Starting this summer, all babies born in participating hospitals will automatically receive 400 free diapers. It’s the first universal free diaper program in the nation.
“This is what affordability looks like,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom. “It’s not a slogan, it’s a box. It’s a box of diapers.”
The program, which the state is calling Golden State Start, will roll out at 65 to 75 hospitals that serve mainly low income patients on Medi-Cal. Around half of babies born in California are on Medi-Cal. Newsom said the state plans to expand the program to more hospitals, but did not say how many or provide a timeline.
Baby2Baby, a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles that distributes essential items for infants, will manufacture the state-branded diapers through a partnership.
“We serve hardworking parents every day who are forced to make impossible decisions, like whether to buy diapers for their babies or put food on the table,” said Kelly Sawyer Patricof, Co-CEO of Baby2Baby. “For low-income families, diapers are the fourth highest expenditure, after rent, food, and utilities.”
The nonprofit developed its own manufacturing process that allows them to produce diapers at 80% of the typical cost.
This first phase was funded through the 2025-2026 state budget. Newsom proposed another round of funding in his January 2026 budget proposal to continue it, which lawmakers would have to approve through this year’s budget process which extends through mid-June.
Newsom says the new universal diaper program builds on his administration’s efforts to make living more affordable in a state where essentials have become extremely expensive. California fully implemented universal Transitional Kindergarten last year and also offers free school meals for students regardless of income. California also started offering its own generic of Insulin through CalRx for $11 a pen at the start of this year.
California eliminated sales tax for diapers back as part of the state budget in 2020.
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