Gov. Gavin Newsom is working to help supply Californians with free diapers.
He is looking to set aside more than $7 million in this year's budget and $12.5 million next year to provide a three-month supply of diapers to families with newborns -- regardless of income.
The goal is to address diaper affordability, a cause near and dear to San Leandro Assemblywoman Liz Ortega.
"Families continued to talk to me about three major pressures that they were feeling. It was housing, food and diapers," Ortega said. "So to finally see that we have made a shift from last year where we were cutting diapers and cutting diaper banks to actually seeing it in the budget as a priority from the governor is really exciting."
Ortega attributed the initiative's inclusion in this year's budget to female lawmakers who have pushed for diaper affordability.
The goal of the program is for the state to give out 40 million diapers this year and double that number to 80 million next year.
In order to pass, the initiative would need to survive budget negotiations and be passed by lawmakers in June.
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