Home California California Becomes First State to Subsidize Diapers After Governor Signs AB 480

California Becomes First State to Subsidize Diapers After Governor Signs AB 480

by ECT

On Thursday, Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 480 by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) which makes California the first state in the country to subsidize diapers.

The assemblywoman had been trying to get the bill passed since 2014. She says one in three U.S. families has problems affording diapers, which can cost up to $100 per child every month.

Also signed on Thursday was the Assemblywoman’s Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights, AB 1312, addresses a well-known weak link in the investigation of sexual assaults by preventing the premature destruction of rape kits.

Here is a look at the Press Release from Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher

SACRAMENTO  – Gov. Jerry Brown today signed two bills by California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) that will help women in need – one that will provide assistance to hardworking mothers who have trouble affording diapers, a second that creates a Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights. Gov. Brown joined Assemblywoman Gonzalez Fletcher and other members of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus for a ceremony today in which he signed several bills to support women, children and families.

“Whether it’s single mothers trying to hold down a job or one of the thousands of women who are sexually assaulted every year, the work of the Women’s Caucus and Gov. Brown’s signature today show California is again leading the way when it comes to protecting women who need it the most,” said Assemblywoman Gonzalez Fletcher, who chairs the Assembly Select Committee on Women in the Workplace and has been a member of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus since 2013.

With the signing of Assemblywoman Gonzalez Fletcher’s Assembly Bill 480 today, California becomes the first state in the country to subsidize diapers for young parents in need.

One in three U.S. families has problems affording diapers, which can cost up to $100 per child every month. Most daycare facilities won’t accept children who don’t have a day’s worth of diapers, meaning parents who can’t afford diapers face a big hurdle while seeking a job or trying to remain employed. AB 480 would make diaper assistance available to single mothers and other young parents who participate in the CalWORKS Welfare-to-Work and Cal-Learn programs and who have children under age three.

AB 480 was approved by the Assembly 72-2 on Sept. 14 after passing the Senate 38-0 on Sept. 13. Assemblywoman Gonzalez Fletcher has been authoring legislation to create a state diaper program for low-income families since 2014.

“This is about helping hardworking families take care of the basics,” Assemblywoman Gonzalez Fletcher said. “This is about much more than diapers. It’s about helping a parent keep or find a job, a task that is much more difficult if you don’t have child care. And it’s very, very hard to find child care if you can’t provide a day-care facility with diapers for your child.”

The Assemblywoman’s Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights, AB 1312, addresses a well-known weak link in the investigation of sexual assaults by preventing the premature destruction of rape kits.

Sexual assault is both widespread and underreported. California is home to an estimated 7.6 million sexual assault survivors, the majority of whom are women. According to data from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey of 2010, one in five women are victims of rape, and one in two women are victims of sexual violence other than rape at some point in their lives.

The Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights eases the burden on sexual assault survivors in a number of important ways. The proposed law requires survivors be given a standardized card outlining their rights and the resources available to them. The bill requires women be provided birth control after their assault. Crucially, the bill also requires law enforcement agencies to preserve all rape test kits for unsolved cases for 20 years minimum or until a victims who is a minor turns age 40.

“No sexual-assault survivor should ever feel mistreated by the criminal-justice system,” Assemblywoman Gonzalez Fletcher said. “They need to know their rights. They need to know every resource available to them. I’m amazed at how often the victims of such horrific crimes are not extended such basic courtesies.”

AB 1312 passed the Assembly on a 77-0 vote on Sept. 11 after passing the Senate by 40-0 vote on Sept. 7.

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17 comments

Kim Oct 13, 2017 - 7:16 am

Why don’t we require those young mothers to first make the sacrifices the rest of us do when we become mothers on a tight budget. We don’t eat out, buy booze, wear designer clothes, take our kids to Disneyland, have an iPhone, get our nails and hair done or buy tattoos! Subsidies and handouts for literally everything in life is wrong and only teaches them that welfare is a great career!!

Highwayman Oct 13, 2017 - 8:22 am

Kim, well said. Another social program to be abused and a waste of our tax dollars.

Ray Oct 13, 2017 - 8:42 am

What’s next toilet paper?
I want the government to pay for me to wipe my butt.
It’s only fair!

Ray Oct 13, 2017 - 8:44 am

If you can’t afford diapers don’t have kids !!!!!!

Simonpure Oct 13, 2017 - 8:55 am

Birth control!!!

American Oct 13, 2017 - 10:08 am

What about senior citizens ? Will they covered too ?

Jean Livingston Oct 13, 2017 - 10:53 pm

My thoughts exactly. We are being discriminated against. Let’s SUE!!!!!

Melanie Oct 13, 2017 - 11:41 am

LOL – Just buy diapers first.

Frances Webster Oct 13, 2017 - 1:54 pm

Very well said!

Lola Saavedra Oct 13, 2017 - 7:10 pm

What about CLOTH DIAPERS those women can launder and reuse? Wait! This means Jerry will sign into law subsidizing laundry facilities, soap, water, etc.

Dawn Oct 13, 2017 - 7:16 pm

I guess this means we will see more disposable diapers thrown all over parks and parking lots! Maybe we should gather those, pack them up and send them to Assemblywoman Fletcher and Gov. Jerry Brown.

Old Pittsburg/Antioch Hwy Border Oct 15, 2017 - 6:43 am

Excellent protest action!

Dawn Oct 13, 2017 - 11:05 pm

Jerry Brown should pay for those diapers himself — out of his own salary.

Vaerie Avellanet Oct 14, 2017 - 5:27 am

The concept of gov’t from cradle to grave is alive and well in Calif. As Margaret Thatcher said, “Sooner or later you run out of other people’s money”.

Old Pittsburg/Antioch Hwy Border Oct 15, 2017 - 6:49 am

As long as we accept the government printing of the $100.00 dollar when we need more to pay the debt, why would we ever run out of money? Hey, even Venezuela has been successful printing a $10,000.00 dollar note to pay their blills! NOT!

Sidney Pitsos Oct 14, 2017 - 3:49 pm

I was a young mother married to a military man, we had 6 babies a year apart we had very little income. I chose to buy CLOTH DIAPERS
never used a (disposable diaper) I was never given anything from the government for the care of MY CHILDREN, I chose my priorities, I didn’t do my hair, my nails or go out to eat, we have made a woman so lazy and expecting everything (FREE) paid by my neighbors to raise MY KIDS. These MOTHER’S today are already having their children being FED 3 meals a day, subsidies housing and childcare. WHEN WILL
ENOUGH be ENOUGH…

American Oct 16, 2017 - 7:45 am

Enough will be enough when we vote out the politicians who supported this. It must be done before 51 percent of voters are welfare recepients.

Comments are closed.