Some California hospitals are about to hand new parents a new state-sponsored freebie: roughly a month’s worth of diapers.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced what he called a first-in-the-nation, statewide program that will give families 400 free diapers before they leave the hospital after giving birth.
The program starts this summer.
The initiative, called “Golden State Start,” will launch at roughly 65 to 75 California hospitals in its first year, the governor’s office said. The state said those hospitals account for about a quarter of California births.
The first wave of hospitals primarily serves low-income families, though state officials plan to expand the program statewide. Newsom’s office did not say how many hospitals will eventually participate.
California set aside $7.4 million in its 2025 budget to pay for the program, according to the AP. Newsom’s latest budget proposal includes another $12.5 million to keep it funded through June 2027.
In a post on X, the governor described the initiative as part of a broader effort to ease the cost burden on California families.
HUGE NEWS: California just became the FIRST state in America to provide FREE DIAPERS to all new parents.
Launching this summer.
Since I became Governor, we have made preschool FREE, school meals FREE, and expanded paid family leave.
Stop talking about lowering costs for… pic.twitter.com/2x919TdH24— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) May 8, 2026
California partnered with nonprofit Baby2Baby to manufacture the diapers, which hospitals will distribute directly to families.
Diapers are a major recurring expense for new parents, with families often spending hundreds or thousands of dollars annually during a child’s first years.
The CDC recommends changing a newborn’s diaper eight to 12 times a day, meaning California’s 400-diaper giveaway will likely last families about a month.
Newsom said the program is also part of the state’s broader push to lower the cost of early parenting. In the press release, he also highlighted recent rollouts for free school meals, free preschool, and extended after-school programs.
“California is taking on the cost of raising a family head-on,” he said in a statement.
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