California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law last week a bill that makes the state a “sanctuary” for gender-confused children who want to transition medically without the knowledge or consent of their parents. It is a monstrous law that undermines parental rights and puts at risk the mental and physical well-being of vulnerable children who are too young to see past the immediate consequences of their decisions.

The legislation is geared toward out-of-state residents, especially those who live in red states where medical and chemical sex-change treatments are restricted. It includes a number of provisions to shield California’s medical industry from prosecution, including one that prohibits state agencies and law enforcement organizations from enforcing subpoenas by other states regarding where, when, and on whom sex-change treatments are performed. In other words, the law allows California doctors to alter children’s bodies permanently, regardless of parental consent, without fear of consequence. This is exploitation, plain and simple.

The law also effectively strips parents of custody by empowering California courts to take over “temporary emergency jurisdiction” of children who travel to the state seeking sex-change treatments. Parents can do absolutely nothing to stop this. In fact, if they do try to protest the state’s kidnapping of their child, California officials will almost certainly work to make sure that the loss of custody becomes permanent. The bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Scott Wiener, admitted as much in a recent interview:

“We may have limits under the U.S. Constitution,” he said, “but we are going to go right up to the edge of what we’re able to do to protect them and say, ‘Unless we are absolutely forced to send you back, we are not going to send you back.’”

Ironically, Newsom tried to frame the legislation as a win for “parental choice,” acknowledging that “parents know what’s best for their kids, and they should be able to make decisions around the health of their children without fear.” Sure — but only if those parents agree to subject their children to experimental and irreversible procedures, right? Those parents who object to this kind of treatment and reject affirmation as the best course of action for their children’s well-being have no rights under this law.

California’s message to parents is clear: Comply with our ideology, and your children will remain yours. Refuse and, well, you better hope you live on the opposite side of the country.