A RASH OF CONTROVERSY OVER DIAPER BILL

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By Miriam Raftery

August 12, 2014 (San Diego)--A local legislator says she has received threats over introducing a bill that would help poor mothers afford diapers for their children, 10 News reports. 

AB 1516 would give $80 for diapers to every family with a child under 2 years old, if the family qualifies for CALWORKS, the state’s program that helps welfare recipients get jobs.  

The high cost of diapers prevents many parents from returning to work, since most child care centers require that children wear disposable diapers, so reusing cloth ones is not an option during working hours.

Author Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego)--says the bill is also to “protect small children who, at no fault of their own, are in a poor family,” 10 News reports.

 In low income households, studies have shown some that babies are more apt to suffer from health problems if parents can’t afford frequent diaper changes or are forced to reuse diapers.

Last year, a  peer-reviewed study in the journal Pediatrics found that a mother working full time earning the federal minimum wage would spend more than 6% of her income on diapers. The study’s four authors found that about a third of poor families were not able to provide their babies with adequate numbers of diapers, resulting in increased parental anxiety, stress and negative effects on their babies’ health, with an increase in diaper rashes and urinary tract infections.

Since it began receiving publicity on national and local news, Gonzales says she has receive threats that are racist and sexist, some of a graphic nature that she finds shocking.

Some callers objected to the bill’s cost, but Gonzales says that her bill save taxpayers money by helping parents get back to work—and off of welfare.

The bill is the first of its kind in the nation.  It passed the Assembly without a single Republican vote but has been placed on the suspense file in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

 East County’s Assemblyman Brian Jones and State Senator Joel Anderson both opposed the the measure, though Anderson has suggested he might have supported it if  “results” could be proven  and safeguards added to assure funds are only used for diapers.  It is unclear how results could be proven, however, unless the bill is first enacted.    

San Diego’s women legislators, all Democrats including Shirley Weber who represents portions of East County, voted in favor of the diaper proposal.

Congressman Duncan D. Hunter has also voiced opposition to the concept. At the Politics in Paradise event last week, he said he opposes any new "welfare" and showed no sympathy for parents living in poverty--even those who have lost jobs or are looking for work to help support their families.

The East County Republican concluded, "Having a child is a choice; you are then responsible."

 

 


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