California's free diaper program has become the subject of cost disputes and transparency concerns, with the state declining to release key contract documents despite a fact-checking review that challenged viral social media claims.

A CBS News California fact-check determined that viral posts claiming the state's free diaper program would cost taxpayers 50 cents per diaper were inaccurate. The investigation examined the mathematical calculations behind the widely circulated cost estimates that had generated significant online criticism of the program.

Despite the fact-check findings, the Newsom administration has refused to release the contract with Baby2Baby, the organization implementing the diaper distribution program. State officials have also declined to provide competitive bidding records related to the contract selection process.

Concerns have been raised about potential waste in the free diaper distribution system, though specific details about these concerns were not elaborated upon by officials. The lack of transparency regarding contract terms and bidding processes has drawn additional scrutiny to the program beyond the initial cost calculations.

The diaper program represents part of California's broader social safety net initiatives, though the exact scope, duration, and total budget allocation for the program remain unclear without access to the withheld contract documents.