A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning the implementation of a restaurant meals
Page 1, Line 102program for certain recipients of the supplemental
Page 1, Line 103nutrition assistance program.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.)
No later than January 1, 2026, the bill requires the department of human services to submit an application to the United States department of agriculture food and nutrition service to implement a restaurant meals program that allows eligible supplemental nutrition assistance program recipients to purchase hot or prepared foods at participating restaurants.
This Unofficial Version Includes Committee
Amendments Not Yet Adopted on Second Reading
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 26-2-310 as follows:
Page 2, Line 326-2-310. Restaurant meals program - federal approval -
Page 2, Line 4eligible SNAP recipients - report - rules - definitions. (1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 2, Line 5(a) "Office" means the office of economic security in the department of human services.
Page 2, Line 6(b) "Program" means the restaurant meals program implemented pursuant to this section.
Page 2, Line 7(c) "SNAP" means the supplemental nutrition assistance program established pursuant to this part 3.
Page 2, Line 8(d) "SNAP recipient" means an individual in a household who is receiving benefits from SNAP.
Page 2, Line 9(e) "USDA" means the United States department of agriculture food and nutrition service.
Page 2, Line 10(2) (a) No later than January 1, 2026, the state department
Page 2, Line 11shall submit an application to the USDA to implement a
Page 2, Line 12restaurant meals program that allows SNAP recipients to purchase hot or prepared foods at participating restaurants.
Page 2, Line 13(b) A SNAP recipient is eligible for participation in the
Page 2, Line 14program if the SNAP recipient meets the USDA's eligibility criteria for the program.
Page 2, Line 15(c) Subject to available appropriations, after receiving
Page 2, Line 16approval from the USDA to implement the program, the office
Page 2, Line 17shall develop and publish on its website an implementation plan
Page 3, Line 1for the program and the USDA's eligibility criteria for SNAP recipients.
Page 3, Line 2(3) (a) After developing and publishing the implementation
Page 3, Line 3plan pursuant to subsection (2)(c) of this section, and subject to
Page 3, Line 4available appropriations, the state department shall adopt
Page 3, Line 5rules for the administration and implementation of the program. At a minimum, the rules must:
Page 3, Line 6(I) Address how the state department will verify a SNAP
Page 3, Line 7recipient's eligibility pursuant to subsection (2) of this section; and
Page 3, Line 8(II) Establish the state-level application process and
Page 3, Line 9eligibility requirements for restaurants, including, at a minimum, that participating restaurants:
Page 3, Line 10(A) Are licensed by the department of public health and environment pursuant to section 25-4-1603; and
Page 3, Line 11(B) Are authorized by the food and nutrition services agency of the USDA to accept SNAP benefits.
Page 3, Line 12(b) The rules adopted pursuant to subsection (3)(a) of this section may encourage participating restaurants to:
Page 3, Line 13(I) Utilize practices of procuring locally produced foods for hot or prepared meals;
Page 3, Line 14(II) Serve foods that represent diverse cultural traditions;
Page 3, Line 15(III) Serve geographically diverse regions of the state; and
Page 3, Line 16(IV) Offer the option for a patron to choose how much to
Page 3, Line 17pay for their meal in underinvested communities.
Page 4, Line 1(4) In addition to technical assistance provided by the
Page 4, Line 2USDA, subject to available appropriations, the office may
Page 4, Line 3provide technical assistance to restaurants applying to
Page 4, Line 4participate in the program as well as to participating
Page 4, Line 5restaurants. The state department may contract with a
Page 4, Line 6third-party vendor to provide additional outreach and technical assistance pursuant to this subsection (4).
Page 4, Line 7(5) In its annual report to the committees of reference
Page 4, Line 8made pursuant to section 2-7-203, the state department shall
Page 4, Line 9provide an update concerning the progress toward implementing
Page 4, Line 10the restaurant meals program. At a minimum, the update must
Page 4, Line 11include the names and addresses of all approved participating
Page 4, Line 12restaurants and the number of SNAP recipients eligible to participate in the program, by county.
Page 4, Line 13SECTION 2. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,
Page 4, Line 14determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
Page 4, Line 15preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for
Page 4, Line 16the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state institutions.