2563: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/fa... AB 1980: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/fa... AB 1792: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/fa... AB 1578: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/fa... AB 1803: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/fa... SB 934: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/fa... SB 685: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/fa... SB 1114: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/fa... SB 608: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/fa... SB 1128: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/fa... SB 1276: a...

  5. Aug 28

    104: Nick Shirley Takes on California, Scott Wiener BACKFIRES & Homeschool Rights at SCOTUS

    Links: Gala Life, Family, Liberty Gala tickets, Sept. 12, Hilton Orange County: https://watchdog.californiafamily.org/fundraising/e/2026-gala AB 2624, the "Stop Nick Shirley Act" Bill text and status: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB2624Greg's rally speech on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CaliforniaFamilyCouncil/videos Homeschool curriculum case, Woolard v. Thurmond CFC article: https://www.californiafamily.org/2026/08/supreme-court-asked-to-end-cas-double-standard-on-homeschool-curriculum/First Liberty Institute case page: https://firstliberty.org/news/first-liberty-asks-full-federal-appeals-court-to-stop-discrimination-against-california-families/Earlier CFC coverage of the Ninth Circuit stage: https://www.californiafamily.org/2025/12/religious-liberty-on-trial-charter-homeschool-families-demand-the-ninth-circuit-end-anti-christian-discrimination/ SB 934 and the counseling ban CFC article: https://www.californiafamily.org/2026/08/how-fear-of-detransitioner-lawsuits-gutted-senator-wieners-attempt-to-bankrupt-christian-counselors/SB 934 bill text and amendment history: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB934Chiles v. Salazar opinion, decided March 31, 2026: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-539_fd9g.pdfWiener's own release: https://sd11.senate.ca.gov/news/senator-wieners-bill-strengthen-californias-conversion-therapy-ban-heads-governor

  6. Aug 17

    103: Pronouns, Your Job & the WNBA: Gender Ideology Hits a Breaking Point

    California now requires every employer with five or more employees to run staff through state-approved sexual harassment training, and that training teaches that using the wrong pronoun or a person's pre-transition name is illegal harassment. Greg Burt took the state's supervisor course himself, and he walks Sophia through what he found, including the videos and screenshots CFC published this week. Then the conversation turns to sports, where WNBA player Sophie Cunningham refused to back down after speaking up for female athletes, and two former NBA players declared for the 2027 WNBA draft to expose the league's own self-identification rules. Plus a preview of the Life, Family, Liberty Gala on September 16 with Seth Dillon of The Babylon Bee. LinksLife, Family, Liberty Gala, September 16 Tickets, tables, and sponsorships: https://watchdog.californiafamily.org/fundraising/e/2026-galaAll CFC events: https://watchdog.californiafamily.org/rsvp/events Story 1: California says you must affirm gender ideology to keep your job CFC article with the training screenshots: https://www.californiafamily.org/2026/08/ca-says-you-must-affirm-gender-ideology-to-keep-your-job/The state's free training portal (take it yourself): https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/shptGovernment Code 12950.1, the mandate: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=12950.1Related, teachers and the PRISM training: https://www.californiafamily.org/2026/07/the-faith-test-california-makes-teachers-take-and-how-to-refuse-it/ Story 2: Sophie Cunningham and women's sports ESPN, Cunningham says she wants to get back to basketball: https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/49538591/amid-tension-cunningham-says-wants-get-back-basketballTimeline of the controversy: https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba/article/sophie-cunningham-controversy-timeline-of-the-latest-discourse-around-the-wnba-what-caitlin-clark-has-said-221320700.html Story 3: Two former NBA players declare for the 2027 WNBA draft Enes Kanter Freedom's declaration: https://www.mediaite.com/media/sports/enes-kanter-freedom-officially-declares-for-wnba-draft-as-pressure-campaign-on-leagues-trans-policy-ratchets-up/Royce White follows: https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/former-nba-player-royce-white-declaring-next-wnba-draft-enes-kanter-announcementThe WNBA's response, calling the debate bad faith: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/aug/12/wnba-denounces-bad-faith-transgender-women-debate-says-league-no/ABC News explainer: https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/wnba-faces-controversy-transgender-eligibility-nba-players-declare/story?id=135516906 Watch and follow Sign up for the weekly newsletter: https://www.californiafamily.org/sign-up/Give: https://www.californiafamily.org/give/

  7. Aug 7

    102: Faith Under Fire in California Schools

    In Episode 102 of Coffee, Culture & the Capitol, Sophia and Greg discuss California’s new LGBT competency training requirements for teachers and how Christian educators can stand firm in their faith without compromising their beliefs. They also unpack SB 685 and its impact on religious schools providing special education services, highlight the importance of courageous pastors and Christians, and discuss the power of prayer at California’s State Capitol. Links Prayer Vigil Nov 1 https://watchdog.californiafamily.org... 2026 Life, Faith, and Family Gala https://watchdog.californiafamily.org... The Faith Test California Makes Teachers Take and How to Refuse It : https://www.californiafamily.org/2026... Sacramento Says Yes To Religious Schools But Only If They Stop Praying: https://www.californiafamily.org/2026... Action Center : google.com/url?q=https://californiafamily.quorum.us/action_center/&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1786130576626633&usg=AOvVaw2SnhbTSoEjIo3OKJd4Joot

  8. Jul 20

    101: Parents Just Got Their Power Back in Schools, But NEED to Take Action!

    Coffee Culture and the Capitol, Episode 101: Parents Just Got Their Power Back For decades California schools told parents they could opt out of one thing: sex ed. That era is over. Sophia and Greg break down three major court rulings, Mahmoud v. Taylor, Mirabelli v. Bonta, and Huntington Beach v. Newsom, that hand parents new authority to pull their kids from gender ideology lessons, CRT, DEI programming, and any curriculum that conflicts with their faith. They walk through how to use OptOutCA.org to notify your school district in minutes. Then the conversation moves to the UC system, where four students are suing after a new sexual harassment policy forced them to affirm gender ideology just to register for classes. Greg explains why this is a First Amendment fight, not a policy footnote, and why silence is not an option for Christians on campus. Finally, Greg and Sophia expose what happened to AB 2691, a bill that started as a straightforward ban on convicted sex offenders holding office. After Senator Scott Wiener's amendments in the Senate Elections Committee, it would have carved out exemptions for adults who commit felony sexual acts against minors ages 14 to 17. Greg's viral committee testimony pushed back hard, and this episode explains exactly what was at stake and why it matters. The episode closes with a call to show up. Lobby Day is August 4 in Sacramento. The Life, Family, Liberty Gala is September 12, featuring Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon. Don't just get angry. Get involved. Links: Donate:https://www.californiafamily.org/donate/ Events: https://www.californiafamily.org/savethedate/ Opt out: https://www.optoutca.org/optout Viral reel: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DaQL4JJTqWE/

See All (107)

Ratings & Reviews

3.7
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

California Family Council's weekly show giving you the latest news on Life, Family, and Liberty, live from Sacramento!

Information

  • Creator
    California Family Council
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    107
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 California Family Council
  • Show Website
    Coffee, Culture, and the Capitol