California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on May 8 that the state will launch a program this summer to provide free diapers to newborns. The initiative, called 'Golden State Start,' will distribute 400 diapers to families with newborns, primarily targeting low-income patients at 65 to 75 hospitals. The program is expected to cover about 25 percent of the state's roughly 400,000 annual births in its first year.
The state has allocated $20 million for the program, including $7.4 million already allocated and an additional $12.5 million proposed. The diapers will be manufactured and distributed by the Los Angeles nonprofit Baby2Baby under the Golden State Start brand. Newsom positioned the effort alongside existing initiatives like free school meals and preschool expansion, emphasizing support for parents from day one.
Critics have raised questions about the program's design, costs, and connections between Baby2Baby and Newsom's circle. Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton claimed the program is a 'scheme that benefits their friends and cronies,' citing the cost of the diapers. According to Hilton, the state is paying 50 cents per diaper, which is significantly higher than the cost at retailers like Costco. Baby2Baby's co-CEOs highlighted the program as setting a new standard for maternal and infant care.
The program has sparked debates about its effectiveness and the use of taxpayer dollars. Some argue that the state could have issued vouchers or gift cards instead of routing millions through a no-bid contract with Baby2Baby. Others question the connections between Baby2Baby and Newsom's circle, including the fact that one of Baby2Baby's CEOs sits on the board of the California Partners Project, which was co-founded by Newsom's wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom.