Coffee, Culture, and the Capitol

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Aug 2026

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

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October 2, 202626 min

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/

September 28, 202629 min

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

September 4, 202624 min

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...

August 28, 202619 min

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=202520260AB2624 Greg'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=202520260SB934 Chiles v. Salazar opinion, decided March 31, 2026: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-539_fd9g.pdf Wiener's own release: https://sd11.senate.ca.gov/news/senator-wieners-bill-strengthen-californias-conversion-therapy-ban-heads-governor

August 17, 202632 min

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. Links Life, Family, Liberty Gala, September 16 Tickets, tables, and sponsorships: https://watchdog.californiafamily.org/fundraising/e/2026-gala All 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/shpt Government Code 12950.1, the mandate: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&sectionNum=12950.1 Related, 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-basketball Timeline 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-announcement The 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/

August 7, 202622 min

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

July 20, 202631 min

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/

June 27, 202639 min

100: Greg and Sophia Give all the Glory to God and Share What He has Done During Their Time at CFC

This week marks a major milestone— 100 episodes of Coffee Culture & the Capitol! Instead of our usual legislative update, Sophia Lorey and Greg Burt take a look back at the incredible journey that brought them to California Family Council and reflect on some of the biggest victories God has accomplished over the past several years. From Greg's miraculous hiring story to Sophia's unexpected rise as one of California's leading voices defending girls' sports, this episode is filled with personal stories of God's faithfulness, behind-the-scenes moments, and reminders that showing up in faith can have an impact far beyond what we imagine. They also revisit some of CFC's most significant wins—from defeating legislation that threatened free speech and biblical counseling, to launching California's parental rights movement and helping change the national conversation on protecting girls' sports. Whether you've been listening since Episode 1 or you're just discovering the podcast, this special episode is a celebration of what God has done through faithful supporters like you and a look ahead to what He may have in store for the next 100 episodes. Thank you for being part of the Coffee Culture & the Capitol community. Here's to the next 100 episodes! Links : California Public Library Silences Female Athlete https://www.californiafamily.org/2023/08/california-public-library-silences-female-athlete/ Ninth Circuit Blocks CA’s Gender Secrecy Law, AB 1955, Affirms Parents’ Right to Know https://www.californiafamily.org/2026/06/ninth-circuit-blocks-cas-gender-secrecy-law-ab-1955-affirms-parents-right-to-know/ Donate: https://www.californiafamily.org/donate/ Events: https://www.californiafamily.org/savethedate/

June 19, 202628 min

99: Hate Speech, Free Speech, and Sacramento's New Training Mandates

In this episode of Coffee Culture and the Capitol, Sophia Lorey and Greg Burt break down AB 1803 and AB 1578—two controversial proposals that would require mandatory anti-hate training for employees and elected officials across California. Supporters say the bills combat discrimination, but critics warn they could be used to silence dissenting viewpoints and pressure Californians to conform to government-approved beliefs. Sophia shares her experience testifying against AB 1803, while Greg discusses his testimony on AB 1578 and the heated exchanges that followed in committee hearings. Together, they examine the growing debate over free speech, religious freedom, gender ideology, and whether Sacramento is crossing the line from education into ideological reeducation. They also discuss California Family Council's upcoming Lobby Day, how everyday citizens can engage directly with lawmakers, and why showing up matters in the fight for life, family, and liberty. Links: Lobby day: https://www.californiafamily.org/2026/06/join-cfclobby-day-june-24th/ Gala: https://watchdog.californiafamily.org/fundraising/e/2026-gala Ab 1578 full hearing: https://youtu.be/S3evfM3_8IA?si=AYi0BKgOkcBBb0t- AB 1803 full hearing: https://youtu.be/MVXIFYi_4wI?si=JBrdMDZwAIAc8gfH Donate: https://www.californiafamily.org/donate/

June 12, 202637 min

98: Boys in Girls' Sports, Race Preferences Return, and California's Push for More Late-Term Abortions

In this episode of Coffee Culture and the Capitol, Sophia Lorey and Greg Burt break down some of the most significant battles unfolding at the California State Capitol. First, they discuss the growing controversy over male athletes competing in girls' sports following the CIF State Track and Field Championships and share highlights from California Family Council's press conference defending fairness and safety for female athletes. Next, they examine ACA 7, a proposed constitutional amendment that would weaken Proposition 209's ban on race-based preferences in public education. Sophia and Greg unpack the heated committee debate and what the measure could mean for California schools. Finally, they cover AB 1973, legislation that would allow nurse practitioners, certified nurse-midwives, and physician assistants to perform second- and third-trimester abortions. Hear testimony from a former abortionist and medical professionals who warned lawmakers about the serious risks this bill poses to women. Plus, learn how you can make your voice heard through CFC's upcoming Lobby Day at the State Capitol. Links: Dr. Wong interview with greg https://youtu.be/HfDYs336lC0?si=5wecsM5AWq7z149_ Dr. Wong's testimony https://youtu.be/KElYYTnJiLA?si=-yI_Va-qjqfrGtn3 AB 1973 full hearing: https://youtu.be/2F64dWqBO_4?si=GiK2XkeHAISvwLZ8 ACA 7 full hearing https://youtu.be/XQKnlYhFwfw?si=hs8ZMxoOLGk-AScp Donation California family Website Lobby day https://watchdog.californiafamily.org/rsvp/2026-june-lobby-day Gala https://watchdog.californiafamily.org/fundraising/e/2026-gala