Bill to End Day-Care Diaper Discrimination Advances

Day-care centers would be required to accept babies who wear cloth diapers under legislation approved Thursday by the Assembly.

The bill, SB 2342 by Sen. Lucy Killea (D-San Diego), is designed to end discrimination against parents who prefer that their children wear washable cloth diapers, as well as to reduce the number of non-biodegradable disposable diapers dumped in landfills.

The measure was approved 42 to 29. It now goes back to the Senate for concurrence with Assembly amendments.

An informal survey of 266 day care centers in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento and San Diego earlier this year found that one in four shut their doors to babies who wear reusable cloth diapers, a Killea spokesman said.

Assemblywoman Bev Hansen (R-Santa Rosa) called Killea’s bill an “anti-discrimination” measure.

“Nobody should tell anybody how to diaper their baby,” Hansen said.

Several lawmakers with young families voted against the measure, saying dirty cloth diapers smell and are a health risk.

“When I suggested the use of cloth diapers to my spouse, I was banished from the house,” said Assemblyman Phil Wyman (R-Tehachapi).

Assemblywoman Jackie Speier (D-South San Francisco) said she would not place her son in a day care center that used cloth diapers.

“There is a health and sanitation issue here,” Speier said. “Having these diapers around is not a healthful situation.”

The bill would require all day-care centers to admit children who wear cloth diapers after January, 1991. Violations of the law could be punished by up to $50 a day in civil penalties.