Newsom Launches California Program to Give 400 Free Diapers to New Parents

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday a new state program to provide 400 free diapers to families leaving participating hospitals with newborns, starting this summer.

The Democrat said California will partner with the nonprofit Baby2Baby on the initiative, called Golden State Start. Newsom's office described it as a first-in-the-nation effort to address the high cost of raising children.

"Every baby born in California deserves a healthy start in life," Newsom said in a statement. He presented the plan as part of his push to improve affordability.

Hospitals will distribute the diapers directly to parents upon discharge. The early rollout will prioritize facilities serving low-income patients on Medi-Cal, with plans for statewide expansion.

Newsom's office said the program will launch at 65 to 75 hospitals in its first year. Those facilities handle about a quarter of births in the state and mainly serve low-income patients, according to the Associated Press.

The effort follows other family initiatives from the Newsom administration, such as free school meals and universal preschool for 4-year-olds.

The state allocated $7.4 million in last year's budget to start the diaper program. Newsom's latest proposal seeks an additional $12.5 million through the fiscal year ending June 2027.

Those spending plans come as California faces budget pressures. The Legislative Analyst's Office noted in its January overview that while the administration projects a $2.9 billion deficit for 2026-27, structural deficits could reach $20 billion to $35 billion annually in coming years.

State officials said they also plan to work with major diaper brands to lower prices.

Baby2Baby, based in Los Angeles, will manage manufacturing and logistics. The group said diaper need affects as many as one in two families.

Co-CEOs Norah Weinstein and Kelly Sawyer Patricof called the partnership historic. "We are incredibly grateful to Governor Newsom for his ongoing commitment to combating diaper needs in California and could not be prouder to partner on this historic initiative that will support moms and babies at their most vulnerable time," they said in a joint statement.

The announcement arrives two years after Tennessee and Delaware became the first states to offer free diapers to families in their Medicaid programs. Tennessee provides 100 diapers per month for children under two at pharmacies. Delaware's program, which started as a pilot and expanded in 2024, gives up to 80 diapers and one pack of baby wipes per week in a baby's first 12 weeks.